Several items that I hope will be of interest

     Review of the new Saxon Algebra 2 DVD Series: On 3/12/2008 I received the following e-mail: "To read an independent review of the new Saxon DVD series for the Saxon algebra 2 math book, please click on the following link: http://www.thesaxonteacher.com/newsletterpage.php . If you know of a friend or colleague using Saxon math books, please forward a copy of this email to them."

     University of Virginia newspaper mocks Christ and Christians: On 3/17/08, Donald E. Wildmon, Founder and Chairman American Family Association, reported, "Last week, the University of Virginia’s student paper, The Cavalier Daily, ran a cartoon depicting a naked man smoking a cigarette in bed. Standing beside the bed, a woman in her underwear buttons up her shirt and asks, ‘Come on God, be honest – Did you really get a vasectomy? I can’t let Joseph find out about this.’ The man replies, ‘Well, Mary, you’re f***ed.’ The editors used the week before Holy Week to run this bigoted cartoon belittling Christ and Christians. Just a day earlier, the paper ran a cartoon portraying a crucified Jesus telling jokes onstage." Wildmon then asked people to "Take Action! Send an e-mail to Gov. Kaine and the members of the state college board asking that the university’s newspaper show more class, intelligence and tolerance in the cartoons they run, and to stop their anti-Christian bias. Forward this alert to friends and family and urge them to send an e-mail." The e-mail that AFA prepared to send the Virginia Governor read: "Dear Governor Kaine: It is sad to see students at the University of Virginia’s newspaper, The Cavalier Daily, use such a low level of intelligence to express their anti-Christian bigotry. It leaves one wondering what the taxpayers of Virginia get in return for the millions of dollars the state uses to educate the students. The paper has posted on its website that it "regrets any offense readers may have taken to two recent comics in the strip…" So, no apology is offered. In other words, they regret the fact that Christians are taking offense at the blasphemous cartoons. Unfortunately, this bigotry is more of a reflection on the newspaper and university than the Christians the paper is belittling. It appears that a public apology is in order. Or do the views of the editorial staff at The Cavalier Daily represent the views of the administration at UVA?" I added the following comment: If African Americans, Muslims, or even homosexuals were the subject of such prejudicial bigotry, everyone would be up in arms. However, a lot of people seem fine with making fun of the sincerely held convictions of Bible believers.

     Homeschooling in the Country: We love Country Magazine and its companion County Extra. Both of them have always presented a positive picture of homeschooling. The April/May, 2008, issue of Country, pp. 54-55, has pictures of "No. 1 Country Schoolteachers." Seven teachers are pictured, and one of them has the caption, "Mother knows best. ‘All the siblings in our family have the same favorite teacher–our mom, Kathy White,’ says her kids from Cato, New York. ‘She’s home-schooled us for 13 years." What a lovely tribute!

     Christian Film Group Makes 1st Movie: Scott Esk wrote, "I found this story recently, and thought I’d pass it along. Home schoolers have already been heard from deafeningly in the spelling bees, math and science competitions, debates, geography bees, etc. Why not start hearing them in the movie industry with powerful, wholesome, and adventure-packed themes? I also pray that more colleges like Patrick Henry University that caters to home schoolers will arise across this great nation." Then he submitted the following information. Advent Film Group (AFG), based on Purcellville, Va., is training a new generation of Christian filmmakers drawn from the homeschooling community to make socially relevant stories with moral integrity and fidelity to a Biblical worldview. It recently completed "Come What May," the story of two Patrick Henry College students who battle to overturn Roe v. Wade at the National Moot Court Championship. Dr. Michael Farris, the real-life founder and Chancellor of PHC, plays the "debate coach." Patrick Henry College is a true-to-life national powerhouse in debate and moot court competition. Advent’s filmmakers tackle tough moral and social issues head-on. It also seeks to address the lack of Christian filmmakers in big-budget movies. For example, "Amazing Grace" and "The Chronicles of Narnia," two successful Christian-themed movies, were both directed by secular filmmakers. (— from http://www.thecronline.com/news_article.php?nid=3384&ndate=18/03/2008 .)

     Creation Museum Employs Security to Guard against Threats: The president of the Creation Museum says its message — that God created the universe and Adam and Eve less than 10,000 years ago — has aroused opposition that requires security. Ken Ham says the museum near Cincinnati has hidden cameras, uniformed and plain-clothes officers and dogs that can sniff out explosives and sense dangerous visitors. He says the museum’s security team also monitors threatening email and anti-Creationist Web sites — steps he considers prudent in a time of terrorism, militant atheism and church shootings. While skeptics are welcome, Ham says there have been a few arrests and incidents of vandalism at the Creation Museum, which has attracted 330,000 visitors since it opened last May. (—http://www.thecronline.com/news_article.php?nid=3394&ndate=19/03/2008 .)

