Professor of Public Policy and Education at Columbia University
Professor of Public Policy and Education at Teachers College of Columbia University
PROFILE
Luis Huerta
Guest
FROM Luis Huerta
Which Way, L.A.?
Court Ruling May Signal Changes For Homeschooling In Lynnwood, a couple with eight children was referred to County protective services on various allegations including claims of physical abuse. Phillip and Mary Long were also home-schooling their children, and a lawyer appointed to represent two of the kids asked that they be required to attend public school, where their well-being could be monitored. A Superior court turned that down, but an appellate court over-ruled, going beyond that to decide that parents who home-school must have teaching credentials. That ruling is now being appealed to the State Supreme Court .
To the Point
Is Home Schooling a Challenge to Public Schools? Home schooling is on the increase as an alternative to what's called the "cultural monopoly" of public schools. After decades of courtroom battles, the practice is legal in every state, some of which regulate it while others don't, and has become an increasing challenge to what's called "the monopoly" of public schools. Most home schooling is still for religious reasons, but secular families are getting in on the action, too. Do home-schooled children get the preparation they need to compete in a complex, high-tech society? Should they be monitored and tested by government, or is the whole point that education should be left to parents alone? What about the rules of democracy and learning to live where religious and ethnic diversity are facts of life?
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KCRW Features
Regulars at Borderline Bar & Grill reflect on the shooting This year there has been a mass shooting in America on average almost once per day. As you know, the most recent was the mass shooting in Thousand Oaks where 12 people were killed when a gunman opened fire inside a local bar. It was called Borderline Bar & Grill. KCRW’s David Weinberg talked to some of the bar’s regulars about what made the place special.