You and I've lived too long
with this miracle to properly
be appreciative.
Freedom is a fragile thing
and it's never more than one generation
away from extinction.
It is not ours by way of inheritance.
It must be fought for and defended constantly
by each generation...
For it comes only once to a people.
And those in world history
who have known freedom and then lost it...
Have never known it again.
"For it will not be you speaking,
but the spirit of your father
speaking through you."
- Mike, breakfast. - Sorry, honey.
No time. Love you, guys.
Why can't my pancakes come out round?
This one looks like Australia.
They'll taste the same as any other continent, sweetie.
- I promise. - Hey, hey dad.
- What about this car? - How much have you saved?
Okay, well if I sell my guitar I can, you know,
probably get couple hundred extra bucks.
Yeah, it's too expensive.
- Just keep lookin', alright? - Alright.
You're the best.
I love you guys. I'll see you at 6:00.
- Love you. - Love you.
- They're all yours. - Reading and theology today.
Pick up at 5:00. Okay.
Hey, Jackson.
Honey, I'll be home as soon as work is over, okay?
I think Shannon has a new puzzle she wants to show you.
- Okay. - Hey, Jackson's here.
Have you had breakfast yet?
Someone at the restaurant called in sick,
so I'm gonna have to pull a double tonight.
- I'm sorry. - It doesn't happen often.
Anyway, uh, Jackson's babysitter will pick him up tonight.
Do you remember miss Meredith, the church secretary?
Taylor, it's gonna be fine. Promise.
Right. Thanks.
This means more to us than you know.
This coffee is wonderful.
So tell me about your mission trip. Was it amazing?
Oh, you would love China.
She's my native country, but I don't think I can return.
Why?
The persecution of people of faith
is much worse now than when I left.
And not just of christians but of uyghur muslims and others.
Yeah, I heard they're tryin' to take millions
in re-education camps.
Now they're trying to contextualize the Bible
to make it more culturally appropriate.
Freedom is fragile, ayisha.
Did you see your family?
I traveled to the other side of the world.
They still won't speak to me now that I'm a Christian.
My family lives down the street and my father won't talk to me.
I didn't think that christianity could be so...
Lonely?
Okay, this is North America.
Put it where it belongs on the map.
Sorry, I'm late. Jail ministry went long.
No worries.
- Hey, Brandon. - Hey, Mr. Hill.
- Ooh, nice. - Hey calc now, cars later.
- I like the truck. - Yeah, me too.
17, buyin' my first car. I remember that.
It's amazing you can get him to think about anything else.
Yeah, I guess.
How's Jackson doin'?
He's comin' out of his shell a little bit.
He relaxes around Shannon, so that's good.
Yeah. That is good.
How about Taylor?
She's been at the church for like six months
and I just realized that I don't know anything about her.
I guess it's my fault.
No, don't beat yourself up.
She keeps to herself.
Usually works nights so she can be with Jackson during the day.
Didn't know that.
Still it's my job to let people know
they have a home at St. Jude's.
Alright, everyone.
Let's get our bibles out
and get ready for some reading time.
Yeah, guys. Let's get to work.
Yeah!
Today is, drum roll please.
We're talkin' about Noah.
Open your bibles to Genesis seven.
That's really good, Shannon.
Okay, let's talk about what we just heard.
It's about to get really wet.
Well, I think there's more
to this story than just rain.
How do you think people reacted to Noah
when he suddenly started to build a big boat?
They probably thought he was nuts.
I think you may be right.
And that's the point.
Sometimes trusting god means believing and doing things
that the world won't understand,
but we know that god honors our obedience to him.
I'm Ms. Dowd with social services.
I'm here to review your homeschooling environment.
Uh, no one called to let me know.
We've switched to unannounced visitations.
May I come in?
Good afternoon, children.
- Good afternoon. - Good afternoon.
I'm Ms. Dowd.
Since you don't have a board-certified instructor
I'm here to make sure you aren't missing anything.