     Parents, Americans, Beware: A joint project by the National Education Association (NEA) and the American Psychological Association (APA) is giving parents 16,000 new reasons to question the agenda of national teachers’ union leaders. The NEA and APA have partnered to produce a booklet titled "Just the Facts about Sexual Orientation and Youth," which they plan to distribute to every superintendent in America’s 16,000 school districts. Among the so-called "facts" in the 24-page document is the opinion that homosexuality is "a normal expression of human sexuality." The booklet also warns teachers not to discuss "transformational ministries" that suggest homosexuality is a condition that can be changed [editor’s note: talk about CENSORSHIP! WSW]. Religious-based views are regarded as harmful, if not dangerous. This is no surprise to those who have followed the leftward drift of the NEA leadership. For years, the organization has used teachers’ dues to subsidize its top officials’ left-wing fanaticism, which includes everything from promoting homosexuality and abortion in schools to pushing birth control. The APA is not better. In the past few decades, the group has gone from listing homosexuality as a mental disorder to becoming one of its biggest champions in the public square. Now both groups are using their influence to transform public schools into incubators for their radical social agendas. These lessons in political correctness must stop! Log onto http://www.frc.org and download the real facts about "Homosexuality in Your Child’s School." (—from Mark McWhorter, Pell City, AL, a preacher associated with churches of Christ and a homeschooling father; in Seek the Old Paths, Mar., 2008, Vol. 19, No. 3, p. 22. Editor’s note: While I do not suggest that Christians withdraw from the public arena but be ready to oppose all evil publicly, we do have a responsibility to protect our children, and for that reason I am SO THANKFUL for homeschooling! WSW.]

No Night at the Museum

Absolutely No “Night at the Museum”

By Brad Harrub, Ph.D.

     Several months ago a group of people from Virginia traveled 8-9 hours to hear
Christian evidence material during one of my weekend seminars in Woodbury,
Tennessee. I am happy to report that the young girl who was struggling so much
with her faith was baptized recently, and I had a chance recently to conduct a
seminar at their home congregation in Virginia. Little did I realize what our
time together held in store for that community.

      Prior to my arrival the congregation had paid for a group tour of the new Museum of Science and Natural History in Martinsville. The Christians there had asked for a museum “educator” to take the group through the museum, and then even rented out a conference room in the museum for a meeting afterwards. The museum staff were enthusiastic about the upcoming visit, and even mentioned bringing cameras so the children could take pictures of the new exhibits.

     They schedule this tour during my time with them, and asked me to accompany the group and point out scientific errors along the way. They called the museum and asked if their “educator” would mind if I accompany the group, and they said
they would have no problem with it. So plans were set.

     The morning of the actual tour the preachers decided to send out press releases to all of the local television news stations and newspapers requesting them to join us. When one of the news stations called the museum to verify what time our tour started the bottom dropped out. When we arrived at 2:00pm there were security men all over the facility. They quickly made it clear that we were no
longer welcome. In fact, they had closed some of the exhibit areas and would not
allow the television cameras inside the museum. (You would think a museum would want all the free publicity it could get!)

     We ended up filming a news segment on the front steps alerting the public that
the museum had barred the media. The main point that kept coming up was that if
they were confident in their exhibits and the evolutionary dates assigned to
them, then the museum “educators” should not be worried about any examination or scrutiny. If they were really interested in presenting the truth, then what was
there to hide? However, the museum staff knew their exhibits contained some
erroneous material and some outright lies that supported the atheistic theory of
evolution. In 1 Peter 3:15 we are told to be ready always to give a
defense—something this museum of science and natural history was unwilling to
do. Yet, consider how many children will walk through that same museum and be
influenced away from God.

     [Brad Harrub is an apologist who works full-time with Focus Press—www.focuspress.org.]

Jeremy Walker wins prize in Granny Awards

     NOTE:  We received the following e-mail from Virginia S. Grenier, a writer and the editor of Stories for Children Magazine, an e-magazine which is made up of submissions from young authors.  Jeremy Walker, who won third place in the "Young Authors" category, is our son!

Congrats to all the Winners!

We want to thank all of you for your hard work and contributions to Stories for Children Magazine. As a freelance writer, I understand how hard it is to submit work and get the publication. I know the hours involved in research, writing, revising, critiquing, and submitting each manuscript. I also understand from working with our Art Director Chrissy Fanslau the time involved in creating an illustration for each story. This is why Stories for Children Magazine has introduced the Granny Awards.

Those of you getting this email have won a "Granny" in one of the following categories:

Fiction
Poetry
Young Author
Non-Fiction
Artwork

(The Fiction and Non-fiction categories are broken down by age group.)

