Friends,
Last September while our family attended a National Homeschool Leaders Conference I received a book call “Home School Heroes, the Struggles & Triumph of Home Schooling in America” by Chris Klicka. It is about the beginnings of the modern homeschooling movement in America. I was finally able to read it. It’s fascinating to see what some of the early pioneers in the movement went through and accomplished. To think that in the early1980’s it was illegal to homeschool in most states. I have been privileged to have met some of those people who have been there from the beginning. They are just as fervent in their desire to the see the homeschool movement go forward today as they were back then, even though many of their children are now adults. Gone are the days of secretly homeschooling, hoping that you would not be arrested and taken to court just because you believed it was your God given responsibility to educate your children.
We should be very thankfully for what we have here in New Jersey; while the rest of the country was going through some difficult times in homeschooling we had it very easy. Two court cases, one in 1965 and one in 1967 gave parents the ability to homeschool based on New Jersey compulsory education law. ENOCH, along with HSLDA and the NJDOE, worked on revising the Klagholz policies on homeschool education. From those meetings, the “Homeschooling Questions and Answers (Q & A)” document was designed. I’m grateful for those who labored so hard in the past to put us where we are today. At times we take it for granted and that should never be.
As the summer starts to wind down and final preparations for school continue, let us remember the freedoms we enjoy and thank God for those who fought the battles in other states to allow all Americans to homeschool without fear.
In relation to this, ENOCH would ask that you prayerfully consider your support in the organization. Our Board is in great need at this time for additional Board members. If you feel strongly in support of ENOCH and led to join, please contact me at (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address). We are presently stretched to our limit. We need your help. Thank you in advance for your prayers.
God Bless,
Richard Millward
President, ENOCH of New Jersey
Neither the ENOCH e-Newsletter, nor the Board of Directors for ENOCH New Jersey, endorses nor recommends any of the non-ENOCH programs, events, or opportunities listed. They are selectively provided as a service to those who wish to explore further.