Major Victory for Home Schooling!

It's official. Students in California can go back to school this fall without having to leave their homes. And they have friends like you to thank.

On August 8, in a reversal of its earlier decision, California's Second District Court of Appeal upheld the right of parents to home-school their kids. The court deferred to the state legislature, which has allowed home-schooling to flourish in the state with few restrictions.

As you know, the Pacific Justice Institute (PJI) has been on the frontlines of this ongoing legal battle as counsel for the Christian school in which the L. family educates their children at home. It's been something of a see-saw affair, but the dedication and perseverance of people like you made it possible for PJI to successfully argue for your right to home-school, and to do so without charge to our client.

This is a landmark victory! Without a reversal by the court, your right to home-school your children in the state of California would have been lost.

But let me be clear. Despite this favorable decision, a word of caution is necessary.

Such is the nature of the legal beast that victories, no matter how decisive, can often be temporary. As of today, an appeal to the California Supreme Court by those who oppose your Constitutional right to home-school still remains a distinct possibility.

And even if the decision is not appealed now, the California Supreme Court can legally re-examine the matter through a different case in the future.

As pleased as I am with this victory, the fact remains that the length and breadth of the home-school case delivered a huge blow to PJI's resources. It was certainly money well-spent, and if necessary, I would gladly do it again. But the end result is that an influx of donations is needed perhaps more than at any time in PJI's 11-year history. Consider:

Traditional marriage has taken an unprecedented hit this year. Unless the California Constitution is amended, same-sex marriage will be here to stay. And lawsuits against pastors who speak out against homosexuality or refuse to officiate homosexual weddings will be likely.

As I'm sure you understand, PJI must always be adequately armed with the resources necessary to defend these churches. We've already begun legal briefings throughout the state to equip pastors to protect themselves from such attacks. We're also bracing ourselves for a dramatic increase in threats against private citizens like you.

And of course, PJI still has the home-school issue to consider. Whether the recent decision is appealed or not, substantial work must be done. In fact, it's already begun.

PJI Chief Counsel Kevin Snider, who participated in oral arguments at the Court of Appeal defending the right to home-school, sent an August letter to the County Counsel of all 58 California counties, notifying them of the change in the law and warning them not to prosecute families for doing nothing more than exercising their right to home-school.
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That's why I'm committed to taking steps to ensure that local authorities are aware of the decision and warned against overzealous prosecution against home-school families. It's a proven fact that a decisive victory like this is only as valuable as our ability to persuade the local government to fully respect it.

With your help, PJI is already working towards that end.

In early August, PJI affiliate attorney Vip Bhola successfully defended a home-schooling family in Santa Monica against misdemeanor charges of a daytime curfew violation. And earlier this year, school authorities near Santa Rosa pressed hard for detailed information about a single mother's home-school program. When PJI got involved on her behalf, those demands were quickly rescinded.

Without question, the battle for the minds of our children is too serious to ignore. I cannot stress enough the importance of this issue. According to the Barna Research Group, only nine percent of Christian teenagers believe in moral absolutes. And not surprisingly, they're being fed this truth-is-relative propaganda by the public schools system.

That's why your continued support is so crucial. Not everyone can afford private education, particularly in our current economy. If your right to home-school is lost through appeal at some point in the future, the only option for hundreds of thousands of families will be the local public school. And that would be a potentially devastating blow to America's future.

PJI's success in the courtroom -- past, present and future -- depends largely on the active participation and support of people like you. Thank you for standing with PJI during this critical period in history.