Again, the SFC team and I want to Thank You because without the awesome generosity of your outstanding talent and contributions, and your belief in us as the "new kid on the block", there would NOT BE a Stories for Children Magazine! The selfless gift of your time and talent to get Stories for Children off the ground and growing is appreciated more than we can ever say. And now to the winners:

Fiction ages 3-6

1st Place – Colors by Meera Desai Shah (June 07)
2nd Place – Where do Gnats Go at Night? by Trisha Sisson Brimball (June 07)
3rd Place – Jingo Did It! by Roy Kindelberger (December 07)

Fiction ages 7-9

1st Place – Jay’s Magic Box by Heather Cuthbertson (December 07)
2nd Place – Snowman’s Face is Missing by Rachel Hamby (December 07)
3rd Place – How I Found the Perfect Pet by Carol Iverson (October 07)

Fiction ages 10-12

1st Place – Wind-Song by Jeanette Marchand (September 07)
2nd Place – Harvest of Friendship by Clinton C. Pickett (September 07)
3rd Place – Going to Vote by Kate Lott (August 07)

Poetry

1st Place – Under a Blanket of Stars by Ellen Birkett Morris (Novemeber 07)
2nd Place – Mango Lime Tango by Jennifer Jesseph (August 07)
3rd Place – Berry-Licious by Glenys Eskdale (December 07)

Young Author

1st Place – Eli & Me by Gabrielle Linnell
2nd Place – The Terror of the Happy Grocery by Renata Wettermann
3rd Place – Zack’s Adventure by Jeremy Walker

Non-fiction ages 3-6

1st Place – Names of Shoes by Jennifer Jesseph (August 07)
2nd Place – Exploring Silent Sounds by Joanne Linden (July 07)
3rd Place – What’s a Sea Treasure that Barks? by Zariah (July 07)

Non-fiction ages 7-9

1st Place – A Trip with Words by Jenny Moore (April 07)
2nd Place – Sticks and Stones Won’t Break My Bones by Nidhi Kamra (October 07)
3rd Place – Tasmania’s Little Pouched Devil by Nadia Ali (May 07)

Non-fiction ages 10-12

1st Place – Mysteris of Chaco Canyon by Randi Lynn Mrvos (August 07)
2nd Place – Australia’s Prehistoric Ice Forest by Mary Reina (June 07)
3rd Place – Batty About Bats by Cathy Witbeck (April 07)

Artwork/Illustrations

1st Place – Laura Gonzales for "A Moving Tradition" (December 07)
2nd Place – Marie Letourneau for "Let the Music Out" (November 07)
3rd Place – Rosemarie Gillen for "Ten Busy Buzzing Bees" (September 07)

And our final Granny Award goes to Gerri Ryan for the Rufus & Sam comics that were throughout the SFC 2007 issues.

There is one more thing. Each of you will be getting an SFC Granny Award Trophy! What I need you to do is send me an email with your mailing information so I can get them to you in April. We’ll also be posting on the SFC site all the Granny Winners and sending out a media release in April.

Thank you again for all your hard work and contributions to Stories for Children Magazine. It’s been a great year for all of us!

VS Grenier
Stories for Children Magazine and Newsletter Editor
http://storiesforchildren.tripod.com

Stories for Children My Space Page
http://myspace.com/storiesforchildrenmag

Children’s and Teen Author
www.vsgrenier.com

SCBWI and Author’s Coalition member
http://www.scbwi.org/
http://authorscoalitionandredenginepress.com/

BOOK REVIEWS

     NOTE:  These are book reviews taken from the March, 2008, issue of Biblical Homeschooling, a free e-mail newsletter.   It is available to anyone who wishes to receive it; just send a blank e-mail to biblicalhomeschooling-subscribe@yahoogroups.com and then follow the instructions that will be e-mailed back to you; or subscribe from the web at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/biblicalhomeschooling/ .

     (Note on language levels: 1. Nothing objectionable; 2. Common euphemisms; 3. Some cursing or profanity; 4. A lot of cursing or profanity; 5. Obscenity or vulgarity.)

