Parental rights and religious freedom have been the two foundations to establish a constitutional right for parents to teach their children at home. The U.S. Supreme Court some years back weakened the free exercise of religion claim as a foundation for homeschooling so that in order for homeschoolers to claim a fundamental right to home- school, they must be able to combine the free exercise right with the parental rights claim. In other words, both rights have to co-exist. Currently, this is not a problem,but because of the fragile nature of freedom, moral decay, complacency and apathy, homeschooling freedoms are in jeopardy. An additional threat that is brewing but not well known, is the opposition to homeschooling from the intellectual elites, e.g., law and college professors. This opposition is based on a belief that the state, through public schools, should have access to all children to teach tolerance for others, which leads to collectivism. Homeschoolers are in their cross-hairs. We are clearly at risk.

Parental rights and religious freedom are the two pillars of the constitutional right of parents to teach their children at home. But today homeschooling freedoms are in jeopardy. This session shows how growing opposition to homeschooling by the intellectual elites is based on a belief that the state, not the parents, has the exclusive right and responsibility to educate children. Homeschoolers are in their crosshairs and we are clearly at risk.

Parental rights and religious freedom have been the two foundations to establish a constitutional right for parents to teach their children at home. The U.S. Supreme Court some years back weakened the free exercise of religion claim as a foundation for homeschooling so that in order for homeschoolers to claim a fundamental right to homeschool, they must be able to combine the free exercise right with the parental rights claim. In other words, both rights have to co-exist. Currently, this is not a problem, but because of the fragile nature of freedom, moral decay, complacency and apathy, homeschooling freedoms are in jeopardy. Additionally, since the parental rights foundational claim is an "implicit" right, not an "explicit" right (meaning parental rights is not specifically spelled out in the Constitution) parental rights as we know it today is teetering and could be in trouble in the future. Mike will explain why parental rights are under attack and provide a solution on how we can maintain the current freedoms we have to teach our children at home.

As the government's evergrowing role expands to encompass family life and decision-making, the information presented in this seminar is critical for every attendee. Michael Smith calls upon over two decades of defending homeschooling families against social services and child protective service contacts to inform the audience of the newest threat to their freedom. This session primarily addresses your state's laws relating to social services contacts and provides general application for other states as well.