Proponents of "homeschooling" routinely claim it is legal for parents to rear their children as they see fit. This view ignores the "parens patriae" doctrine--the primary legal basis for the judicial regulation of custody and the legislative enactment of compulsory schooling laws for the benefit of all children. This article…

The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that a state law compelling a child's attendance at a public school constitutes a violation of the parent's liberty interest under the 14th amendment. In Canada, however, courts have held that their equivalent to the 14th amendment does not encompass the liberty of parents to choose how to educate their children.…