     Bailey, Faith Coxe.  George Mueller: He Dared to Trust God for the Needs of Countless Orphans (published in 1958 by Moody Press, The Moody Bible Institute, Chicago, IL  60610).  This is part of a series of biographies about men and women of evangelical faith published by Moody Press.  I have read other biographies about Mueller from different publishers.  Born in Germany and intending to become a Lutheran minister, he lived a rather wild, misspent youth, much to the consternation of his father, who seemed to be more concerned about his not getting a good job than about his spiritual waywardness.  This book talks a little about this and his subsequent change of heart, but it centers mostly upon his work after moving as a "missionary" to England in which he founded Ashley Downs, a home for orphans in Bristol, in fact, one of the first truly "humane" institutions for the care of orphans in history.  Mueller resolved never to ask anyone for money but simply to pray that God would provide his needs and then trust that others would help as moved by the Lord.  While one might not agree with every religious concept espoused by Mueller and mentioned in the book, we can still appreciate his faith in God’s providence.  One thing that struck me about this book is that Mueller’s first wife, Mary, is pictured as somewhat of a whining shrew who did not always share the same confidence in God’s care as her husband.  Perhaps that is true, but I do not recall seeing this kind of portrayal of her in any of the other books about Mueller that I have read.  Still, this is an interesting book, and it is good for young people to read about men and women who accomplished good things in this world because they were moved by their belief in God, whether we necessarily concur with all of their theological beliefs or not.  Language level: 1.  Ages: 8-12.  GOOD.

     Brink, Dori.  Spunky (published in 1980 by Scholastic Book Services, a division of Scholastic Magazines Inc., 50 W. 44th St., New York City, NY  10036).  This book is the story of a dog, named Spunky, who, when all its brothers and sisters had been given away, was taken by its owner from its mother, put in a sack, and thrown into a field.  After several incidents while rummaging around for garbage, Spunky comes to a field where a new housing development is being built and is adopted by the foreman named Peter, who eventually takes the dog home to his apartment and his wife Daphne.  Shortly afterwards Peter and Daphne move into a country house that is owned by Peter’s employer and is nearer the work site.  There, they pick up a couple of other dogs named Dodger and Happy.  How will Spunky get along with them?  And when Daphne is going to have a baby and they all move back east to be with family, will Spunky, who always likes to be free and roam outdoors, ever be happy?  Sensitive children may wince at the places where Spunky gets thrown out of the car, where people try to hurt him, where Dodger dies of cancer, and where Happy is run over by a car, but there is no gratuitous violence.  Also there is no bad language.  The only objectionable element mentioned is that Peter smokes cigarettes.  Told in the first person as if Spunky were narrating, it is a very interesting account of what life might appear like from a dog’s perspective.  The majority of children, especially those who like animals, and most especially those who like dogs, should enjoy it.  The book was republished in December of 2000 by AuthorHouse.  Language level: 1.  Ages: 8-12.  GOOD.  (Note:  A slightly shorter version of this review appeared in the Feb., 2008, issue of Stories for Children Magazine, http://storiesforchildren.tripod.com ).

     Carroll, Lillian.  Greek Slave Boy (published in 1968 by Meredith Press, and republished in 1970 by Scholastic Book Services, a division of Scholastic Magazines Inc., New York City, NY).  Great historical fiction set in the Roman Empire (Greece and Rome) of A. D. 79, this book tells the story of fifteen or sixteen year old Pheidias, the son of a wealthy Greek businessman, Creon of Athens.  He lives a pleasant life in Greece.  However, on a trip to Carthage, their ship is attacked by pirates.  Creon, who has already been taken ill, dies.   Pheidias is captured by the pirates and sold in Neapolis, Italy, as a slave to Marcus Cornelius Scipio of Rome to be a tutor to his young son Claudius.  Marcus’s slave overseer is a brutal Spartan named Aper who hates Athenians, but Marcus’s wife Hestia is a former Athenian slave herself who genuinely cares for Pheidias.  However, Pheidias, who has written a letter to his mother delivered by the captain of one of Marcus’s ships and received a reply that all is well with her and Pheidias’s brothers, accidentally overhears the captain telling Lady Hestia what a wretched life Pheidias’s family truly has and resolves to escape.  A fellow slave, Demos, asks to be taken along, but the two are discovered and Marcus orders, "Death by public execution at the Circus!"  By then, the family has gone to their summer home in Pompeii, and I will leave you to recall (or look up) what happened at Pompeii in A. D. 79.  Will Pheidias be able to escape again and return home?  There are references to praying to the Greek and Roman gods, which would be natural in a book about ancient Greece and Rome, but there are also statements about "some new god from the land of Judea" and the fact that "the only youths sent to the circus lately have teen sons of Christians."  This is not a book for small children.  The descriptions of scenes where Creon’s attendant committed suicide, slaves were thrown over the side of the ship to keep them from siding with the pirates, and a horse dashed people under its hooves, while not gratuitously violent, are not for the faint of heart.  However, Pheidias, whose family owned slaves in Greece, learns what a horrible thing it is to be someone else’s property.  I greatly enjoyed this book, and the only thing that would make it better would have been if Pheidias and his family had learned enough about Christianity to become followers of the Prince of Peace, but I guess that this is just too much to expect from a book written in 1968.  It is, unfortunately, out of print, but used copies are available.  The book is listed on a website dedicated to historical fiction about ancient Rome.  Language level: 1.  Ages: 12-15.  GOOD.

