Bingo
This case goes straight to the heart of what is wrong with this political period.
Criminalizing Home Schoolers
A California appellate court judge has ruled that parents who home school their children must get teachers' licenses or face criminal charges.
It's so arrogant. This notion that the state, and its benevolent-sounding representatives, know better what to do for us and our children better than parents and their children. This notion that because I think I know what would be better for you, I should decide what is good for you and decide for you as a matter of law. This notion that if you do not do what I think is better, you need to go to jail or to be punished not because you are actually harming anyone for real, but because I say so.
The one area of life that matters to many of us most - our education and the education of our children - is the one place where the values that center education most - liberal values, meaning the valuing of our liberty - should be taken most seriously.
And somehow, in the most mature liberal democracy in the world, we can't get that straight. Because we are so obsessed with both defending the record of the New Deal, which is a mixed record, at best, and because we are so obsessed with controlling what one another do.
This case illustrates so well the problem with this line of logic and the arrogance that it exemplifies.
Does this judge really think that this ruling will stand?
You know what the beautiful thing is?
Not in a democracy.
Baron de Montesquieu, the originator of the idea of divided powers and an independent judiciary, was a fuckin' genius. Because he was all too aware of the tendency of those in power, everyone in power, to covet it and sacrifice our liberty, all of our liberty, in the process.
This is why I love liberal democracy. And it has not a goddamned thing to do with any party's politics.
2 comments:
I'll read the actual linked story, etc. when I have some time.
I gotta tell you, though, I have REAL reservations about homeschooling and homeschoolers.
And no, I'm not just talking about the fact that most of them are crazy John Hagee-style freaky Christian goofs.
Okay, so I do have a problem with that. But I have some bigger issues with homeschooling, too.
Maybe I'll take some time to actually read this thing and then write a post about it. It would be nice to find a way to stop myself from constantly commenting on Hillary Clinton's bullshit for a few minutes. A pleasant change of pace.
Later.
Right on, John. Reservations understood. Homeschooling can be kind of freaky, fundamentalist lot. It can also be an excelling, taking education seriously experience that, perhaps, misses out on some of the social experiences but which parents take seriously as a good opportunity for their kids.
Either way, though, John, I guess the bottom line for me is that everything that involves a child, ultimately and most fundamentally, generally - with many notable and important exceptions that I'm sure you and I would have much broad agreement about - between kids and their parents.
Do I think kids are better off in public schools? Yes. Do I think even Andover Prep kids are generally better off in public schools, for all kinds of social and academic reasons? Yes. But do I think I have the right to compel them to my will? Not in a million fuckin' years. And if I'm a parent, no matter what judgment I make, as long as it is generally within reason, I'm really fuckin' insulted that any politician thinks that overturning that is either ok, generally, or something to be taken lightly.
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