A life long pursuit.  A life long commitment.

Since 1995, DaySpring Academy has been open to families not only in Alabama but also over the country. I never dreamed that vision and my passion for helping families escape government education in such amazing ways.

What started out as a way to insure my family could continue to home educate as we have from 1982, has turned into a ministry grown even beyond my expectations.

But along with the blessings, comes much work and responsibility. The amount of time and energy required to help parents understand the home education process is huge but well worth every minute.

What I have tried to do over the years is provide a safe haven for families to explore and create a life of learning, a safe place to live life with our children and a place to heal from being in the government system. The reason why DaySpring Academy does not have curriculum requirements or yearly progress reporting is because I firmly believe every child is so different that only a parent knows what is best.

Many of my own beliefs about education meander over into my church school policies. My style of "administrating" and "requirements" does not suit everyone. Many have left for more "accountable" groups. I believe that is a positive step for parents—to find what works for them and their children and then make those changes—regardless really of whether it is right or wrong. To just make that choice to go against the tyrannical requirements of a bankrupt system is a major achievement for anyone. Though personally I am amused when in a year or two they are back with me wanting freedom to educate with far less guidelines. J

DSA firmly and unequivocally supports parental freedoms in education and in all of life. Sometimes that’s a hard idea to understand and accept—some never come to accepting it and some come more slowly to understand why this concept is so important. It is the crux of living and one each person must come to understand to fully support home education without government intrusion. It is not just in the area of education, but in all areas of family life. Too often I have had moms balk at the strong stands we take, but a few years down the road find themselves as strong if not stronger in those same stands.

Last year has been a tough one for us. We have had families who enrolled in our school, joined the email list and wreaked havoc by undermining our stands and beliefs. I have had families accuse me of overcharging for the enrollment for what they think are too little benefits from the school. I have had grandparents, ex-husband’s and step moms send angry letters because they do not want their child out of public school. A family emailed me upset that their child had failed a year in public school and now has to take a GED because of one previous year of home education. They believed I did not monitor the guardian parent enough. I have had families mad because curriculum did not arrive in the mail soon after enrolling and others upset because I do not always return calls ASAP. I have had other church schools tell families that DaySpring Academy is breaking the law because they do not require enough and that I would be the reason the state makes changes in the home schooling laws (which we don’t even have!!).

Many if not most of these disagreements come from my very strong beliefs about parental responsibility in all areas of life and not just education. These parents simply did not understand fully that concept and wanted to find someone to blame for their child’s failures or for their own lack of commitment and seeing this all the way through. Having the freedom to educate your own child does not come without some great responsibility.

On the legal side, more and more the authorities are finding ways to harass parents and humiliate them. More and more they are circumventing the laws and doing whatever they want to do. No longer is anything about the children and getting an education but it is about control and teaching parents a lesson on "dissing" the school system by home educating. We have truant offices and judges working hand in hand to simply ignore the steps of the law and strike out at families indiscriminately. When I write that I believe in a complete abolishment of the compulsory attendance, I kid not. I am serious.

The upcoming years will be times to test even the strong at heart and the faith of the committed. The people in authority are taking offense not to the truth that people can legally home educate but that people *can* and SUCCEED beyond belief. Children DO learn and can go to college and hold jobs all without THEIR seal of approval.

For years, the public school folks hoped it was an experiment doomed to fail, and as more parents succeed in teaching their children, the more the temper tantrums will be thrown in ever increasing ways.

I read stories about how many families were taken to jail rather then give their children to the state. I clearly remember the story of the father who was shot in the back by policeman because he refused to allow them access to his children. I read books by the Raymond and Dorothy Moore, John Holt and other pioneers who not always waxed on about home education but parental freedoms to pursue the educational paths they choose. I personally have never had to deal or confront authority figures who opposed my standards of child raising in a context such as a public school or hospital though I have had my share of individuals questioning not only my sanity but my ability to love so many kids.( as if 9 children is a lot J )

When we moved here in 1995 and opened our school to Alabama folks I did not realize the importance of this on hundreds of families looking for a covering, but mostly I did not know the impact it would have on me.

Over the years I have heard stories from so many families that I am amazed at the way humans are treated. I have heard story after story from moms crying on the phone, so obviously stripped of all hope of someone listening or someone helping them that really I was the last possible person they knew to call. How many times I have listened for a length of time to a story beyond belief and when I said, "Yes we can help"… it was as if they didn’t think they heard me and they doubted I REALLY understood all the issues. How many times have I heard " My child is scared to go to school." "My child is being harassed by the teacher/students/busdriver." " I'm tired of hearing negative comments about my child." " They refuse to help my child in any way and I'm losing my child." "My child is no longer a happy laughing running child and I'm scared."

Too many times to count. Too many times to repeat. Too many times.

One thing I have learned is the strength of Heart so many moms have. They have been in a system that so openly hates and despises children and yet they spent years fighting for their child truly hoping things would change. Spending years running in circles trying to enact changes for their children.

I have learned of the healing ability of children who spending years in that same system, begin to recover. Who may once again, though not right away, think learning is great and that learning is possible after all without pain.

I have seen the families come together once again with a common goal after years of being literally torn apart for the sake of goals and policies.

And I Am Amazed by these families. Each Family has a different "last Straw" that made them look to home education. Each family has a different level of what they would put up with. Some families were able to start home education with young children, others had older ones. Some are grandparents and some are even older siblings.

Do I believe we should give in? Cower in Fear?? No way! Acting in Fear has never been a solution for any problem. But I do believe we should draw the boundaries and stand on them. For our Sake. For our children’s sake.

I recently saw a quote that I love:

Each of us MUST decide our course of action…our level of commitment… our fierce dedication to protecting our children from abuse of the most hideous kind. We must be prepared to face obstacles and not give in to threats and bullying.

And of course in the middle of whirlwind , we live life with our children. Teaching them about amazing stuff, interesting facts, strange events and about being strong and honest and about dinosaurs and trains, weather and biology, history and money, and living life fully without being afraid, how to be kind and considerate and a deep personal faith that sustains each of us when the going gets tough. To love each other, to be gentle, to be giving.

Since 1982, I have been in the "radical" camp in some form or fashion. From the homebirth group to have my first child in 1983 to home education group in 1985. I feel like I have "growed up" amongst these kinds of ideals and commitments and fierce independence. I have always did my own thing and always felt somewhat separated from what most of society does. But I have never at any point regretted those differences and certainly feel my children have benefited the most from having a Radical Rebel for a mom.

A radical life is a way of life for me. I hope it will be a life for my children. I hope it will be a life for you also.

Freedom in Education.

Freedom.

Free.

"I do not intend to tiptoe through this life
 just to arrive safely at death."

Do you?

© Donna Mitchell , 2004