Well, at least somebody gets it.
“There is no more important task for a parent than the education of one’s children. That responsibility belongs to parents, not the government,” insists Wayne Allyn Root, the Libertarian Party candidate for vice president. “As a home school parent myself, I know how important it is for government to not interfere in the education process.” Barr ‘08
A politician, even, but I doubt the Libertarian Party candidate for vice president has a great deal of influence over the national education discussion.
Yet the city of Washington, D.C. has issued new regulations that for the first time in 15 years anywhere in America increase government control over home-schooling. “Given the abysmal job performed by the District public schools, the D.C. government should be encouraging, not discouraging home schooling,” says Root. “It is the height of arrogance for this school system with its poor performance to sit in judgment over the quality of parental instruction.”
D.C. cannot even keep track of their own books.
Home schoolers also have been under attack in California, Root observes, where a court recently ruled against home school parents, declaring that there is no constitutional right to home school. However, he notes, “the U.S. Supreme Court once blocked a state attempt to outlaw private schools, explaining that ‘the child is not the mere creature of the state.’ That principle is equally valid for home schooling.”
That would be Pierce vs. Society of Sisters. Which also mentions the standardization of children as if it were a bad thing. But it still allows the state’s role in private education, and allows for more oversight than DC has imposed.
No question is raised concerning the power of the state reasonably to regulate all schools, to inspect, supervise and examine them, their teachers and pupils; to require that all children of proper age attend some school, that teachers shall be of good moral character and patriotic disposition, that certain studies plainly essential to good citizenship must be taught, and that nothing be taught which is manifestly inimical to the public welfare.
But now back to Root, the Libertarian candidate for VP:
“The good news in California,” Root adds, “is that the state has dropped its action against the home schooling family. But the state legislature still should act to protect the fundamental right of parents to educate their own children. The D.C. city council should do the same,” he says.
I’ve been out of the loop for a week now, as the activity level on this blog may demonstrate. But did something happen in California while I was out? I presume that he is referring to the juvenile court which terminated jurisdiction over the children. I was never that concerned over the court’s actions against that particular family. Just because they homeschool does not make them immune from being bad parents and there seemed to be enough evidence to warrant the state’s involvement in that family. It was the other court which concerned me, the one which made it about homeschooling rather than the Long family. And others besides me do not see this decision as necessarily having any bearing on the appellate court ruling.
Edward Steinman, a law professor at Santa Clara University, said he does not believe that the family court dismissal undermines the ruling, but it could provide easy political cover if the appellate court wants to get out of the spotlight.
“I don’t think it moots the case. I think it’s two separate issues,” he said. “The family court issue is the one that triggered [the ruling], but family court is not the one that made” the ruling.
“It should have no effect,” he said. “But it became a political football, and the [appellate] court may use this to say ‘let’s just punt.’ “ LA Times
Back to the campaigning:
“There may be no better example as to how government has outgrown its original role than the fact that many people now believe education to be not a family, not a local, and not a state responsibility, but a federal responsibility. That’s entirely wrong,” says Root. “There may be no more important liberty than the right to care for one’s own family, including to ensure the proper education of one’s children. Bob Barr and I are dedicated to promoting that right in our campaign for president and vice president.”
No wonder so many homeschoolers seem to be libertarian. But then, you didn’t always have to be to hear politicians talk like this. At one time, getting rid of the Department of Education was on the Republican Party platform. Now they want to give it more power, all the way through college. I never left the Republican Party, but I think it is swiftly leaving me. Sounds frightfully like the statement of another. It is still odd to think of Reagan as a Democrat, but then it is odd to listen to Kennedy’s old speeches and think of him as a Democrat. Politics in America certainly seem to shift.
And the press release ends with a nice close.
Wayne Root and his wife Debra home school their 4 young children. Wayne is the first home school father on a Presidential ticket in modern history.
Excluding, of course Howard Phillips, Doug Phillips’ son, who ran on the Constitution Party’s ticket in ‘92, ‘96, and ‘00. And then I believe Michael Peroutka on the same ticket in ‘04, but I can’t find verification that he homeschooled at the moment. Now I’m wondering how many others I don’t know about. The candidates of third parties rarely gain enough of my attention to notice the educational choices of their candidates.