Is Ms. Short for miss or missus?
It's not short for anything.
- It's complete by itself. - Oh, she meant no disrespect.
She's just asking if you're single or married
so she might address you properly.
I identify as self-partnered.
Might I ask what subject we're studying?
It's a combined unit of reading and theology.
- And you are? - Oh.
I'm reverend David hill from St. Jude's.
Our church, uh, helped found the co-op.
My interest is only with the parents
and with the children.
And the lesson plan is "the Bible."
Well for theology, I'd be hard-pressed
to find a more appropriate book.
Uh-huh.
Why don't you continue as if I'm not even here?
Okay.
Wanna pick up where we left off, Shannon?
Sure.
"You are to bring into the ark two of all living creatures
male and female to keep them alive with you."
"Noah did everything as god commanded him."
So the takeaway, they're teachable moment
from the Noah myth is obey god or die?
I mean, that's one way to look at it.
Uh-huh.
And the animals, what exactly was the sin
that required their destruction?
These are my recommendations to the state.
Escalation?
That's not up to me.
I heard you pullin' up.
- Long day, huh? - Very. How was Jackson?
You know I love your boy like he's my own,
but he needs help, Taylor.
- Mommy. - It's okay, honey. I'm here.
- You came back. - Of course.
Mommy always comes back.
I was just at work.
What if you had to go to heaven to be with daddy?
Oh, honey, that's not gonna happen.
The country is just now beginning to realize
that unity means winning under our terms.
Frankly, everybody's tired of this stalemate.
The very idea of unity in this country
we've now considered to be a myth.
Everybody's ready to move on from this gridlock
which is why my staff and I have drafted new legislation.
Legislation that's gonna guarantee
that every child in this country
gets the kind of education that they deserve.
Now mind you, we're gonna get this done
with or without the help of our friends from across the aisle.
We know what the American people need.
They need progress and we're gonna give it to 'em.
Thank you.
Remember the visit we got from social services the other day
and we thought it wasn't gonna be a big deal?
- Yeah? - It is a big deal.
I know, Mike.
Phone's been ringin' off the hook here.
Look, I'll come by later, okay?
We'll figure this out together.
Bye.
Oh, hey you two.
I'm here to pick up those study guides
for seminary school,
but we can come back if this is a bad time.
No, no, no, no, no. Please come on in, have a seat.
- Meredith, can you find those? - Yeah.
Martin, you're gonna be a great pastor.
What's the latest on the homeschooling co-op?
Well, every family in the co-op
has just received a court summons.
- How is that possible? - I don't know.
I always thought the law gave parents
the freedom to homeschool as they see fit.
Growing up, we always heard that in america
you could say whatever you please,
wear whatever you like and worship whomever you will.
And that's still true, ayisha.
This is just a misunderstanding, it has to be.
Yes, the supreme court said we can worship god
according to the dictates of our own conscience.
It's how the court defines Liberty.
How do you know so much about the constitution?
I studied for the civics test to get my citizenship.
American history is a hobby for me now.
The constitution is an amazing document.
Yup, I suppose it is.
Uh, hi, excuse me. Are you selling your car?
Sure am. You buyin'?
Yeah. Yeah, yeah. Uh, well, maybe.
- I'm Brandon. - Kayla.
So, like what you see?
Huh?
The car.
Yes. Yeah. She's very beautiful.
- It's beautiful. The... the car. - Uh-huh.
I was talkin' about. This is just a temporary right now.
May I ask why you're selling it?
I start college in the fall.
It's too expensive to have a car on campus.
Totally, college. Yeah.
Well, it'd be great if I could, uh, get some pictures.
Uh, yeah. Brandon.
- Kayla. - Yeah. I already asked you.
Yup.
Sorry.
It all seems so extreme.
Dave, I want you to know that we will not
be cooperating at all, 'Kay?
Not giving in is more like it.
Yeah, I've spoken to the board.
We could certainly adjust the curriculum
to be more accommodating.
