Very interesting considering that Huckabee was a big supporter of Bill Gothard's character building program. I always thought the two were kind of tight but wouldn't be able to prove it if asked to. You don't happen to know anything about it, do you?

I don't know that you could say Gothard and Huckabee were "tight" although all I have seen are a few references. I don't know quite what to make of it...Gothard's Character First! is a secular character building program that was quite popular for awhile and was growing rapidly. A lot of schools really liked it until they found out who Gothard was.

I'm not defending Huckabee...I'm baffled by HSLDA PAC's endorsement of him...I just want to be sure that before I criticize his choice of programs to support, he really knows who is behind them. I have seen some of Gothard's materials and from what I remember, the secularized materials really didn't have anything objectionable in them.

I have not done any research on the Gothard, Huckabee connection, but that would be interesting to research if I had the time.

Dana I agree about the HSLDA endorsement being way out of the box. I know why they did it and it has to nothing to do with agreeing with Huck on homeschooling. In my opion it has to due with his outspokens with regards to Christ. Though, in their extreamly poor judgment they have done a great disservice to those the represent.

Dana - Like you I'm not sure if Hucakabee's connection to Gothard is anything other than approving of and using his character building materials.

Looks like Gothard did show up for a private fund-raiser for Huckabee in Houston, Texas :

http://tinyurl.com/2e4trh

http://ethicsdaily.com/article_detail.cfm?AID=9889

http://www.cincinnatibeacon.com/index.php/magaddiction/comments/exposed_mike_huckabee_with_bill_gothard_last_week_in_houston/

I do think some of these articles are a bit over the top but the concern I have is Gothard having access to Huckabee if he becomes president.

If you look on the Home School Legal Defense Fund website, you will quickly learn that the AR democratic legislature was trying to completely kill homeschooling in Arkansas and Huckabee helped the homeschoolers push through a bill that was so much better than what the Democrats wanted that the homeschoolers were thrilled. Governor is not dictator - sometimes what is passed is not the legislation the governor would prefer.

Also, Bill Gothard loves to name drop, but I find it highly unlikely that Huckabee is a big supporter of his. Gothard's legalistic program is full of the idea that Rock and Roll music is directly from Satan, and as I recall, Mike Huckabee does not just listen to Rock and Roll occasionally, he is a member of a band!

Don't be fooled by smear campaigns.

Hi Linda,

This is way past the point of being fooled by a Huck smear campaign. The evidence is so overwhelming! Please take a look at this site. It is by far one of the best writeups on Huckabee's homeschool record.

Taken from Homeschool Legal Defense Website.

"January 2008

Questions have arisen regarding Governor Huckabee?s commitment to homeschooling. HSLDA-PAC is confident that Governor Huckabee is a strong supporter of home education, and we stand by our endorsement.

As discussed in this article, the Arkansas legislature passed a homeschool law in 1999, which was signed by Governor Huckabee. The law represented a step backward for homeschool freedoms.

Arkansas' homeschool law was enacted in 1985 when Bill Clinton was governor. It was one of the most restrictive laws in the nation. After Bill Clinton was elected president, Jim Guy Tucker, another Democrat, became governor. Unfortunately, homeschoolers were not able to roll back this terrible law during his administration. After Governor Tucker resigned from office because of legal difficulties, Mike Huckabee became governor in 1996.

Prior to the 1997 legislative session, the Arkansas Christian Home Education Association and HSLDA approached Governor Huckabee about supporting changes in the homeschool law. Governor Huckabee actively supported and lobbied legislators to get a bill passed which transformed Arkansas into a much more favorable state for homeschoolers. HSLDA attorney Dewitt Black wrote Governor Huckabee a thank-you letter. He replied, "Dee, it was my pleasure and privilege to get behind this effort on behalf of home school students in Arkansas, and I sincerely appreciated the backing of the Home School Legal Defense Association and the Arkansas Christian Home Education Association." HSLDA still has the original of this letter from the governor.

Only two years later, however, during the 1999 legislative session, two bad bills were introduced to impose restrictions on the homeschoolers. There was a great deal of momentum to get these bills through.

To avoid a major step backward for homeschool freedom, local homeschool leaders worked with a homeschooling father in the House of Representatives to sponsor a bill which would place some additional regulations on homeschoolers but would avoid the much worse provisions of the other two bills. HSLDA could not support this compromise bill because we always stand on the side of homeschool freedom and against government regulation. We opposed the bill and urged our members to lobby against the bill without success.

The political reality, however, was that the homeschoolers were going to have to give the opposition something or they were going to get something much worse. As far as Governor Huckabee was concerned, it was a bill the homeschoolers wanted. It was sponsored by a homeschooling father in the legislature and had the support of the Arkansas Family Council. The bill was enacted and became Act 1117.

HSLDA-PAC has spoken directly with Governor Huckabee and we believe that by his words and actions he is a firm supporter of homeschooling.

