Our freedoms to privately homeschool in California are always at risk. We are potentially only one legislative session away from losing our homeschool rights. Attacks on parental rights in California and around the nation have been numerous in recent years, and we at Christian Home Educators Association of California (CHEA) urge you to stay in the know where our homeschool freedoms are concerned.

Children Belong to the State?
For example, here is a recent attack from law professor James Dwyer (or here with a full article) who doesn’t believe parents have a right to raise their own children. With friends like Mr. Dwyer, do private homeschoolers in California need enemies? As you know, private homeschoolers fall under the private school statutes in the state of California and as such enjoy the liberty to direct the education and upbringing of their children. If Mr. Dwyer had his way, the state would be in charge.

CHEA (which is a non-profit ministry) works closely with Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA) and Family Protection Ministries (FPM, based in Sacramento) to publicize threats to our homeschool freedoms. We post these on Facebook, include them in our publications and social media, and send out e-news alerts to the mailing list we maintain. This helps mobilize support or opposition, whichever the case may be, to current legislation that affects homeschoolers or parental freedom. CHEA has assisted HSLDA in many cases such as the 2008 In Rachel L. case where a California judge declared homeschooling illegal. Read our FAQ on other ways CHEA is involved in your homeschool freedoms.

Rebecca Kocsis, general manager of CHEA, said, “One of the things CHEA did in 2017 that I am most excited about and you may not have heard, is co-host a Capitol Day and Leadership Conference in Sacramento with Family Protection Ministries. For four days in February, homeschool group leaders from across the state and a few select homeschool families met with our state legislators to give them information about private Christian home education. After visiting our legislators’ offices (and I am thrilled to say we were able to visit every single one!) leaders gathered together for a mini-retreat for instruction and encouragement. During that time we heard from conservative legislators, lobbyists and staffers training us in advocacy. Your generous gifts make activities like this possible.”

Protecting Your Rights
CHEA fulfills the last part of its mission statement “. . . protecting the God-given right of parents to direct the education and training of their children . . . ” by actively engaging and equipping homeschoolers throughout California. Here is what Mike Smith of HSLDA and Nathan Pierce of FPM had to say about CHEA.

CHEA has been essential in advancing the fundamental God-given right of parents to direct the education of children. They have been a significant sponsor of the Family Protection Ministries’ advocacy efforts before the California legislature to protect and preserve homechool freedom. Through their annual conferences and regional conferences, they provided a forum to educate the homeschool community on the importance of protecting homeschooling. In partnership with FPM and HSLDA, they have informed their constituency, when necessary, to contact the legislature to advocate on behalf of homeschooling freedom. And, through their website and other publications, they have educated the homeschool community on the importance of participating in the battle to preserve the freedom to homschool in California.

Mike Smith, HSLDA

CHEA is the backbone of private homeschooling in California. We at FPM can only make a difference in Sacramento defending the right to homeschool if families are working together with us in an organized manner. CHEA provides the infrastructure for that to happen. CHEA has been working to network and support private Christian homeschool families since 1982. FPM has depended on that network to defend the rights of homeschool families throughout California. The survival of FPM, and the work that we do, depends upon the continuation of that work. Every homeschool family in California benefits from the work that CHEA does.

Nathan Pierce, Family Protection Ministries

Become a CHEA Member. Just $35/year.

Together we can keep our private homeschool freedoms. We have strength in numbers. When CHEA lets the legislature know of our strong Membership, it carries weight.
If everyone on our email list became a CHEA Member, that would generate nearly $300,000 in income annually to better serve and promote private home education.

1. Join CHEA’s email list to receive any legislative alerts.
2. Be aware of the issues and candidates and vote!
3. Become a member of Home School Legal Defense Association. With your CHEA Membership of $35/year, you get a 17% discount on your annual HSLDA membership.
4. As you are able, donate to CHEA’s cause. CHEA is a non-profit organization and all contributions are tax deductible.
5. Support Family Protection Ministries.