     Eager, Edward.  Knight’s Castle (published in 1956 by Harcourt Brace and Co., 6277 Sea Harbor Dr., Orlando, FL  32887; republished in 1999 by Harcourt Children’s books).  Edward Eager, who lived from 1911 to 1964, was a playwright and lyricist.  In 1951, while searching for books to read to his young son Fritz, he began writing children’s stories similar to the fantasy books of Edith Nesbit.  In Knight’s Castle, the father of Roger, age eleven, and Ann, age eight, is ill and has to cancel their summer family vacation to the Rocky Mountains so that he can go for an operation to a hospital in Baltimore, MD, where the family moves in with their Aunt Katherine and their two boring cousins, Eliza, age eleven, and Jack, age twelve.  Roger brings along his set of two hundred and fifty-six model soldiers, including the one he calls "The Old One."  The children end up having an exciting summer after all when this old toy soldier comes to life and they are magically transported back to the days of Wilfred of Ivanhoe, Rebecca, Rowena, Robin Hood, Prince John, and King Richard, taking part in the siege of Torquilstone.  Those who object to any mention of "magic" in stories will not like this book; however, it is not the magic of witchcraft but of "fairy tales."  I enjoyed the book.  The only objectionable elements that I found were references to where the children were allowed to drink wine, the fact that in one of their times back in Ivanhoe’s day the guards were smoking cigarettes, and one occasion when the girls had a party where they talked about boys and danced the Lindy.  Also, a few common euphemisms are found (golly, gee, gosh, and darn are each used once). Aside from these minor flaws, the story is quite entertaining.  I have always wanted to read Sir Walter Scott’s Ivanhoe, and this book increased my desire even more.  Eager’s other books include Half Magic, where Jane, Mark, Katharine, and Martha suddenly find themselves involved in a series of extraordinary adventures after Jane discovers an ordinary-looking coin that seems to grant wishes; its sequel, Magic By The Lake, which contain the further adventures of Mark, Katherine, Jane, and Martha, who find their source of magic in a lake near which they are spending the summer after Mark captures an ancient turtle that seems to have extraordinary powers; Time Garden (another sequel?), in which four cousins spending a summer in a house by the sea discover a magic thyme garden from which they embark on a number of adventures in time; Magic or Not? in which a family moves to Connecticut and twins James and Laura make new friends with whom they begin a series of unusual adventures after discovering an old well that seems to be magic in their backyard; Well-Wishers, in which six children relate their experiences with an unpredictable old wishing well that involves them in some magical adventures during an eventful autumn; and Seven-Day Magic, in which a seven-day book of magic proves to be fractious for five children, who must learn the book’s rules and tame its magic (I have just started reading this book).  Language level: 2.  Ages: Many of Eager’s books are said to be for young adults, but one young reviewer said that one of them had been read for a fifth grade book project, and some are listed for 8-12; I would place this one as 11-15.  GOOD.  (Note: A condensed version of this review appeared in the 2/22/08 issue of the Home School Buzz weekly e-newsletter; to receive it, go to www.homeschoolbuzz.com .)

     Sobol, Donald.  Encyclopedia Brown Mystery Collection (published 2007 by Scholastic Inc., 557 Broadway, New York City, NY  10012).  This collection consists of three complete Encyclopedia Brown books, Encyclopedia Brown Carries On, Encyclopedia Brown Sets the Pace, and Encyclopedia Brown Takes the Cake!, all published in 1982.  Previous issues of this newsletter (11/02, 12/03, 4/05, 7/07, and 9/07) have carried reviews and recommendations for the Encyclopedia Brown books.  Jeremy, who is age 12, read through the first four of them in a couple of days  while we were travelling and just finished in a similar short period of time this compilation that I found for $3.99 at some discount store and gave him as a present.  There is nothing that I find objectionable in the books, and many features make them quite attractive.  From the children’s standpoint, they are interesting and readable stories.  From the parents’ standpoint, they not only help develop critical thinking as the child tries to solve each mystery (the solutions are in the back), but they also generally champion right over wrong.  Language level: 1.  Ages: 8-12.  EXCELLENT.

What’s Going on in California?