This video discusses more of Governor Huckabee's relationship with homeschoolers."

Hey Laura,

I do realize that your mind is probably made up, and for me to try and argue point by point would be a waist of my time. I would appeal to you on the same ground that Thomas Paine appealed to the American people in his work called Common Sense, which was written in 1776. He appealed to the American people to set aside their political prejudices and for them to, with an opened mind, listen to his argument for liberty and a revolution against Great Britain. As a side note George Washington credited Paine's work as the single most important piece of literature that galvanized the continent.

In the same spirit that Thomas Pain appealed for the continent to set aside their prejudice, I appeal to you, for a period of an hour or so, to set aside your prejudices. During that hour I would ask you to listen to the argument that was given at http://spunkyhomeschool.blogspot.com/

Spunky has laid out an well thought out argument on Huckabee and his stance on education.

God bless.

gid

Dear GID,

I could ask the same of you, (Referring to the Thomas Paine argument of listening with an open mind) as you read my email.

I have read many blogs about homeschoolers against Huckabee and they do concern me. I will also read the one you have suggested again, and I sincerely appreciate your taking the time to inform me that you believe Huckabee may be a potential threat to the homeschool movement.

I am the mother of 7 in Illinois (wonderful state for homeschoolers) and have homeschooled for 15 years with no end in sight for another 8 years. Parental rights and freedoms have always been important to me, and I will continue to fight for them long after my children leave the nest. I pray my children will homeschool their children as well.

That said, it is very difficult for me to disregard the endorsement of Michael Farris. This man has fought hard to preserve parental rights, and the parents' right to educate their children for over 2 decades.

Michael Farris is the "co-founder (and current board chairman)of Homeschool Legal Defense Association, a constitutional lawyer, a leading pro-family activist on Capital Hill, a published author of 14 books, and an ordained minister."

In addition,"Education Week named Michael Farris as one of the 100 most significant 'Faces of the Century' in education, and he is listed in Praying for the World's 365 Most Influential People."

Michael Farris was fighting for parental rights when parents were still getting arrested for educating their children, (as homeschooling was ignorantly considered illegal in most states a little over 20 years ago. The laws were vague regarding homeschooling and most parents had to fight for the right to educate their children in the courts.

Michael Farris and Homeschool Legal defense also continue to fight for parental rights in other countries such as Germany because Homeschool Legal Defense understands the dangers of the United Nations. HSLDA understands the UN could have the authority to deem homeschooling illegal and that axe could fall in the US as well.

Michael Farris is also Patrick Henry College Chancellor. This college is devoted to training Christian men and women to become the future journalists and lawmakers of our country, grooming them to be equipped to fight in Washington for Godly principles.

Patrick Henry is also the only College I know of that refuses to take government funding because they know that once they do, they will be oblidged to teach what the state says is politically correct.

I have met Michael Farris and spoke with with him personally on many occasions over the last 15 years at various homeschool conventions. As with any resource, it is important to trust the source. Michael Farris's credentials are outstanding, but I do not know the credentials of the author of Spunky's website. (Though I must say she certainly is an articulate writer.)

How much does she know about law? How much has she copied and pasted from other websites from other people who know nothing about the inner workings of our judicial system. What expertise or experience has she had in the whole legislative process to demonstrate she is qualified to draw accurate conclusions about Huckabee's actions while in Arkansas.

Many lawmakers are still ignorant and afraid of homeschooling because they have not been educated or seen the statistics. I have full confidence that if Mike Huckabee is ignorant about the pulse and success of homeschooling, Michael Farris and Homeschool Legal Defense will be in the wings advising him.

Huckabee's conservative and unpopular stance amoung the liberals on every other issue gives me great hope for this country. Ex Same sex marriage, overturning Roe VS Wade, 2nd amendment rights, his position on the interpretation of the Consitution -according to the intent of our forefathers, the appointment for Federal Judges - who were not supposed to make the laws of the land, ) etc. etc.

His posted views seem to be in allignment with what God would want us to do, even if some may believe there is some cloudiness to his actual position on homeschooling.

As a Constitutional lawyer, Michael Farris certainly understands the judicial processes better than I. I simply cannot believe that he would endorse any one whom he believed would be a threat to parental rights or home education.

If Michael Farris says, "Huckabee did what he believed the homeschoolers wanted," than I believe him. Did you read that it Act 1117 (the bill that took homeschoolers in Arkansas backwards) was actually drafted and sponsored by a homeschooling father who was in the legislature?

I will continue to pray for God's direction during this election, and that He will be merciful to our country as He appoints our next leader.

God Bless you as well,
Laura Yates

Huckabee is such a great figure in this modern day of age in poor choices for government. God bless!

Yep, I agree with most of what you're saying here. I know there is more I'd like to explain but I'm having brainfart so I guess I'll just say, "good stuff!" lol HUCKABEE SUCKS!