Please join me in welcoming Judy Aron to Parent at the Helm with what I hope is the first of many opportunities to garner information and knowledge from a longtime homeschooling advocate. I was fortunate to meet Judy in her home state of Connecticut many years ago, before her terrific kids grew up and took off on their life adventures. Judy played an important role in the Connecticut Homeschool Network, is currently Research Director of the National Home Education Legal Defense, and produces an informative blog at Consent of the Governed.

Please join me in making Judy feel very welcome at Parent at the Helm! Her post begins below.

When parental rights and the right to educate their children as they see fit come under attack from any corner, homeschoolers will take action.

No matter what side of the political spectrum you tend towards, you’ll find homeschoolers there in one way, shape or form. Most homeschoolers are political by default. The reason is simple: most are acquainted with the law, they keep up with the news, and they have a keen understanding of history and civics. Many of them lobby their legislators regularly, or at least help work to educate and inform them about what homeschooling is all about. They work to dispel the idiotic myths that are perpetrated by those who wish to regulate and restrict us by educating the general public as well as their elected officials. Homeschoolers have the wonderful ability to network and definitely have used that to their advantage. They have the skills to research and also have the ability to educate others.

When parental rights and the right to educate their children as they see fit come under attack from any corner, homeschoolers will take action.  That action can be anything from giving time and money to running for office themselves, to assembling at the doorposts of their State Capitol building.

Homeschoolers normally practice three things in order to help preserve their freedom, and if you haven’t been homeschooling very long or haven’t been engaged in what is happening politically, then these three points should get you started:

Keep Informed: It’s important to read the statutes in your state that affect your parental rights; be sure to also read any state and local regulations and policies that affect your parental rights.

Know Those Who Represent You: Get to know your state and federal legislators and their aides. Inform them about homeschooling and parental rights, and watch for the introduction of any new state and federal legislation.

Inform Others: If one person can help shape the future, imagine what two can accomplish. There is strength in numbers: keep others in your family and community informed of events that may affect our freedom.

It must be recognized that going back to the late 1600’s since the inception of the colonies, education was the responsibility and obligation of the family. Parents were required to “bring their children up in some lawful employment and instruct them.” This was not the duty of the church, or the government, or any other established body. We should all keep this fact in mind, even today, as it underscores our very basic rights as parents to raise and educate and nurture our children. No one should take that right away from us, or diminish that right, and our vigilance to protect our rights in that regard is why homeschoolers must be politically aware and involved. Furthermore, it is not just enough to maintain our rights for ourselves now, but also so that our children will enjoy the rights that we currently enjoy when it comes time for them to decide how to educate their children.

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