The Old Schoolhouse Magazine Home Where They Belong   March 10, 2008   SPECIAL BULLETIN "The fundamental theory of liberty upon which all governments in this Union repose excludes any general power of the state to standardize its children by forcing them to accept instruction from public teachers only. The child is not the mere creature of the state; those who nurture him and direct his destiny have the right, coupled with the high duty, to recognize and prepare him for additional obligations." (Pierce vs. Society of Sisters, 1922) What In the World Is Going On In California? By Karen Braun By now, most homeschoolers across the country have heard about the California appellate court ruling handed down on February 28 ordering the children of Phillip and Mary Long to attend public school or a legally qualified private school. The judge’s ruling surprised everyone and sparked a firestorm of concern among homeschoolers nationwide, many wondering if homeschooling had become illegal in California. The Old Schoolhouse Magazine staff has been following the developments since World Net Daily first broke the story a week ago. In this Homeschool Minute, we would like to provide a brief summary of the events and offer links to various perspectives to help homeschoolers understand this ruling, how it impacts homeschoolers in California, and what homeschoolers across the nation can do to help. To gain a better understanding of this case, it is necessary to note that prior to this ruling, the Long family had been involved with the juvenile court system regarding the care of their children. Such proceedings are confidential, and in most cases, a court-appointed attorney is provided to represent the interests of the minor children. The attorney representing two of the children was not satisfied with a ruling made by Superior Court Judge Stephen Marpet, who found the children’s education to be "meager" but determined that Phillip and Mary Long have a constitutional right to school their children in their own home. The attorney for the children brought an appeal before the Second Court of Appeals of California. The California Second Appellate Court in Los Angeles found that the Longs had not demonstrated that any of the exemptions to California’s compulsory attendance applied to their children. The court reversed the finding of the Superior Court and ordered the children to attend public or a "legally qualified" private school. The court remanded the case back to the lower court for a hearing to determine if the family was in compliance with the law. The family plans on appealing this ruling decision to the California Supreme Court. Read the complete court opinion here. The ruling spurred reactions from attorneys representing various homeschool groups and interested parties across the country. The Homeschool Minute provides these links for informational purposes related to this case and does not necessarily endorse these sites. Sunland Christian School. The Long children were enrolled in this school. Pacific Justice Institute (PJI). These attorneys are representing Sunland Christian School and advising the family. Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA). HSLDA presents several appeal options to reverse this ruling or diminish its impact upon California homeschoolers. There is a petition available for those interested in supporting the HSLDA’s move to depublish the ruling. National Home Education Legal Defense (NHELD). Attorney Deborah Stevenson offers a detailed and informative analysis of this case. Several homeschool groups in California issued statements concerning this ruling: Homeschool Association of California California Homeschool Network Christian Home Educators of California Private and Home Educators of California California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger issued a statement in support of homeschooling: "Every California child deserves a quality education and parents should have the right to decide what’s best for their children. Parents should not be penalized for acting in the best interests of their children’s education. This outrageous ruling must be overturned by the courts and if the courts don’t protect parents’ rights then, as elected officials, we will." By the end of a long news week, the court decision reached the broader Christian community through a radio broadcast by Focus on the Family. Dr. Dobson discussed the California court case with several prominent guests.

From All of Us at TOS We hope this information has helped you gain a greater understanding of the facts surrounding this case and its impact on homeschooling in California. The Homeschool Minute encourages you to pray for the family and those involved in this situation. Several of the websites present ideas about what you can do to help. We encourage you to prayerfully consider those ideas, to do all that you can to help retain the freedom to homeschool in our country, and to pass this message along to others. We will be following this case and will provide further updates as information becomes available. Join us again on Wednesday with our normally scheduled topic. And now as much as ever, be sure to enjoy every minute!

“Christian” homeschooling news site:

      On Tue., Feb. 26, 2008, Tricia McQuack sent me the following e-mail. "We have started a yahoogroup for those who are interested in dicussing world events, politics and the headline stories of the day from a Christian perspective (although all are welcome). Often these topics are taboo on traditional homeschool lists so we decided to take them "off list" and have a place where it’s not off topic. If you feel led, please spread the word to homeschooling friends who are interested in reading and discussing the news of the day." The web address is http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ChristianHSNewsandDiscussion . If you want more information, you can write Teresa at Mcquacks2@aol.com .

Good Homeschool Related Reading

     Home School Enrichment Magazine: The Mar./Apr. issue of this bi-monthly homeschooling publication ( www.HomeSchoolEnrichment.com ) has articles on "Refreshing Our Focus: How we can stay energized as the school year stretches out" by Naomi Musch, "How to Teach Your Kids About Money Management" by Carol Topp, "No Place Like Home: Finding the joy in homeschooling even on the tough days" by Christa Sterken, "We Now Interrupt This School Day: Welcoming God’s changes to our daily routine" by Melanie Hexter, "Homeschooling through Anxiety" by Melanie Clark, "Just a Little Talk: Seeing God’s confirmation in the midst of doubt" by Katharine Trauger, "Keeping Little Ones Busy: Beating the challenge of homeschooling with preschoolers in the house" by Susan Lemons, "High School: Aming High adn Reaching Those Stars (Part 2)" by Kim Lundberg, along with other useful information.

