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Letters to the Editor

Home school regulation is ‘dangerous’

Louise Anna Turpin, far left, with attorney Jeff Moore, second from left, and her husband David Allen Turpin, listen to attorney, David Macher, as they appear in court for their arraignment in Riverside, Jan. 18. The parents of 13 siblings, who were allegedly held in captivity in their family's Southern California home,were charged Thursday with committing years of torture and abuse that left their children malnourished, undersized and with cognitive impairments.
Louise Anna Turpin, far left, with attorney Jeff Moore, second from left, and her husband David Allen Turpin, listen to attorney, David Macher, as they appear in court for their arraignment in Riverside, Jan. 18. The parents of 13 siblings, who were allegedly held in captivity in their family's Southern California home,were charged Thursday with committing years of torture and abuse that left their children malnourished, undersized and with cognitive impairments. Frederic J. Brown Pool Photo via AP

Last Sunday's editorial calling for stricter home school regulation is dangerous, an overreach and knee-jerk reaction to an isolated tragedy. Already, state lawmakers are exploiting a tragedy to enact more regulations that would harm a parent’s legal and natural right to raise their children.

More regulation is not the solution to prevent rare cases of child abuse in home schools. Even in states with very strict oversight, abuse still occurs.

The tragedy that allegedly took place in Riverside County did not occur because of lack of oversight of California’s home schools. It happened because of evil.

My family home schools our children. We do this because our children thrive and are best served when we are active participants in their education. This does not makes us criminals. We are just one of many families in Fresno who have used our legal rights to take control of our children’s education.

A teacher, no matter how wonderful, cannot meet the needs of every student in his or her care. Parents, by definition, love and teach their children fully – not abdicating this responsibility to the state.

David and Michelle Taub, Fresno

This story was originally published January 27, 2018 at 5:01 PM with the headline "Home school regulation is ‘dangerous’."

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