March 6, 2018

All Hat and No Cattle

I’m always amazed that every Republican in Texas runs as a family values-based conservative when they are seeking election or re-election, even though their voting record is often debatable as to whether they are really conservative.

Some legislators start as champions for Texas families and then move towards big government the longer they are in office.That is why we often say that there are no permanent friends and no permanent enemies in the legislative process. We support legislators and other officials as long as they support our issues.

Modern-Day Cattle Rustlers

I was thinking of this whole issue as I’ve been watching a couple of races in West Texas: those of Sen. Kel Seliger and Rep. Ken King.

Seliger represents Amarillo and Midland and has spent over a million dollars telling voters how conservative he is because he knows that’s the kind of representation Republican voters expect. The reality is something altogether different.

Seliger argued in Austin that families could not be trusted with more authority over their children’s education. In fact, he is openly opposed to homeschooling. Seliger has been rated by the non-partisan Baker Institute of Rice University as the most liberal Republican in the Texas Senate.

He was the only Republican senator to vote against property tax reform last year and is the only Republican senator to refuse to support conservative Lt. Governor Dan Patrick for re-election. He has been endorsed by a liberal group that supports the radical homosexual agenda.

State Rep. Ken King is also spending lots of money to advertise how conservative he is. King has consistently opposed increased freedom of families to raise and educate their children as they see fit. He has a bad pro-life record, an opposition to border security funding, and is ranked as the third most liberal Republican in the Texas House by Rice University.

To use a Texas term: as conservatives, these guys are all hat and no cattle. That is why we are supporting Mike Canon for the Texas Senate against Seliger and homeschool dad Jason Huddleston for the Texas House against King.

Vote in the Primary

Today, Mar. 6, is your last chance to vote in the primary election. Consider voting for these pro-family, pro-homeschooling candidates!

Visit THSC.org/Endorsements for a list of candidates who will fight for your family’s liberty. We believe that families raising their children is a God-given right and that parents should be empowered to raise the next generation of leaders. By voting for pro-family candidates, you are contributing to Keeping Texas Families Free!

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March 13, 2018

Eternal Vigilance: The Cost of Liberty

Throughout history, threats to freedom have always existed. From biblical times to more modern ones, there are always those who seek to take away God-given freedoms—and those who are willing to overcome that opposition.

Threats Back Then

Recently, I was reading the book of Esther, and I realized the great courage and trust in God that both Mordecai and Esther displayed. “… But when Haman saw Mordecai … that he neither rose nor trembled before him, he was filled with wrath against Mordecai.” (Esther 5:9) Haman was enraged because Mordecai did not fear him.

That same day, I contemplated the challenges and sacrifices our Texas forefathers faced in 1836 when they wrote the Texas Declaration of Independence on Mar. 2, even while the Alamo was under siege. The world is and always has been a place in which threats to freedom exist because of the sinful nature of man.

Threats Right Now

Today, there is the very real threat against homeschooling that we have been working so hard to make people aware of and to oppose before it’s too late. We continue to defend the belief that law-abiding families have a God-given right and calling to raise their children.

However, many believe that government rather than families should make decisions for children. That conflict is becoming more and more apparent as is evidenced by a recent Ohio case — in which the state removed a child from fit parents because they would not agree to help the child transition to a different sex.

The question today is, who makes decisions for children…the state or parents?

Sometimes THSC receives complaints that we spend too much time and resources on political efforts—but we are painfully aware of what is at stake. Those we elect will pass the policies that affect our liberty. We will not be dissuaded from our mission of Keeping Texas Families Free. Our focus is one reason that homeschooling is so free in Texas!

If history teaches us anything, it teaches that there will always be threats to freedom, and those who fail to respond until it’s too late will lose their freedom.

The Plea: Eternal Vigilance

I appreciate Mordecai’s urgent message to Esther—pleading with her to use her position to seek the king’s help to save God’s people. He closes the appeal with these words: “For if you keep silent at this time, relief and deliverance will rise for the Jews from another place … And who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” (Esther 4:14)

Perhaps God has raised up the homeschool movement not only for the blessing and benefit of our children, but to prepare us for such a time as this, when the liberty of families to raise their children is being threatened.

“Some one has justly remarked, that ‘eternal vigilance is the price of liberty.’ Let the sentinels on the watch-tower sleep not, and slumber not.” – “The Virginia Free Press and Farmers’ Repository,” May 2, 1833

We believe that the best place for children is in a home with loving parents and that homeschooling is the best education model. We fight for families on many fronts. Please consider donating today to help us continue our mission of Keeping Texas Families Free!

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March 20, 2018

National Assault on Homeschooling Continues

Driven by focus on the Turpin abuse case in California, Maryland and Kentucky have joined the list of states (including Hawaii, CaliforniaNew Hampshire and Ohio) where legislation has been filed to restrict the right of families who choose to homeschool their children. Such legislation is also being discussed in other states.

Homeschooling: A Safe Educational Choice

A newly released study undermines the narrative that homeschool children are at greater risk of abuse than those in public school and that state regulation of homeschooling would make these children safer. Just as research shows that regulation of homeschooling does not increase student performance, neither does regulation of homeschooling make children safer.

There are also very positive stories about homeschooling indicating that it is becoming more mainstream. In fact, many decide to teach their children at home for safety reasons.

The Brewing Storm for Families and Homeschoolers

This renewed debate of the extent of freedom that parents should have over the rearing of their children reflects the conflict between the two major responses to the question of who should make decisions for children: the parents or the state.

This conflict is growing as we see more court cases where the state removes children from families because someone disagrees with legitimate parenting decisions the parents make for their children.

This is another reason it is so critical for the Texas homeschool community to be active in the political arena. As we have seen over the years, it is much better to deal with elected officials who know homeschoolers and agree with us that families have a God-given right to make decisions for their children than to have to fight legislators who disagree. Once the wrong people are elected, stopping bad legislation is significantly harder.

Combat the Storm!

We are very thankful for the great response to our call to the Texas homeschool community in the recent Republican primary. The runoff in May will be critical to finish this effort and prepare for next year’s legislative session and any possible legislation that would limit the God-given rights of families.

Specific needs of pro-homeschool candidates in the approaching runoff will be a chance for you to get involved in the battle for liberty! Subscribe to the Homeschool Advocacy and News email to stay informed about the upcoming election.

We believe that parents should be empowered to raise the next generation of leaders. Thank you for standing with us in Keeping Texas Families Free!

Read the rest of The Family Freedom Caller, including Tim’s Weekly Tweets

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