     Home School Digest: The Vol. 18, No. 1, 2008, issue of this quarterly homeschooling publication ( www.WisdomsGate.org ) has articles on "Homeschooling For Eternity–Parents: Helping or Hindering" by editor Skeet Savage, "Homeschooling from a Biblical Worldview–The Revolutionary Mini-Movements" by marketing director Israel Wayne, "Raising a Generation to Survive Persecution" by homeschool graduate Daniel J. Mount, "Nice People: Thoughts on the Homeschool Counter-Culture" by homeschool graduate Rachel Thomson, "Make It Your Ambition–Details, Details" by John Notgrass, "The Real Trial of the Century" (the Scopes trial) by Christian Law Association attorney David C. Gibbs, "Teaching the Biblical Worldview Through Teaching Worldviews" (part 2) by Bayard Taylor, "America’s Educational Crisis–A Christian’s Response" by Albert Mohler, "Bringing Them Up Right–No Matter What!" by National Black Home Educators co-founder Joyce Burges, "A Generation of Cultural Immigrants" by homeschool graduate Camden Spiller, "According to Whose Opinion Do We ‘Exit" Our Children from Public Schools?" by Exodus Mandate representative Buddy Hanson, "When I Grow Up I Want to Be Like My Grandmother" by homeschool graduate Elysse Barrett, "Learning Engineering and More through Entrepreneurship: A Patter for any home college curricula" by James P. Bartlett, and an interview with John Fuller who is Vice President of Focus on the Family’s audio and new media division.

More on Obama’s support for the radical homosexual rights agenda

     Our friend Dave Pratte had earlier reported on Feb. 29 that in an open letter posted on his presidential campaign Web site Thursday, Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL) expounds on the "promise of equality for all — a promise that extends to our gay brothers and sisters." The Feb. 28 letter, posted in the "LGBT" section under the "People" heading, says it’s "wrong to have millions of Americans living as second-class citizens in this nation." Obama asks for support "so that together we can bring about real change for all LGBT Americans." As president, Obama said he would press for passage of a hate crimes law and a "fully inclusive" Employment Non-Discrimination Act, which would outlaw workplace discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity. Obama said he supports repeal of the federal Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA). "While some say we should repeal only part of the law, I believe we should get rid of that statute altogether. Federal law should not discriminate in any way against gay and lesbian couples, which is precisely what DOMA does." Obama said he also wants to repeal "Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell," the policy that is supposed to exclude homosexuals from military service. To address the HIV/AIDS epidemic, Obama said "abstinence education should be part of any strategy," but he also backs "age-appropriate sex education that includes information about contraception." He said that he would use the "bully pulpit" of the presidency to press for a number of laws and policy changes backed by the homosexual community. "As your President, I will use the bully pulpit to urge states to treat same-sex couples with full equality in their family and adoption laws." Obama said it’s not enough to have the "right positions" on the issues. He said it’s just as important to win broad support for those positions — and that’s why he’ll continue bringing his message of LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender) equality to skeptical audiences as well as friendly ones. "I will never compromise on my commitment to equal rights for all LGBT Americans. Obama promised that he will provide leadership that appeals "to the best parts of the human spirit," with the goal of full equality for LGBT people in the United States." While it is not clear at this point whether Obama or Mrs. Clinton will be the Democrat nominee, Mrs. Clinton’s position is almost the same. Can this nation really afford this? You may not like Sen. McCain, the Republican nominee. In fact, there are many issues with which I have disagreed with him. However, given our system either he or the Democrat nominee will win. Since I cannot in good conscience do anything that would contribute to the victory of an avowedly pro-homosexual candidate, I am forced to support Sen. McCain with the knowledge that while he is not "perfect" he is much more likely to promote a platform that is closer to Judaeo-Christian values than either Obama or Clinton.

