Legal
Dealing with State School Officials
The first thing to keep in mind is this—do not fear a confrontation with school officials. The spirit that causes people to fear other men does not come from God; it comes from Satan. The Holy Bible reminds us of the destructive influences of fear in Proverbs 29:25 as it states, “The fear of man bringeth a snare: but whoso putteth his trust in the Lord shall be safe.” In addition, we would do well as Christians to remember that part of our duty requires us to be prepared to give an answer to any man who inquires of us concerning our relationship with Jesus Christ. The following information provides suggestions on how to communicate with local school officials.
If contacted, you should tell local school officials that you have established a private home school program under the direction of the Christian Liberty Academy School System. If the school officials have any additional questions that are specific or detailed in nature, you should request that the officials put their questions in writing. You should assure school officials that they will receive a written response to their questions or concerns within a reasonable period of time.
If you receive a phone call from school officials, you should tell them that you do not believe in discussing school matters over the phone. Limit your phone conversation to statements that simply confirm the fact that your children are being privately educated under the direction of CLH .
Politely insist that officials put down their questions and concerns in writing and assure them that they will receive a written response to their letter. Once you receive this letter, make a copy and send it to CLH . Although CLH provides neither attorneys nor legal advice, its staff will carefully analyze your legal correspondence and give you general guidance regarding how to respond.
During confrontations with state school officials, it is very important for you to remain courteous. However, it is also important for parents to be firm and steadfastly insist that school officials communicate their concerns by mail consistently. The simplest way to avoid misunderstandings and confusion during legal confrontations is for you to keep all of your communications with local officials in writing. We know this from many years of experience. Most CLH families who attempt to represent their home school program in an off-the-cuff fashion end up fostering numerous problems. CLH can help you handle legal correspondence you receive if you follow the general recommendations previously mentioned.
If you live in a state that has a reasonable statute allowing and regulating home schools, you should consider complying with the law unless you have biblical convictions to the contrary. The more reasonable the state law, the less likely you are to win a court battle over your non-compliance. Ultimately, the choice is yours and we will respect and stand by your convictions.
We encourage all CLH families to seriously consider joining in membership with a legal insurance program provided by the Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA). This association provides low-cost legal coverage by qualified attorneys for parents who are educating their own children at home. Even if you never experience legal trouble yourself, your HSLDA membership will help enable other homeschooling families to get the legal help they need and will help defend our right to homeschool. CLH families are eligible for a fifteen dollar ($15.00) discount on their HSLDA membership. When completing the application, include the HSLDA group number for CLH , which is 291004.