Home schoolers ask: What now?

A court ruling calling into question the right of parents to home school their children without a teaching credential has left Sonoma County's home school community wondering just how far it will reach.

The ruling, issued by a state appellate court Feb. 28, said parents do not have a constitutional right to home school their children.

It cited California Department of Education requirements that allow home schooling so long as parents either create their own private school, hire credentialed tutors or enroll their children in independent study programs run by charter or private schools or public school districts.

"It's absurd," said Jelehla Ziemba of Sebastopol, who home schooled her two children, both through her own private school and through charter schools. "For one thing, I think that a credential does not a good teacher make."

"I do think it's a good idea to have some limited oversight to make sure there is not abuse, but I don't think the state has any right to poke their nose in to tell you how you have to teach or how a kid has to learn," she said. "I'm a liberal Democrat, but I just don't see where it's the state's business."

School officials said they do not know the number of students who are home schooled, but the Pacific Justice Institute, a Christian advocacy group, puts the number around 166,000. In Sonoma County, hundreds of families home school their children.

While the subject has lit up e-mail servers and education blogs, some home school associations are urging calm, saying the implications may not be widespread.

"I have been astonished about the hype about this case," said Debbie Schwarzer, legal team co-chairwoman of Homeschool Association in an e-mail to California members. "The law, other than this court's interpretation, hasn't changed."

Schwarzer debunked claims that no one can teach their children without a credential.

"I am not certain the holding is that broad, and I also doubt that it would survive legal challenge," she said.

The association is expected to petition the California Supreme Court to depublish the opinion -- essentially letting it stand for a particular case, but preventing it from affecting the entire state.

"I don't think it's time for petitions and marches," said Janice Sinclaire, a Geyserville mom who home schools her three kids through charter schools and an independent study program at Healdsburg High School.

But Brad Dacus, president of the Pacific Justice Institute that represents the Sunland Christian School where the students in the court case were enrolled, said the situation is critical.

"As a matter of law, this appellate court decision has pronounced it illegal for anyone in California to home school without having a teaching credential -- period," he said. "Home schoolers can still home school, they just need to keep their eyes wide open and realize that an intolerant school district or an intolerant social worker with (Child Protective Services) could blow the whistle."

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger on Friday ripped the ruling.

"Every California child deserves a quality education, and parents should have the right to decide what's best for their children," he said. "This outrageous ruling must be overturned by the courts, and if the courts don't protect parents' rights, then as elected officials, we will."

Sinclaire and other local parents expressed concern that the widely publicized case at the heart of the ruling -- of a Southern California couple accused of abusing their home schooled children -- could damage the reputation of all home schoolers.

"I wish people wouldn't get so offended by it, it's just another choice just like private school is a choice and public school is a choice," she said.

Jelehla Ziemba's daughter Irene, a freshman at the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma, Wash., has had a taste of both home schooling and a traditional high school experience.

Irene Ziemba was home schooled with her older brother until she enrolled at Sebastopol's Analy High School as a freshman.

"Throughout high school, I was really enthusiastic -- home schooling really did that for me. It didn't beat the love of learning out of me when I was little," she said. "We went to museums a lot, I read a lot. My mom wasn't strict about anything, just whatever I was interested in, she provided me with an opportunity to find out more about it."

You can reach Staff Writer Kerry Benefield at 526-8671 or kerry.benefield

@pressdemocrat.com.