SAN FRANCISCO —The California Appeals Court recently passed a law stating that parents and other groups who have been teaching without a credential can continue to do so. This is a reversal from the court's previous decision.

In February, when a three-judge panel ruled that all California children had to be taught by credentialed teachers, including home teaching and several home-schooling organizations such as religious groups, there was a great deal of dissension. These groups felt that it was not necessary to hold a credential in order to teach, so it urged the appeals court to reconsider its ruling.

It was at this time, when Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, Democratic Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O’Connell and other politicians asked the court to reverse its decision.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger believes that every child in California has the right to a quality education and parents should be able to decide what’s best for their children.

There has been a great deal of discussion as to why students are required to take Algebra in order to graduate high school. This discussion came about when it was realized that many students have difficulty in passing the test. After failing the test two or three times, they get so discouraged, they drop out of school and end up in the streets.

Suzie Le Monte, a home teacher, when asked if it was compulsory to teach Algebra, she answered, “Home teachers do not have to teach Algebra. We are really lucky that we can use different types of learning and teaching tools.”

Le Monte was happy that she could make up her own decisions as to how she is going to teach her son. She continued her opinion on the subject by saying, “If one method of learning doesn’t work, we can try something else. I even used 'Star Wars' to better understand the basis of Physics.”

She said, “Although this may be an unconventional method in the public schools, but if you can break a subject down for a child, and give them something to compare it to, why not?”

She went on to say, “If you give something interesting, it shouldn’t matter how a subject is taught.” She continued her thinking by saying, “It’s more important that they understand and remember it.”

There are some exceptions to the rule of allowing parents to home teach their children. One is, because there have been abusive parents at times, Juvenile Court judges have the authority to order home-schooled children to attend credential schools for their safety.