Nos llega de ULIA:
Conclusions. Third National Congress of Family Education / Homeschooling.
Madrid, 29-30 November, 2012.
1. - The legal recognition of homeschooling is simply the acceptance of the
educational pluralism that should characterize a democratic and advanced
society. This required recognition by the legislature must be compatible
with systems of inspection or regulation implemented by the competent
authority, by consensus and with respect to the reality of family education
in our country.
2. - We advocate that the state protects families who choose this
educational model and thus putting an end to the cases of persecution that
have been carried out in the past by both the public prosecutor and the
administration.
3. - Knowing that family education has proven in many countries a successful
model of academic and human development and it is also a choice born of
social initiative that is therefore much cheaper than state education, we
offer our cooperation to the authorities for the promotion and dissemination
of this educational option.
4. – We reject the criticism leveled at homeschooling as an obstacle to
socialization. Schooling at home, however, fosters group and community
participation in sports, solidarity and cultural associations, as it is well
demonstrated by studies and field work carried out. These studies also show
that the profile of families who educate at home is plural and is identified
with the average household in the state.
5. - We believe that this criticism springs from either those longing for
educational monopolies or those who aspire to instrumentalize education to
achieve ideological achievements. Homeschooling, on the contrary, puts as
its primary objective the wellbeing of infants and youth and protects the
right of parents to choose the educational option they want for their
children.
6. - Homeschooling is perfectly compatible with other forms of education and
does not represent any criticism to state schools or those carried out from
civil society, other than the desire to uniform people by some of its
defenders. Many parents who choose family education they do not do so for
all their children. Homeschooling, on the other hand, with its achievements
and peculiarities, serves as an incentive for improved flexibility in the
traditional schooling system.
7. - We argue that the recognition of homeschooling in Spain is certainly a
step forward in the way of progress to secure better mental, psychological,
social, and academic achievement for future generations. The future seems to
demand ever greater levels of creativity, diversity and excellence, and
family education is a tool that can effectively contribute to achieving
those goals.
In Madrid on December 1, 2012.
Other contents of the congress were:
• The educational function belongs to the mission of the family: in the
family humans discovers themselves as a persons. The irreplaceable
responsibility of families in the education of children occurs in three
dimensions: the upbringing, socialization and personalization ethics.
Parents are the first teachers and educators. Parents educate, and in doing
so also educate themselves.
• Children find in family individualized attention. Attention, affection,
support, active surveillance and protection, are the pillars on which to
build the relationship with children. The mere academic instruction received
in school often does not provide the personal attention that every child
needs to develop her or his potential and capabilities.
• Values education. In this society that instills countervalues and in
which principles seem not make sense anymore, family education is as
important as the work of the various professionals for the treatment of
abnormal behavior of children.
• Education is a preparation for life, not just a prelude to working life.
Parents, family and the community where the individual is inserted, are the
primary agents of such education. They are the most interested to commit the
best of themselves, to meet the needs of the young and assist in their
particular perfection which in turn would lead to the good of all.
• All education should avoid totalitarianism. Totalitarianism is not only a
state problem, parents should educate their children to be good citizens,
instilling constitutional values such as freedom, justice, equality and
respect for pluralism.
• Homeschoolers do not respond to an archetype. There is a widespread belief
in our society that homeschoolers are part of a monolithic group with a
single thought and the same sociological composition. This is simplistic
view. The homeschooling movement has nothing to do with that vision.
• The constitutional court has restricted the right of parents choosing a
narrow interpretation of the freedom of parents to educate. Nevertheless
homeschooling is a parental choice, and the legislature is called to act to
grant it. It is not true that only through the establishment of independent
schools or the attendance to public schools may this freedom be protected.
This thought is based on a narrow concept of socialization that are
inextricably linked to the school system only.
• There are nevertheless new European guidelines. There is a new perspective
of the Council of Europe: resolution 1904 (2012) "the right to freedom of
educational choice in Europe" that defends freedom of parents to follow
their religious, moral or teaching convictions in the education of their
children. This has impelled the countries of the old eastern bloc to
regulating homeschooling and thus allowing educational freedom and
plurality.
• We claim the state as a rights guarantor. We must overcome the prejudices
against the state as a regulator. Public power placed under suspicion means
pushing people to work outside the system. Logically, this position must be
overcome by the invocation of a system of personal rights that take
precedence upon state action. It is necessary to collude the interest of the
child, parental rights and the mission of the state, to overcome
confrontation upon family education. Something very possible since democracy
and law are founded on social values as freedom.
• There is no justification for criminal or civil actions against
homeschoolers. The lack of attendance to school of children homeschoolers is
not the result of passive or nonchalant attitude of parents towards their
children, there is no fraud or negligence, but on the contrary, an excess of
zeal and care in the course of duty to educate. The criminal penalty, a last
resort, applied against family education, is denatured. There is no here
disrespect or disobedience nor criminal intent.
• School is not the only option to exercise the right to education.
Homeschooling is not against other forms of schooling. Furthermore, family
education recognizes the right that protects the state to propose some
specific content in the educational curriculum. We remind that education is
instrumental and thus it should be diverse and plural. Diverse options may
be at hand to educate children without causing neglect or damage while being
subject to civil liability.
• We advocate for more educational flexibility in Spain. Following the most
recent recommendations of the OCDE to improve the quality of education, in
Spain is needed an education law that allows for greater levels of
flexibility and for organizational and management autonomy for both schools
and families, in order to provide effective care to diverse educational
needs, including homeschooling.
