Homeschool IS legal in California

Homeschoolers across the nation are celebrating the latest judicial decision which affirms their right to teach their children at home.

To recap a homeschooling family in California, which has had issues with their children and social services for decades, was finally pulled into court after one of their then adult daughters alleged abuse. A California court decided to go overboard and instead of requiring just this family to put their children in brick and mortar public/private school they banned homeschooling for all 166,000 or so children taught at home by their parents. HUGE uproar across the nation and the CA Supreme Court said hold on there and sent it back down to the 2nd District. A flurry of Friend of the Court briefs were filed, more testimony and now this decision.

After hearing from an array of objectors that included state education officials and Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, the court agreed to reconsider the case and issued a new ruling today that reached the opposite conclusion: State law allows home schooling, although children can be required to attend school if they're being abused or neglected at home. San Francisco Chronicle

For the actual ruling: Jonathan L. vs. Superior Court, B192878 at www.courtinfo.ca.gov/opinions/documents/B192878.PDF.

CA is a bit of an odd bird in the homeschooling world in that it's not mentioned in law (like Tennessee) or their state constitution (like Oklahoma) or in legal precedent (like Texas)--that is until today. Parents create and register their own private schools and then teach their children at home. Now, they're free to continue to do so.

Happy day in homeschooling households.