The children's coordinator at church approached me today and said, "I hear you homeschool... I would like to talk to you about that. I am going to keep my son home next year. What curriculum do you use?"

(Queue crazy Psycho theme song...)

I started talking and talking about homeschooling. About how the kids are doing so much better socially and spiritually than they were in PS. About how I can judge their likes and dislikes and approach a topic in a way THEY need instead of a way the PS would teach 25 kids the same. I talked about socialization and reading and writing and THEN....

The Pennsylvania Homeschool Law.

(Queue Dragnet song... Dum Da Dum Dum....)

See, here is the thing.

We are not currently in compliance under the law.

GASP! Say it ain't so!

Yep. Its so. I just have this internal battle going on about the PA HS law and how WRONG it is to have to provide so much information to the government about my teaching! Im not asking for state funding here... I just decline the public school option for my kids! Thats all! They want testing and a syllabus and evaluations and medical/dental check-up reports and who knows what else. The stubborn-strong-willed-first-born-child in me says "oh yeah? Well just try and MAKE me give you all that information! HA!" where the Holy Spirit says to submit to my authority. Then I think... well, isnt GOD my authority on all matters? Shouldn't I look to scripture to decide how to raise my children... NOT the PA legislature? Shouldn't the bazillion verses about raising children (hint: none mention passing the buck.) guide me in my raising them... not some list the politicians decided would be efficient in checking up on us wacky homeschoolers?

So here I am standing face to face with the children's coordinator looking to me for HS advice and what do I say? "Honestly, Tracy, you have to decide for yourself how to handle the PA homeschool law. I am out of compliance right now." (Eee! Eeee! Eeee! Eeee!) But she totally understood! She had not yet had the opportunity to delve into the aspects of the law and was shocked at my laundry list of things they will want from her. WHEW!

So this has been on my mind a lot the rest of the day.

To comply or not to comply. That is the question. Whether tis' more noble to go it alone and possibly get in beaucoup trouble... or just file the most vague paperwork ever seen by the local school district in the name of legality.

Yeah, I will probably comply.

I will do it grumbling and complaining and citing how WRONG it is the whole way... but I will send in my vague paperwork.