The end.
www.ulia.org/ficv/homeschooling
Conclusions. Third National Congress of Family Education / Homeschooling.
Madrid, 29-30 November, 2012.
1. - The legal recognition of homeschooling is simply the acceptance of the
educational pluralism that should characterize a democratic and advanced
society. This required recognition by the legislature must be compatible
with systems of inspection or regulation implemented by the competent
authority, by consensus and with respect to the reality of family education
in our country.
2. - We advocate that the state protects families who choose this
educational model and thus putting an end to the cases of persecution that
have been carried out in the past by both the public prosecutor and the
administration.
3. - Knowing that family education has proven in many countries a successful
model of academic and human development and it is also a choice born of
social initiative that is therefore much cheaper than state education, we
offer our cooperation to the authorities for the promotion and dissemination
of this educational option.
4. – We reject the criticism leveled at homeschooling as an obstacle to
socialization. Schooling at home, however, fosters group and community
participation in sports, solidarity and cultural associations, as it is well
demonstrated by studies and field work carried out. These studies also show
that the profile of families who educate at home is plural and is identified
with the average household in the state.
5. - We believe that this criticism springs from either those longing for
educational monopolies or those who aspire to instrumentalize education to
achieve ideological achievements. Homeschooling, on the contrary, puts as
its primary objective the wellbeing of infants and youth and protects the
right of parents to choose the educational option they want for their
children.
6. - Homeschooling is perfectly compatible with other forms of education and
does not represent any criticism to state schools or those carried out from
civil society, other than the desire to uniform people by some of its
defenders. Many parents who choose family education they do not do so for
all their children. Homeschooling, on the other hand, with its achievements
and peculiarities, serves as an incentive for improved flexibility in the
traditional schooling system.
7. - We argue that the recognition of homeschooling in Spain is certainly a
step forward in the way of progress to secure better mental, psychological,
social, and academic achievement for future generations. The future seems to
demand ever greater levels of creativity, diversity and excellence, and
family education is a tool that can effectively contribute to achieving
those goals.
In Madrid on December 1, 2012.
Other contents of the congress were:
• The educational function belongs to the mission of the family: in the
family humans discovers themselves as a persons. The irreplaceable
responsibility of families in the education of children occurs in three
dimensions: the upbringing, socialization and personalization ethics.
Parents are the first teachers and educators. Parents educate, and in doing
so also educate themselves.
• Children find in family individualized attention. Attention, affection,
support, active surveillance and protection, are the pillars on which to
build the relationship with children. The mere academic instruction received
in school often does not provide the personal attention that every child
needs to develop her or his potential and capabilities.
• Values education. In this society that instills countervalues and in
which principles seem not make sense anymore, family education is as
important as the work of the various professionals for the treatment of
abnormal behavior of children.
• Education is a preparation for life, not just a prelude to working life.
Parents, family and the community where the individual is inserted, are the
primary agents of such education. They are the most interested to commit the
best of themselves, to meet the needs of the young and assist in their
particular perfection which in turn would lead to the good of all.
• All education should avoid totalitarianism. Totalitarianism is not only a
state problem, parents should educate their children to be good citizens,
instilling constitutional values such as freedom, justice, equality and
respect for pluralism.
• Homeschoolers do not respond to an archetype. There is a widespread belief
in our society that homeschoolers are part of a monolithic group with a
single thought and the same sociological composition. This is simplistic
view. The homeschooling movement has nothing to do with that vision.
• The constitutional court has restricted the right of parents choosing a
narrow interpretation of the freedom of parents to educate. Nevertheless
homeschooling is a parental choice, and the legislature is called to act to
grant it. It is not true that only through the establishment of independent
schools or the attendance to public schools may this freedom be protected.
This thought is based on a narrow concept of socialization that are
inextricably linked to the school system only.
• There are nevertheless new European guidelines. There is a new perspective
of the Council of Europe: resolution 1904 (2012) "the right to freedom of
educational choice in Europe" that defends freedom of parents to follow
their religious, moral or teaching convictions in the education of their
children. This has impelled the countries of the old eastern bloc to
regulating homeschooling and thus allowing educational freedom and
plurality.
• We claim the state as a rights guarantor. We must overcome the prejudices
against the state as a regulator. Public power placed under suspicion means
pushing people to work outside the system. Logically, this position must be
overcome by the invocation of a system of personal rights that take
precedence upon state action. It is necessary to collude the interest of the
child, parental rights and the mission of the state, to overcome
confrontation upon family education. Something very possible since democracy
and law are founded on social values as freedom.
• There is no justification for criminal or civil actions against
homeschoolers. The lack of attendance to school of children homeschoolers is
not the result of passive or nonchalant attitude of parents towards their
children, there is no fraud or negligence, but on the contrary, an excess of
zeal and care in the course of duty to educate. The criminal penalty, a last
resort, applied against family education, is denatured. There is no here
disrespect or disobedience nor criminal intent.
• School is not the only option to exercise the right to education.
Homeschooling is not against other forms of schooling. Furthermore, family
education recognizes the right that protects the state to propose some
specific content in the educational curriculum. We remind that education is
instrumental and thus it should be diverse and plural. Diverse options may
be at hand to educate children without causing neglect or damage while being
subject to civil liability.
• We advocate for more educational flexibility in Spain. Following the most
recent recommendations of the OCDE to improve the quality of education, in
Spain is needed an education law that allows for greater levels of
flexibility and for organizational and management autonomy for both schools
and families, in order to provide effective care to diverse educational
needs, including homeschooling.
The end.
www.ulia.org/ficv/homeschooling
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