Special Guest Speaker from
Family Protection Ministries
to speak at the
2021 Saint Kosmas Conference in Arizona!

About Nathan Pierce

Nathan began his work at Family Protection Ministries (FPM) to protect private homeschooling in California in 2002. He currently serves as Director of Operations and Legislative Liaison. FPM’s purpose is to defend our freedom as parents to train, educate and care for our children privately, without governmental interference. His role at FPM includes screening the hundreds of bills that pour into the California Legislature each year, closely watching for any that could harm our freedoms as parents and alerting parents to contact their legislators. He works behind the scenes at the State Capitol, meeting with legislators to advocate on behalf of homeschoolers. 

Nathan was homeschooled himself from kindergarten through high school and received a B.A. in Political Studies from The Master's College. He and his wife Betsy were married in 2004 and homeschool their seven children (ages 1 to 13 years old) and plan to do so until graduation. They love serving in their local church body and co-leading a local homeschooling support group. Nathan is passionate about protecting the right of parents to teach each of their children in the way that God calls them to. What is the foremost thing we should be teaching our children? Scripture says (I Corinthians 15:3-4) that the gospel is of “first importance.” Nathan values the importance of teaching all things from an intentionally biblical worldview and works every day to maintain our freedom to do so. 

California Homeschool Legal/Legislative Update

NATHAN PIERCE, FAMILY PROTECTION MINISTRies

Fresh from the battlefront, Nathan will update you on major current legislative battles to protect our private home education and parental rights! You will learn how vigilance is maintained despite the many threats against our precious freedoms, and hear how Family Protection Ministries has worked this year to build relationships with legislators and staff inside the Capitol. As time permits, this perspective will broaden to an even larger battlefront of the underlying worldviews and trends of our culture’s war against the God-ordained family.

COVID-19 and Parental Rights in California, A Legislative Update

NATHAN PIERCE, FAMILY PROTECTION MINISTRies

Family Protection Ministry liaison, Nathan Pierce, will offer an update on what legal and legislative changes have taken place in California related to parental rights since COVID began. Though this update is specific to California, the legislative attempts to take rights from parents in California will likely soon follow in other states. This will be a short presentation, followed by a question and answer session with Nathan Pierce.

Bostock v. Clayton County: How it Impacts Churches, Private Education, and Homeschoolers (Understanding the Implications of the Supreme Court Ruling of June 15, 2020)

NATHAN PIERCE, FAMILY PROTECTION MINISTRies

Bostock v. Clayton County was a landmark United States Supreme Court civil rights case in which the Court held that Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 protects employees against discrimination because of their sexual orientation or gender identity. Family Protection Ministry liaison, Nathan Pierce, will explain the ruling, and offer a brief analysis of how this impacts churches, private schools, and homeschoolers. This will be a short presentation, followed by a question and answer session with Nathan Pierce.

Getting Your Family Involved in Advocacy: What Can I Do? (Including How to Write Letters and Position Papers to Your Legislator)

NATHAN PIERCE, FAMILY PROTECTION MINISTRies

Ever wonder how you could make a difference in the fight to keep our homeschool freedoms? Personal face-to-face meetings between a legislator and a homeschool family can be the most effective advocacy tool we have. Nathan will discuss inviting legislators to your homeschool science fair, taking a field trip to visit your legislator in their local district office, and even lining up your teens to potentially intern at a legislators office. This workshop will also give you clear steps in crafting letters to your legislator so that you can get your point across effectively. When needed, FPM will ask you to write your California Legislators in the Senate and Assembly on specific bills. The opinions of citizens in their own districts are important to legislators, as many believe that your one letter represents the view of 100 others who did not take the time to express their position. In a time when it can be tempting to be isolated and just “do our thing” Nathan will challenge you to engage in the battle for our freedoms while we still can.

(for the YOUTH) Getting Your Group Ready for Action

NATHAN PIERCE, FAMILY PROTECTION MINISTRies

Ever wonder how your group could make a difference? Or perhaps if it could make a difference? A plan is vital when preparing for any battle. Legislative battles are no different. Nathan will talk about what types of things your group can do to make a difference for the cause of homeschool freedom. Coming up with a plan and figuring out how to implement it (and who is going to help) can be a struggle, so that’s what we’ll be doing! We will discuss inviting legislators to your homeschool science fair, taking a field trip to visit your legislator in their local district office, and even lining up teens in your group to potentially intern at a legislator’s office.

Charter Schools – Opportunity or Hidden Stumbling Block?

NATHAN PIERCE, FAMILY PROTECTION MINISTRies

You probably know homeschooling families who have left the fold of Private Homeschooling for the perceived advantages of joining a charter school. Some church leaders are encouraging families to look into charter schools as a viable and beneficial option for educating their children at home. Perhaps you yourself have even wondered if it wouldn’t be a solution to some of the challenges you’re facing. So, what are some of the important issues Christian parents should consider before making any decision to enroll their children in a charter school? What place can God’s Word have in a charter school? What is legally required and forbidden of charter schools? You may be surprised at the answer!

Law for California Private Homeschoolers

NATHAN PIERCE, FAMILY PROTECTION MINISTRies

Are you a new or potential homeschooling parent? Perhaps you’re a leader working with new homeschoolers. Here is the place to get a foundation of understanding of the legalities of homeschooling. We know the Education Code addresses compulsory education, but what does it actually say and how do we as private homeschoolers make sure we meet compulsory education law? What is the difference between public and private education school programs, anyway? And what is a private school affidavit and how do you file it? Any remaining questions? You may ask those at the Q & A session at the end of this helpful session.

2021 Saint Kosmas Conference
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About Family Protection Ministries

PURPOSE:

To defend the freedom of parents to train, educate and care for their children privately, without governmental interference.

HISTORY:

In 1986, The Christian Home Educators Association of California (CHEA), attorney Michael Smith of the Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA), and others – determined that California needed a full time person to assure that state laws protect the God-given and constitutional rights of parents to direct the education and care of their children.  CHEA, HSLDA, and others asked Roy Hanson to serve full time in this capacity in California. Roy established Family Protection Ministries (FPM) in 1986 to accomplish this mission and has served as the full-time Executive Director ever since. Roy was joined by Jim Davis (now retired) in 1994 and Nathan Pierce in 2002.

Each year, new bills threatening private home education, private schools, and parental rights are introduced.  FPM’s strategic leadership has been vital to stopping or amending dozens of damaging bills. The efforts of FPM have also been critical in passing positive legislation protecting parental rights.

Family Protection Ministries (FPM) is critical in coordinating with other groups all across the state and nation to assure a united approach to legislation affecting parental rights, religious freedoms, and private home education.  A premature or wrong approach in the legislative arena, by even a single well-meaning person or group, could make life very difficult for most of us.

DUTIES:

1.) Acting as a central clearinghouse for information on California state legal/legislative status and action

2.) Analyzing every bill introduced in the legislature and tracking dozens of state (and federal) legislative proposals each year (They are hard to spot and are changed rapidly and often secretively.)

3.) Advocacy in support, opposition or modification of specific legislation

4.) Sending regular Legislative Updates & Alerts for supporters and homeschool leaders both by mail and email

5.) Writing position papers based on sound legal research and a Biblical worldview

6.) Building positive relationships with legislators and education officials

7.) Liaison to CHEA, HSLDA, and other home school groups, private school organizations and parental rights groups

8.) Serving the Lord Jesus Christ and glorifying Him by serving you and others.