E-mail to TCFR supporters on April 23, 2004
In Support of Home-Schooling
The United States Supreme Court has acknowledged that the liberty interest of parents in the care, custody and control of their children is perhaps the oldest of the fundamental liberty interests recognized by this court. In that light the state of Texas has upheld the right of parents to home-school their children. Home schooling in Texas is considered private education.
Home-schooling and efforts to place home-schooling issues in the state of Texas Republican platform came under attack in a recent publication in Ft. Bend county (where we are located). Our founder, Gary Gates, has written the following response regarding the author?s position on home-schooling and would like to pass it on to our readers:
Ms. B.K. Carter in her recent column, "Bev's Burner," negatively commented on the Republican Party platform given at her last senatorial convention (SD 17). She accused the platform of being "pro-home schooling," among other things.
When a Jennifer Harger responded with a great letter addressing her comment, Mrs. Carter responded as follows:
Dear Ms. Harger,
I want the Republican Party to be for an educational choice; but not to the detriment of the public school system. A certain faction of the Republican Party seems to believe that home-schooling should not only be allowed, but should be granted special privileges. Then they spend a lot of time trying to make that happen politically.
While there may be many success stories in home schooling, most of the people that I personally know that home school their children do so simply because they are too lazy to get up at 6 a.m. to get their children off to school. Or the husband wants the children to be home schooled as it is a control issue, not only of his wife, but the children also. Or the mother wants complete control.
I also can't help but wonder about the socialization of children who have been home schooled.
And I think that it is interesting to note that recently the two mothers who have been tried for murder of their children were home schooling their children.
If one would indeed take personal responsibility for their children's best education and make the sacrifices necessary to accomplish that goal, then my belief is that their children would flourish better under public school education, particularly with the diversity they would be exposed to as concerning other students, curriculum and extra-curricular activities - all things that home school is singularly lacking.
Thanks for writing and expressing your opinion. That's one thing of which all political parties should be supportive.
Sincerely,
B.K. Carter
I find Ms. Carter's opinion of home schooling very disturbing. It appears that due to a limited circle of acquaintances, or out of ignorance, Ms. Carter is misinformed about home schooling families.
It is obvious that Ms. Carter's view of home schoolers is being shaped by media such as the Houston Chronicle article which recently came out sharing the story of a mother who killed her children. The Chronicle made sure to highlight that this mother home schooled her children.
Since the Leeper decision, home schooling has enjoyed increasing growth and popularity. But, do not underestimate those in government and society who are working hard to take back the control they lost to home schoolers. If we, as home schoolers, allow the media to shape the public?s opinion of home schooling, then we will lose.
I encourage each of you to write Ms. Carter and give her a more accurate picture of home schooling families. She can be contacted via e-mail at: bkcstar@earthlink.net
Thank you. May God continue to extend His grace upon our families as we seek to educate our children in a manner that is pleasing to Him.
Sincerely,
Gary Gates
P.S. When you contact Ms. Carter, please send me a copy of your letter. Your correspondence would be a huge help as I am seeking to defend home schooling freedoms in Austin. Thank you.