Maybe he can give a speech at the Liberty Forum in Connecticut. People there might actually listen.
And I’m wondering, with all the great enthusiasm Republicans have for their candidate, how many are planning to vote third party? I keep hearing “I’m staying home this year,” which bothers me. I don’t really care who people vote for, but especially if you are concerned with what McCain will do in office, you really should at least become interested in who will be in the House and Senate to slow him down. Democrats don’t appear to have that problem. And I suppose for the more conservative Democrat who is not impressed with Obama, there is always McCain.
Sorry, I couldn’t resist.
Update: For your entertainment, one of the best election videos I have seen to date. There is one word and one image that some may find objectionable or inappropriate for children.
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________________A little late on this, but don’t forget the Carnival of Homeschooling!
homeschool homeschooling home education Wayne Root election 08
Principled Discovery is a place to stop and discuss news and information related to faith, family and particularly education. Pour yourself a cup of tea and join the conversation! 
I agree. Neither parties seem to be totally where I can agree with them, and I’m a lifelong Republican. Republicans are probably closer, because Dems are all about big government and tax and spend so they can be the big brother. For the first time in my life, I believe that the Libertarian platform seems to be the most sensible, family-protecting party. Isn’t that ironic? Wasn’t it George Washington that cautioned against a 2 party system because it gave inordinate power to them? How can a third party compete monetarily? I don’t think they can, so it’s more about damage control.
Regarding your thoughts on Reagan and Kennedy, it reminded me that my family-loving grandmother was a Democratic party chairperson while everyone in my family since has been Republican. With the Dems morality stances, I believe she would have switched too. And bewildered just as much as I am now.
The Libertarian Party, in a purely third party context, will more than likely not succeed. Instead of creating a third party, regaining control of the Republican Party and returning to traditional CONSERVATIVE roots would be the more prudent course.
The Libertarian platform is appealing because the Republican Party has left the reservation. With terms such as ‘compassionate conservatism’ and ‘liberal republican,’ it is nothing more than a Democrat in disguise.
The term Republicrats is quite fitting.
The Democrat party of our grandfathers and grandmothers also no longer exists. It has moved further left towards socialism, if not Marism. (The Republicans have taken the traditional Democrats place)
So this election cycle we have the Democrat Marxist candidate - Obama, the Democrat candidate - McCain, and a third party conservative candidate that will help the Marxist Democrat.
I ponder whether we have the fortitude to resist this downturn. The Founding Fathers sacrificed greatly for the birth of this nation yet today it is easier to be a socialist in mock pleasure, than pursue the difficult task of conservatism.
I am writing in “Bugs Bunny” on the voting ticket this year. I’m kidding. But I am not impressed with any of the candidates so far.
I am glad to see however that at least there is some politician who is willing to admit that parents have a right to educate their children at home and that the Fed should support that.
I have a feeling there are many more who think that, but you don;t get votes by ticking off public school staff now do you?
Or money by opposing the teachers’ union.
Dana hit on the real truth right at the top. This responsibility DOES belong to parents but it isn’t just about homeschooling. We are responsible for the change (or not) we want to see in the world, not merely for one voting choice every few years. I just tried to post the following under a similar post at Spunky’s (where she was trying to figure out what the main party candidates believed about home education) but her haloscan comment system is messed up today:
. . .In all earnestness and because I keep expecting we’ll see eye to eye on education freedoms at some point, when we get far enough away from talking points and personalities — if one believes all the fine ideals of the Founders, then it isn’t about what Obama or McCain believes about education, but what you and I believe.
*I* believe that all we homeschoolers and all parents of America, have much more to do with how things actually change (or don’t) for our kids in education. And the economy. And the culture. And the natural environment, science, the arts, international relations, who we are and how we live, whether we live, everything that matters most to humanity.
One little sliver of that is perhaps reflected and effected by the particular individuals we elect to represent us in government, but mostly what makes change is what WE believe, what WE want, why we want it and what we’re willing to do to get it. I don’t look to any politician to tell me those things, and I don’t believe most of us do.