Don't you mean compromise the curriculum?
We already told them we're not conforming.
Religion has been removed from our schools.
They're teaching kids that they don't need god.
Their faith is irrelevant to their personal choices, Dave.
I hear you.
I mean these are some of the reasons we started the co-op
in the first place. It's just...
I need you to understand what you're getting
yourself into when you fight city hall.
Church really should've moved off-campus
50 years ago when...
Court costs, attorney fees.
Communities become divided.
A beacon of violence and controversy
and it has no place here at Hadley university campus.
It's a time-consuming draining experience
that rarely ends the way that you had hoped.
We understand.
Lemme know if there's anything else I can do.
Sorry I couldn't be of more help.
During our observed instruction,
a number of deficiencies were noted.
These include one, lack of instructional effectiveness.
Two, an environment inferior to a group-learning experience.
Three, the parents' inability
to cover all intellectual areas.
And four, the absence of sufficient equipment
especially in the sciences.
We are concerned that these children
may not acquire the essential skills
for good citizenship and for their learning.
Has there been some attempt at upgrading the curriculum?
There has, your honor.
But the parents in the St. Jude co-op
have refused to conform their curriculum
with district norms.
- Is this true? - Yes, your honor.
But you need to understand...
A simple yes or no would answer the question.
If you say yes, that's a problem.
Does the district have a recommendation?
We recommend the children be returned
to an accredited learning program immediately.
Your honor, the district is complaining
about the lack of socialization.
But our children are being denied the chance
to participate in any kind of extracurricular activities.
State law is clear.
Homeschoolers have no right
to exploit extracurricular activities
at a school they don't see fit to attend.
It's an either/or situation, Mr. McKinnon.
The children in your co-op cannot ask for dessert
without eating their dinner first.
Their parents pay taxes though, right?
- Excuse me? - I mean their property taxes.
That would cover the dessert and the dinner too, correct?
And you are?
Reverend David hill, your honor.
It was our church that organized the co-op.
I remember you well, pastor.
I do not pretend to be an educational professional
and I also note however that neither are any of you.
This case could take years to settle
and your children simply can't wait that long.
In the interim, I am going to sign an order
giving you 10 days to either conform
to the district supervisor's recommendation
or enroll your children in accredited schools.
And if we refuse?
Parents have the freedom to raise their children
in line with their moral and religious beliefs.
Your children, however, enjoy the right to an education.
Your freedoms as parents
do not supersede your children's rights.
Your beliefs do not exempt you from the law, Mr. McKinnon.
Therefore, if your children do not show up at school
a week from Monday, you will be fined $1,000 a day
for the first two weeks.
Thereafter, you will be charged with contempt of court,
meaning you will be incarcerated.
During which time, the court will appoint
temporary custody of your children
to someone who will abide by the court's decision.
Perhaps the good reverend can explain further
the ramifications of contempt in this courtroom.
So ordered.
Just tell me, lord.
Is my family's isolation the price
that you're asking me to pay?
Of course, they'll abide by your will, whatever that may be.
If there's any other way, just please show me.
I'll do anything...
If I could just see my family again.
Uh, excuse me, pastor hill?
Jude.
I told you, you can just call me David.
- Oh, right. - Hey, you know what?
Maybe you can help me with this sermon.
- Certainly, pastor David. - Ah!
- Okay. - What's the topic?
Topic is "what does faith look like?"
It's so hard to nail it down.
Yes.
Because it's relative.
In Nigeria, many of the people that we minister to
are only ever a moment away from death.
Death from hunger, disease, bad water.
Villagers walk to church, many for hours.
They don't say, "oh, I have to go to church today."
They say, "yes, it's Sunday. I get to go to church."
In the backcountry, people don't have money.
They bring carrots, eggs, milk.
It's all they have.
It's their widow's mite.
They're happy to give the lord thanks
for one more week of life.
