Home-schooled the Movie

[pigpokey]

http://www.homeschooledthemovie.com/

[Lillian J]

It seems to be about a fear that authorities want to prohibit homeschooling, but I've been around homeschooling for a very long time and haven't seen that to be a realistic fear. The trailer showed a comment that California, for example, was the first of five (?) states to make homeschooling illegal. California has NOT made homeschooling illegal, and I've heard of no others that have. There was a brief skirmish in CA when a judge extended an order in such a way that it could impact everyone trying to homeschool independently, but that was very quickly overturned! CA has basically been a wonderfully supportive place for homeschoolers for a long time. It's always a good idea to pay attention, know and follow the laws, but I think people can pretty much relax and homeschool without so much worry.
- Lillian

[zjande]

Wow, that was weird. What the heck IS that? lol I couldn't tell if it was all actors or was real. And the uber dramatic music is so goofy! It appears to be a movie in which they try to portray homeschool families as a bunch of crazies. Too bad. I'm sure some people's views of homeschoolers will be painted by that strange looking movie.

[pampered_mom]

I suppose it presents one view of homeshooling .

[earthgirl]

Originally Posted by zjande

Wow, that was weird. What the heck IS that? lol I couldn't tell if it was all actors or was real. And the uber dramatic music is so goofy! It appears to be a movie in which they try to portray homeschool families as a bunch of crazies. Too bad. I'm sure some people's views of homeschoolers will be painted by that strange looking movie.

I agree. It looks like a poorly made mockumentary.

[Theoretica]

I don't think it's a mockumentary...I think they are serious. I know a LOT of people in my area that would watch that trailer nodding their heads along with everything said.

Here's the production company's main site: http://www.starbreatherstudios.com/

My biggest problem with this is it paints homeschoolers as rabid fundamentalist separatists. Most homeschoolers, religiously oriented or not, are pretty normal folks. Perpetuating the stereotype of HSers being wack jobs is not helpful whatsoever, and makes the 'anti HS' crowd a lot more vehement against homeschooling as a whole.

[elizawill]

i don't even know what the movie is about and i watched the trailer. it was like watching 2 1/2 minutes of nothing. i want my money back.

[RiverSky]

Originally Posted by pampered_mom

I suppose it presents one view of homeshooling .

This link spent a whole lot of time trying to sell me some viagra.

What's up with that? Was the site hacked? Is my computer playing tricks on me?

[Black Orchid]

I think they misspelled "ensure"...

[Theoretica]

I saw that too!

[RiverSky]

Originally Posted by elizawill

i don't even know what the movie is about and i watched the trailer. it was like watching 2 1/2 minutes of nothing. i want my money back.

Me, too!!! Me, too!!!

[annettemarie]

OMGosh, that looks hilarious.

[ebethmom]

[atreyyena]

I saw that too, but then I realised they were quoting the preamble to the constitution word for word, and in the preamble that's how it's spelled.

( I know, I checked cause I was too busy laughing at them before that too)

[earthgirl]

Originally Posted by Theoretica

I don't think it's a mockumentary...I think they are serious. I know a LOT of people in my area that would watch that trailer nodding their heads along with everything said.

Here's the production company's main site: http://www.starbreatherstudios.com/

My biggest problem with this is it paints homeschoolers as rabid fundamentalist separatists. Most homeschoolers, religiously oriented or not, are pretty normal folks. Perpetuating the stereotype of HSers being wack jobs is not helpful whatsoever, and makes the 'anti HS' crowd a lot more vehement against homeschooling as a whole.

Yeah, I didn't think it actually was a mockumentary, but the acting looked so bad that that's what it reminded me of. Fortunately, I think it will appeal to a small audience.

[AngelBee]

I would watch it

[AngelBee]

Originally Posted by earthgirl

Yeah, I didn't think it actually was a mockumentary, but the acting looked so bad that that's what it reminded me of. Fortunately, I think it will appeal to a small audience.

The acting does look rough.

[lach]

Originally Posted by Lillian J

It seems to be about a fear that authorities want to prohibit homeschooling, but I've been around homeschooling for a very long time and haven't seen that to be a realistic fear. The trailer showed a comment that California, for example, was the first of five (?) states to make homeschooling illegal. California has NOT made homeschooling illegal, and I've heard of no others that have. There was a brief skirmish in CA when a judge extended an order in such a way that it could impact everyone trying to homeschool independently, but that was very quickly overturned! CA has basically been a wonderfully supportive place for homeschoolers for a long time. It's always a good idea to pay attention, know and follow the laws, but I think people can pretty much relax and homeschool without so much worry.
- Lillian

Well said. It looks to be a movie based around irrational fears. I'd like to know which states are making it harder to homeschool. This sounds like the HSLDA's usual "rallying the base by crying persecution" schtick.

And just to put it out there, because I'm really sick of people saying "But California outlawed homeschooling!" (in other words, this isn't a response to Lillian, I'm just saying it in case anyone didn't already know this): The California thing was an error so huge that it was actually laughable: the judge actually made all private schools illegal in California. Homeschooling is already illegal, you have to register as a private school if you homeschool. So what he did was make all the private schools, from the homeschools to the religious schools to the fancy-pants prep schools illegal. The family in question homeschooled, so that's what the headlines were about (plus "homeschooling is illegal in CA!" makes better headlines than "Rich Google Person's Child Must Leave FancyPants Preparatory Academy."

[Lillian J]

In regard to California, I've been involved with a state homeschooling organization there for many years, and was helping out with their email list and other communications when that case was going on, keeping in close touch with attorneys involved for updates. I don't agree that the ruling made all private schools illegal - merely the option of homeschooling under the umbrella of one, whether it was one run by someone else or by the parents. The judge felt that the law required a credential for a parent to homeschool. The whole silly mess was vacated after the response of an army of attorneys*. Homeschooling has always been legal in CA under certain circumstances, but there's no law that declares "homeschooling" itself as a legal choice:

• Through your own private school, easily established
• Private Satellite Programs
• Tutoring
• Public School Independent Study Programs
• Charter Schools

This article, prepared by HSC's legal chair at the time, sheds light on what this was all about:
Is homeschooling suddenly illegal in CA? No!

*There was a team effort from all the state support groups (which included a team of homeschoolers who are attorneys), plus two large law firms who volunteered to help, plus HSLDA.
Lillian

[annettemarie]

To be fair, I don't think the "movie" was stating California banning homeschooling as fact, but as a fictitious first in a series of pretend cataclysmic court decisions that would outlaw homeschooling.