Obama ties same-sex issues to Jesus’ Sermon on Mount

     This is not surprising but still shocking that Obama would link the radical homosexual rights agenda to Jesus Christ. During an Obama campaign stop on Sun., Mar. 2 in Nelsonville, OH, Leon Forte, minister of Grace Christian Center in Athens, Ohio, asked the Illinois senator to address social concerns. He said, "Your campaign sets a quandary for most evangelical Christians." As part of a lengthy videotaped response, Obama referred to the Sermon on the Mount by Jesus found in the Gospel of Matthew, as well as some anti-homosexuality statements made by the apostle Paul which he called "obscure." He said, "I will tell you that I don’t believe in gay marriage, but I do think that people who are gay and lesbian should be treated with dignity and respect and that the state should not discriminate against them. So, I believe in civil unions that allow a same-sex couple to visit each other in a hospital or transfer property to each other. I don’t think it should be called marriage, but I think that it is a legal right that they should have that is recognized by the state. If people find that controversial then I would just refer them to the Sermon on the Mount, which I think is, in my mind, for my faith, more central than an obscure passage in Romans. That’s my view. But we can have a respectful disagreement on that." Well, we shall certainly have some disagreement on that. This is nothing but pandering by equivocation. Don’t call same-sex unions marriage (because it might offend some potential voters) but give same-sex couples all the identical benefits of marriage and treat them as if they are married (because it appeals to them as voters). It seems that Obama, along with many other people who advance, compromise with, or apologize for the radical homosexual rights agenda mistakenly thinks that Jesus’s teachings, especially the command to love, means that we must "accept people as they are" and "live and let live." Whatever happened to "love the sinner but hate the sin." We can truly love people in a scriptural sense, yet still refuse to approve of their behavior or accept their sinful lifestyle. And that "obscure" passage in Romans? The same inspired man who wrote that also said, "If anyone thinks himself to be a prophet or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things which I write to you are the commandments of the Lord" (1 Corinthians 13:37). That should settle it beyond question!

Student suspended 10 days for taking vitamins

     Under the heading "Brave New Schools," World Net Daily reported on Feb. 27, 2008 that the parents of a student in Pennsylvania’s South Middleton School District are warning other parents after their workout-oriented son was suspended for 10 days and half the soccer season for taking vitamins at school. The father, Joseph Figueiredo told WND it was like, "’Alice in Wonderland’ does the ‘Twilight Zone’" and called it a zero tolerance policy run amok. The controversy began when his son, Andrew, put himself on a physical training regimen that included taking several vitamins and supplements. Andrew was aware of school rules regarding prescription medications, so before he launched the program he checked the student handbook. "He took it upon himself to look in the student manual and read the drug policy and medication policy," he said. "But he did not see vitamins or dietary supplements and in his mind thought it was okay." School officials, however, thought otherwise. Somebody reported he was taking the vitamins, and Andrew was called into Principal Joe Mancuso’s office where he was told he was being suspended for violating the drug policy.At Boiling Springs High School, officials refused to hold the penalty in abeyance until a drug test could be done, Figueiredo said, so he went and had his own, which showed negative results for illegal or banned substances. "His belief and ours is it was not something Andrew needed to report to the school, because it was not a drug or medication," Figueiredo told local reporters at the time. "My son is in a program of weight-lifting and keeping himself physically fit for playing soccer year-round." But the written notice the school then provided told the family Andrew had violated the "medications" policy instead, not the drug policy, for taking the vitamins and supplements the family identified as Megaman Sport, BSN Nitrix and BSN Axis-HT, all available over the counter at General Nutrition Center stores. He said the situation wasn’t handled by school procedures, either, because Andrew was accused verbally of violating the drug policy, then in writing of violating the medications policy, and at no time was there a drug test as school procedures specify so that the results could be confirmed. The penalty also was not delayed until those test results could be obtained, as policy outlined, he noted. He appeared before the school board to cite his concerns, including the fact that Supt. Patricia Sanker, based on a personal telephone call to a pharmacist, had determined that one of the supplements was a steroid. He also complained about her attitude. When Andrew protested those were illegal, she responded: "Don’t you argue with me. They can say anything they want. It’s a steroid," he said. She then said, "Listen young man. I’ve already got you for 10 days [suspension], the only question now is, is it half the soccer season, or the whole soccer season," according to Figueiredo. At a subsequent meeting, Figueiredo told WND, the superintendent threatened Andrew with the words: "I can ruin you." They hired an attorney to protest the suspension on Andrew’s otherwise clean school record, but the school board lawyer responded that school officials determined they had acted appropriately and the matter was closed. The family’s lawyer, Dennis Shatto, said the family sought a public apology because vitamins and dietary supplements are simply not medications and would not be prescribed by a physician as required under school policy. "We thought we’d heard it all before, but such a threat of retaliation is beyond the pale," Figueiredo told the school board in a letter. I hate to be too hard on the school because schools obviously have to exercise some control because of the drug problem. A letter from the school’s lawyer, Philip Spare, said the policy was clear to him, since it prohibits "any pill, capsule, powder, liquid, inhalant, fascimile, drug paraphernalia, or other substance of whatever form or texture, which may adversely affect the health, safety, or welfare of any student…" He said it simply wouldn’t work to allow students access to anything like this. "It would be next to impossible for school officials to approach each pill on an individual basis and to make a case by case determination as to which pills were acceptable and which pills were unacceptable," he wrote. However, some common sense needs to be exercised with these "zero tolerance" policies lest they turn into overkill. World Net Daily has previously reported that a student was threatened with a three-day suspension for simply having a pen in class that had a gun company logo, another case in which a college student was suspended for advocating for gun rights, and yet another in which a student who drew a sketch of a gun was suspended.