Daisy asks, “Should I join a homeschool advocacy group like HSLDA (Homeschool Legal Defense Association)?”
In a word, no.
Please forgive me if I become too wordy or impassioned, but this particular topical splinter has been digging into my brain for a while now. What comes out might not be pretty. As a secular homeschooler, I’m not ever going to be on board with the HSLDA. As a liberal homeschooler, I’m not ever going to be on board with the HSLDA. Honestly, as a homeschooler in general, I’m not ever going to be on board with the HSLDA.
HSLDA is a religious group and has, in my opinion, some rather sinister ulterior motives that go much further than protecting or extending the rights of homeschoolers. It’s not just “rah rah, homeschooling!” but a lot of unpleasant cause mixing — they’ve either directly worked against, encouraged members to work against, or celebrated legislation outlawing/limiting gay marriage, gun-free school zones, abortion, and more. Not only does this stand against things I believe in, ethically/morally and politically/legally speaking, but really crosses the line from supporting homeschool to intervening in the lives of others — ironically, the very thing they seem so convinced the government is set on doing. A 2004 article in the Boston Globe addresses many of my concerns with the organization and what I feel is an exploitation of homeschooling families and homeschooled children to push the HSLDA’s ultraconservative agenda.
When I think of major legal or social issues that might impact homeschooling, gay marriage isn’t something that springs to mind. The HSLDA seems to think it’s terribly relevant to homeschooling, however, as they sent an email to their mailing list asking if members would support amendment to ban gay marriage and later posted a Q&A page on the importance of a federal ban on gay marriage. I haven’t yet had someone else’s marriage, gay or straight, in any way affect my ability to homeschool my children, but I guess it’s possible I’m missing something. Does the mythical Gay Agenda now include “outlaw homeschooling” along with “destroy the sanctity of your marriage” and “corrupt your children” “go to work,” “raise a family,” and “live my life?”
What does abortion have to do with homeschooling, exactly, outside of the topics of health or religious belief? The HSLDA has an entire page on their site celebrating “partial birth abortion” ban. HSLDA president Michael Farris hopes, in his own words, that “homeschooled young people will help reverse Roe v. Wade.” Again, I’m curious as to what Roe v. Wade has to do with mathematics, science, language arts, or any other aspect of home education. How is Roe v. Wade, or abortion in general, an issue that should be addressed by a homeschooling organization?
Why does an organization charging around $100/year in membership dues, supposedly to pay for legal defense for homeschooling issue, instead shunt that money into stopping abortion or gay marriage, or championing non-homeschool-related political causes in general? HSLDA funds the National Center for Home Education, which is a lobbying organization, and Generation Joshua, which is designed to indoctrinate homeschooled students into the Farris’s specific set of conservative beliefs and recruit them for conservative grassroots movements.
Additionally, the HSLDA, champion of the “rights” of homeschooled parents, is also absurdly afraid of children having rights of their own.
You’re better off knowing your own rights and retaining your own counsel, IMO, unless you want to fund the above. Obviously, I’m addressing a general “you,” or more specifically, answering the question of whether I would join the HSLDA, because I certainly wouldn’t want to fund the above. Even some of my politically conservative, Christian friends won’t join the HSLDA, because they feel uncomfortable with the degree of political involvement and the related pressure on member-families. Sadly, the HSLDA presents itself as the only game in town and the only group standing between homeschoolers and terrible, crushing demise at the government’s hands. Yes, homeschoolers do have it pretty rough in some states, but the intrusive, rabidly conservative approach of the HSLDA strikes me as a way to worsen, rather than improve, conditions for homeschoolers.
Daisy also asked about joining the HSC (Homeschool Assoc of CA). This group appears to be inclusive and to genuinely focus on advocating for the rights of homeschoolers. If you really feel that joining a legal/advocacy group is important, the HSC sound like a much better bet to this [Smrt] Homeschooler.
Do you have a question for the [Smrt] Homeschooler? Email them to
smrtmama@smrtlernins.com
Good words, thank you.
I wonder how their minds would wrap around ppl like you and me. We’re both homeschoolers AND a part of the forces that would crush homeschoolers. How does that work?
It’s clearly an issue of self-hate. We’re so repulsive to the Lord that He calls upon us to crush ourselves.
Organisations like that are rather scary. You can bet there’d be people joining up under the impression that it’s all about home educators’ rights, blissfully unaware of the other agendas being pushed. They should be required to name themselves something that reflects their mission, eg Association of Politically and Religiously Ultra-conservative Home Schoolers.
I enjoy reading your blog and so happy to find another secular WTM blogger.
I’m becoming unpopular on some of my groups because as soon as I see someone ask about HSLDA I tell them to make sure they research it well because of their political agenda.
On some of my local groups (NJ) I’ve had people mention incidences where HSLDA made things WORSE for homeschoolers. They introduce legislation that brings attention to things better left alone.
Nobody has ever been able to explain to me why gay marriage or abortion are homeschool issues (or why gay marraige is an issue for anyone who’s not gay).
Well, I think gay marriage is a basic matter of both civil and human rights, and should have the attention of all people until this injustice is righted. However, I don’t think a homeschool organization needs to be championing for or against this issue. It’s inappropriate.
I agree that HSLDA has made things worse for homeschoolers. No one gave a thought to whether a ban of guns on school property would mean homeschoolers couldn’t have guns in their homes until those HSLDA yahoos started claiming that was what the law would do. Not a single homeschooler has been charged w/ breaking that law, but gee, I guess now that’s out there and they COULD be, if someone were looking for a charge on which to cite them.
I agree that gay marriage is something that should be a basic human right. What I don’t understand is why people feel it will harm them in some way. I’m very glad that I live in one of the states where it is legal, although I think the whole terminology battle is a crock. Call them civil unions and (some) think its okay. I was MARRIED by a mayor not a church – does that mean my MARRIAGE should not be called a MARRIAGE since that term is owned by the Christians? And saying churches will be forced to hold weddings they don’t agree with is BS as well. The Catholic Church has only been marrying people who meet their criteria for hundreds of years.