Whoever is serving in office (even a Clinton or Bush) WE are America. Not them.
I am hoping for a viable third party candidate as I am not happy with either Obama or McCain and resent they are my only real choices.
The primaries are a joke, by the time they get to Mississippi all the candidates that I would happily vote for have dropped out.
Well, we definitely agree there, JJRoss. What aggravates me is the fact that the two choices we have every few years are reflective of the decisions Americans are making.
We can talk about money, politics and corruption, but these things are only rewarded because we accept them.
EXACTLY!
Alasandra, I know what you mean. But the last viable third party candidate was Abraham Lincoln. It doesn’t happen very often in American politics. Mostly what happens is a default vote for the candidate you most disagree with, but there is always the hope that if a third party gets enough attention that its platform will be absorbed by one of the dominant parties.
I am Republican - always have been.
This is the first time in my life, having first voted for the presidential election which ushered in LBJ’s second term - following JFK’s assassination, that I feel I have no one to vote for.
I do not believe that Obama gives a rip on this issue and I’m ignorant to what McCain will do.
I guess it falls on the populous to light a fire under our sycophantic and ‘do-nothing’ congress - who are more involved in sports’ illegalities and how much pork they can pass on to their constabularies.
Hoping to have the chance to make Wayne Allyn Root our next VP now that Johnny Boy’s got caught with his hand in the n**kie jar, I mean cookie jar.
Sorry, I couldn’t resist.
It’s alright, Morgan Lighter.
And all this reminded me of a video I watched earlier today and just added to the post. It is one of the best pieces of political satire I have seen in awhile.
I think David Brooks misses the point completely when he says education is important to the future of America because of the “economy” and our kids as “human capital” — what about education for better politics, for better governance, for better living not so dependent on MONEY as the only measure of success and happiness!?
That is what annoyed me about Bush’s rationale for NCLB. Do what is good for individuals, and the economy will take care of itself.
To answer your question about the situation out here in CA, the 2nd Appellate Court is still considering the broader issue of the legality of homeschooling without a state teacher’s credential. The court had 90 days from the rehearing back on 6/23 in which to make a ruling. So there may not be any news until mid-September.
That’s what I thought, Crimson Wife. Thanks for the reassurance.
Regarding our choice of candidates for President, I am envoking Thumper’s Law.
What bothers me most about the primary process is the fact that it wasn’t actually Republicans who chose McCain as the “Republican” presidential candidate. The biggest reason he won was the number of early states that have open primaries - meaning “independents” (many of them liberal) could vote. Those “independents” gave McCain early victories in the primaries that he’d never have gotten if the primaries had been closed.
And I agree with Alasandra about the primaries being a joke. Colorado’s real primaries are happening in a little less than two weeks - which means they have zero significance. I picked up a copy of our primary ballot the other day - in our precinct, Republican voters have NO choices; there is one candidate in each slot. I’m going to vote on August 12th, but I can’t help wondering - what’s the point?
I’m sorry but I think more people who are disgusted with both of the main parties should vote libertarian. How can we expect the parties to change if we keep voting within the parties just because we think it won’t make an impact if we vote libertarian? If more and more people stopped believing in that hopeless viewpoint than it would make a difference. Ohio wants to change our homeschooling laws as well and it is not that easy to homeschool up here now. I’m so tired of this country and the hidden socialist agenda. At least be honest about the fact that you are socialist, don’t pretend to not be.
This may well be the year when a third party libertarian candidate has a chance at winning. There seems to be a lot of voters who are unhappy with McCain & Obama even within their own parties. The crossover votes both are hoping for may very well go to a third party candidate IF the candidate can get his message out and garner some name recognition. At the moment the media is just focusing on Obama and to some extent McCain.
Maybe the memory of Perot is too fresh in my memory, but the real problem with third parties is that by their nature they generally draw their votes from only one party. I suppose Barr could really push his stance on the war and possibly gain some support from the Left, and his position is a little less radical than Paul’s was in not calling for an instant pull-out so maybe it wouldn’t hurt him so much with the Republicans who might be lured by many of his other points.