May 2004 Letter

About CHEACT

Beliefs and Biblical Basis
What we believe and why we believe it

Benefits
How CHEACT supports you

Volunteer
There are plenty of opportunities to jump in and make things happen for home schoolers in central Texas

ARE WEEKS TURNING INTO MONTHS?

May 2004

Let every person be in subjection to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God. Therefore he who resists authority has opposed the ordinance of God; and they who have opposed will receive condemnation upon themselves. For rulers are not a cause of fear for good behavior, but for evil. Do you want to have no fear of authority? Do what is good and you will have praise from the same. Romans 13:1-3

Here at CHEACT, our main concern is that our members will homeschool in such a manner that they will glorify God. One of the most important ways we can do that is to make sure that we are in compliance with the laws that govern homeschooling here in Texas. Homeschoolers in Texas enjoy great freedoms not known to all other states. We live in one of the best states in the union when it comes to directing the education of our children. Unlike homeschoolers in other states, we are not burdened by such cumbersome requirements as submitting request forms to the government schools in our district, taking attendance, getting a yearly evaluation of our students, or testing. As the state of Texas defines it, homeschools are private schools, and private schools are not regulated by the state.

Yet all this focus on our freedom can sometimes cause us to forget that we do have some responsibilities as defined in Leeper v. Arlington (1994), the watershed case here in Texas for homeschooling freedom. When the state supreme court voted unanimously to uphold a parent's right to direct the education of his children, it also defined the legal requirements of homeschooling in this state. The law requires us to teach our children courses in math, spelling, reading, grammar, and good citizenship. We must teach them in a bona fide manner and our curriculum of choice must have a visual component to it. Did you know that? Is your homeschool in compliance with state law?

Some homeschoolers like to think of themselves as "unschoolers," focusing on "life skills." To be sure, these skills (like cooking, childcare, home management, car care, etc.) are important to any who aspire to have a home of their own. But these skills are not required teaching material by law. Spelling, however, is. Of course, there will be days or weeks in which school will take a backseat to family circumstances. But the law-abiding Christian homeschooler will make sure she is focusing on the academic subjects the state requires us to teach our children.

If your weeks of putting off academic instruction are turning into months, you are in violation of the law. You must come into compliance immediately. Read Romans 13. Pray with your spouse. There is perhaps no better way to protect our freedom to homeschool than to focus on submitting to the authorities God has placed over us for our protection. In doing so, you and your whole family will bring glory to God.

Noël

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