September 2018
If your child needed emergency brain surgery, which doctor would you want for his operation – an orthopedic surgeon or a neurosurgeon? If you were one of the families to be contacted or prosecuted by your state or its public school system, what kind of attorney would you call for help? Would you call a civil lawyer or the tried-and-true Christian attorney organization that has protected private homeschoolers in the U.S. since 1983?
The Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA) is the premier nonprofit advocacy organization established solely to defend and advance the constitutional right of parents to direct the education of their children and to protect family freedoms. HSLDA advocates on the legal front on behalf of their members in matters including conflicts with state or local officials over private homeschooling.
HSLDA has over 30 years of experience, connections, and resources focused on protecting private homeschool freedoms and parental rights. Because of this extensive experience, HSLDA has been directly involved in writing and defending the laws that protect private home education in all 50 states and at the federal level. This unique experience gives them an in-depth and thorough understanding of how the laws affecting private homeschooling work differently in each state. In addition to the legal-legislative aspect of their work, HSLDA has also successfully intervened directly with local public schools, social workers, the Department of Education, and many other state agencies on behalf of private homeschoolers.
HSLDA is the only organization of its kind and the leader in defending private homeschooling.
In 1980, homeschooling was illegal in 30 states. In 1983, HSLDA was founded by attorneys Michael Farris and J. Michael Smith to help the growing number of homeschoolers who were facing legal challenges throughout the nation.
Because of HSLDA’s relentless work, homeschooling has been legal in all 50 states since 1993.
Membership in HSLDA
HSLDA membership gives your family immediate access to attorneys with the greatest experience and expertise in the nation concerning laws related to private home education. After a family joins HSLDA, there are no further charges of any kind for defending your family in court. HSLDA pays all lawyer’s fees, expert witness fees, court transcripts, travel expenses, and all other court costs in full. This has been their practice since they began in 1983. If you are one of the many families who have not needed to call HSLDA for help so far, your membership fee makes their help possible for those families who suddenly do need their help.
Total legal inquiries to HSLDA by California members in 2017:
32 public school contacts
71 social service contacts
76 discrimination issues
1,570 general legal questions
In each case, HSLDA intervened quickly to help these members handle their situation.
HSLDA has an attorney on duty 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. If, as a member of HSLDA, you are ever contacted by a government official (truant officer, police officer, Child Protective Service social worker, etc.) about homeschooling your children, you will always be able to talk directly with an attorney by calling HSLDA. No other organization comes close to providing the specialized and successful help provided by HSLDA.
HSLDA’s Recent Work in California
This year, HSLDA served all California private homeschoolers by compiling information to help us, Family Protection Ministries (FPM), craft the best opposition points for AB 2756 and AB 2926. We (and other statewide homeschool groups) used these points when calling, writing, and speaking in person against these dangerous homeschool bills.
We at FPM are able to consult with HSLDA regularly on analysis of legislation and response strategy. Because of the California legislature’s timeline, our work with HSLDA often involves late-night research and phone calls. Their help to us is a benefit not only to all California home educators, but also to all private campus schools and parent’s rights in general.
HSLDA has continually and competently worked for 35 years to help us here at FPM to preserve private homeschooler’s freedoms in our State Legislature in Sacramento. Again, because so many of you are members, HSLDA is able to have the best and only team of attorneys specialized and experienced in laws affecting home education.
Renew Your HSLDA Membership Today!
God has blessed HSLDA with huge successes in California and across the nation. HSLDA is the only legal defense association we can recommend to private homeschooling parents desiring to protect their families and freedoms in homeschooling. We recommend them very highly. We urge you to join HSLDA and keep your membership up to date.