Los Angeles, Calif., Mar 7, 2008 / 02:32 am
A California court decision restricting two parents’ ability to homeschool their children could subject all California parents to criminal penalties for homeschooling, WorldNetDaily reports.
Allegations of abuse had been brought against Phillip and Mary Long of Los Angeles, who disciplined their homeschooled children with spankings. After the case was closed by the court, the two attorneys appointed to represent the Longs’ two youngest children filed a special appeal challenging the Longs’ right to continue homeschooling their children.
The Second Appellate Court in Los Angeles granted the attorneys’ appeal. Justice H. Walt Croskey, whose opinion was joined by two other judges, declared, "Parents who fail to [comply with school enrollment laws] may be subject to a criminal complaint against them, found guilty of an infraction and subject to imposition of fines or an order to complete a parent education and counseling program."
The Long family’s children were enrolled in Sunland Christian School, a private homeschooling program. Judge Croskey, without hearing arguments from the school, said this was a "ruse of enrolling [children] in a private school and then letting them stay home and be taught by a non-credentialed parent.”