Homeschooling setbacks

I recently became aware of two court rulings that have delivered a devastating blow to the home school community. The most recent was a courts decision in California to not allow parents to home school their own children unless they hold a teaching certificate. If you don't hold that teaching certificate, your children are considered truants, and you, as a parent can face prosecution. Wow!! One woman who was interviewed by a San Francisco newspaper home schools her two children. She does not do so for religious reasons, but more because she is disillusioned by public schools. She holds a law degree, but because she does not have a teaching certificate, she can now face prosecution. I find that crazy! I understand that the idea behind the law is to make sure children are receiving a "proper" education. But tell me this...who cares more about my children and their education...me, their mother, or a state education board? Of course I care more about my kids. Every home school parent I have met have chosen to home school their child because they felt they could do a better job at tailoring their children's education to their meet their specific needs, not because we have nothing better to do with our time, or are "antisocial". Its actually comical...do I really need to attend college for years and years, just so I can teach my child their ABC's, basic math, and how to read? Are we that stupid of a society that we have to attend college in order to educate our young in the most basic principals? What's next? To require a masters before one can procreate and have children?

The second court ruling effects us here in NY state. Until recently, you could home school your special needs child, but you could also take advantage of special classes and resources offered through your local school district. That was overturned. You either give up your right to home school your child, so they can receive those special services, or continue to home school your child, with no additional resources from your local school district. I have one major question...do we not, as homeschooling parents, also pay the same school taxes as our neighbor who chooses to send their child to public school? Why are we being singled out and discriminated against. Thank God I do not have a "special needs" child, but if I did...I would be irate. I'm already so angered by such blatant attempts to undermine my right to home school my child. One by one, our rights are being stripped away, and its sad. The government is trying to overstep its bounds by decreeing that certain things can no longer take place, but I feel they are not making these rulings in the best interest of MY child. I have signed petitions with about 100,000 other home school parents to try to appeal these rulings, and can only hope and pray that things change in our favor, for our children's sake.