Parents Rights Violated By Public School Compulsory Attendence Laws

Compulsory attendance laws are school authorities' first assault on parental rights. These laws force almost forty-five million children to sit in often boring classes six to eight hours a day for twelve years. Compulsory attendance laws force parents to hand over their children to state employees called teachers, principals, and administrators, whose competence they must take on faith.

Compulsory attendance laws show contempt for parents' rights because they are based on the notion that the state owns our children for twelve years, and that parents should have little say in the matter.

In effect, these laws allow state officials to legally kidnap millions of children, allegedly to benefit the children by giving them an education (in the opinion of these officials). "Kidnap" may seem like a harsh word, yet wouldn't you apply that word to someone who took your child by force against your will?

Unfortunately, most parents voluntarily send their kids to the local public school. These parents believe they are doing the right thing or have no alternative, so they might not believe that school authorities kidnap their kids. However, millions of other parents are so disgusted with public schools that they either homeschool their kids or send them to private schools.

Every year, school authorities and social service agencies harass or threaten hundreds of home-schooling parents who remove their child from public school. If parents refuse to send their child to the local public school, and do not strictly follow a state's home-schooling regulations, school authorities can file child abuse or neglect charges against the parent. They can then call in social service agencies that threaten parents with jail or threaten to take away their children and put them in foster homes.

The Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA) claims to represent "approximately 365 home-schooling families a year who are wrongly charged of some form of child abuse or neglect" because they chose not to comply with compulsory attendance laws.

School authorities' harassment of home-schoolers reveals the nasty compulsion underlying our public schools. Thankfully, parents in this country have the right to homeschool their children. For their children's sake, parents should take advantage of this right.

Joel Turtel is an education policy analyst, and author of "Public Schools, Public Menace: How Public Schools Lie To Parents and Betray Our Children." Contact Information: Website: http://www.mykidsdeservebetter.com, Email: lbooksusa@aol.com, Phone: 718-447-7348. Article Copyrighted © 2005 by Joel Turtel. NOTE: You may post this Article on another website only if you set up a hyperlink to Joel Turtel's email address and website URL, http://www.mykidsdeservebetter.com.

---

3 Rules to Making TeensTechnology Work For You

Isn't the technology of today is amazing?! Between the speed... Read More

Renee?s Mommy is Here

I still remember the scene vividly. I was getting out... Read More

Top 10 Mistakes by New and Expectant Dads

From criticizing a spouse, to claming up about one's own... Read More

7 Ways Busy Families Can Volunteer

Volunteering together is a fantastic way to spend time as... Read More

Legacy to Your Children

John Bishop's Goal Setting for Students.comLegacy to Your ChildrenIt's 6:30... Read More

Parenting Your Teenager: Are Sleep Overs with the Opposite Sex OK?

Q. Our 17-year-old son wants us to let his girlfriend... Read More

How to Give Your Child Encyclopedic Knowledge?

When you talk about multiply your child's intelligence, you can't... Read More

What About ADHD Teens and Driving?

This is one of the most common questions asked of... Read More

Will My Doubts and Fears Affect My Child?

"Will my doubts and fears affect my child?" This father... Read More

Misplaced Passion

"Before every action, ask yourself: Will this bring more monkeys... Read More

ZERO Tolerance: How Firm the Line?

A friend phoned her neighbor, complaining about the wafts of... Read More

Teach Your Children About the Importance of Water

The Flow of WaterWater is essential for life on the... Read More

Parents Demand Dumbed-down Tests:An Unintended Bad Consequence of the No Child Left Behind Act

The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 is making... Read More

How to Assist Troubled Teens

What parents of a teen haven't wondered where their sweet... Read More

Baptisms And Alternative Ways To Hold A Naming Ceremony

Traditionally, babies have been named at a christening/baptism.... Read More

Children, Entitlement and God

"Setting the alarm on Sunday mornings is inhuman?..God should know... Read More

One Definition of Success

As parents, we want our children and teens to grow... Read More

Humans and Their Innate Need for Drug Stimulation

We know that ancient cultures and Indians and the like... Read More

The ABCs of Raising Twins

As a mother of two sets of fraternal boy/girl twins,... Read More

Back to School Success: The Parents Job and the Students Job

Q. With another school year starting, we are not sure... Read More

Life Lessons in a Glass of Beer

It was blisteringly hot last Saturday. As I took that... Read More

Tracking Your Child Progress

As a parent, you can learn a lot about your... Read More

Im a Mom, Shes a Mom: Being an Adult with Your Parents

On one of her quarterly visits to see her grandson,... Read More

Did You Get the Hidden Parenting Message in Finding Nemo?

In the movie, Finding Nemo, Nemo's father, Marlyn asks the... Read More

Kids Party Etiquette for Parents

Ever feel like you're out of the loop when it... Read More

Motivation - The Key to Your Childs Educational Success

For the first year or two of life outside the... Read More

Caretaking Parents, Entitled Kids

Demanding children ? children who have entitlement issues ? seem... Read More

My Sons Deployment

One of the most difficult struggles in life for a... Read More

15 Ways to Help Kids Like Themselves

1. Tell me something you like about yourself? Help your... Read More

Monitoring Your Teens for Drug Use Without Appearing to be Spying

Even if your teenagers do not use drugs, you still... Read More

Positive Parenting - Oops! I Really Lost My Temper With My Kids, What Now?

Ever blown your top to your children, only to regret... Read More

ADD / ADHD Children : Being Your Childs Best Friend

Do you live with an ADD / ADHD child? If... Read More

Playground Pettiness

Recently I took my two children to a popular new... Read More