So, when somebody puts a gun on their heads and say,
"denounce Jesus and die,"
they say, "Jesus, I'm coming home to you."
That's what faith looks like for those who have nothing,
who are so close to death every day
and still have that fire and love for god.
- You humble me, Jude. - No.
We all have our cross to bear.
America is a country so blessed with prosperity,
it only makes sense that much will be asked of her in return.
To whom much is given, much will be required.
Much will be required.
I miss you, old friend.
Ah, St. Jude's church.
Yeah, this is he.
Oh, okay.
Wait, what?
Who is this again?
I don't have the money to pay for those kinds of fines.
- None of us do. - Well that's it.
We're gonna enroll our kids into oakwood on Monday.
Look at this. You know the Andersons, right?
Okay, all their kids go to oakwood.
Matty Anderson brought that home from school.
This is an advertisement for birth control.
Yeah. They passed it out in class.
Matty's in the second grade. He's 7.
How long 'til they bring that here?
I mean we're not subjecting Shannon to that
and none of you should have to.
No, you shouldn't...
Which is why
I think we should fight this.
We need to.
With all due respect, Dave,
you're not the one on the hook for fines.
Not to mention, the contempt of court.
The church will stand with you on this.
We'll organize a plan and help with any
court costs and attorney fees if need be.
Dave, the church doesn't have those kinds of funds.
We have eight days to figure it out
and I... I will personally
cover the cost of any fines if we have to.
David, unless you won the lottery,
there's no way you'll be able to pay for all this.
Unless you're betting, you won't have to.
I have faith that I won't have to.
And if I do, I'll deal with it then.
This is important.
Why the change of heart?
An old friend reminded me that
our freedoms came with a price.
China banned homeschooling
because homeschool students are not exposed
to state-sponsored indoctrination.
If any parents chooses to homeschool,
they must do so underground and at great risk.
Once a freedom is taken away...
It is very difficult to get it back.
Exactly.
And to that end,
I think we might have a little help.
Earlier, I got a phone call from Daryl Smith.
- A congressman from Texas. - Congressman?
Mr. Smith told me congress is meeting next week
and they're having hearings on education.
They asked if any of us would go to Washington
and describe our situation.
Washington, DC?
Washington, DC.
Yeah.
Hey, son, make sure to help grandma.
It's only gonna be a couple of nights. Promise.
Yeah, sure.
Hey so dad, I know with everything going on,
money might be tight
especially if you guys have to pay fines.
Everything's gonna be fine.
We're gonna work this out. What's this?
Well, just in case. I want you to take the money for the car.
It's not gonna kill me to ride a bike a little while longer.
You're gonna make me cry now, okay? No.
Me and your mother are gonna work this thing out, I promise.
But you know, I want you to know somethin', okay?
I couldn't be any more proud
than I am of you right now, son.
- I love you, man. - Yeah, I love you.
Alright, don't cry. Don't cry.
Be good for grandma, do whatever she says
and no arguing over bedtime, okay?
Mom, really?
I got this.
Too big to give your mom a hug?
You guys heard from Taylor?
- We need to get goin'. - There she is.
- I hope I haven't made us late. - What's wrong, honey?
- Is it Jackson? - He's with miss Meredith.
Okay. It's worth it, right? Our kids?
'Course it is. Taylor, what's the matter?
We should go. We can't miss our plane.
I really appreciate you comin'
along and keepin' me company.
Did you know that two presidents
kept alligators at the white house?
It's just sometimes I feel a little out of place
being the only non-parent in the group.
- No way. - I know, it's silly, but...
There's a statue of Darth Vader's head
on top of the national cathedral.
- What? - What?
Thanks for letting me come along. It means a lot to me.
Ah, don't mention it.
Hey, what do you think of this car?
That's freedom right there.
It's a chance to hang with people my own age.
What car? I see some girl.
And, oh wait, there it is.
- Are those the wheels? - You're so funny. Yeah.
But what do you know? You're just a fifth grader.
I know mom and dad would be mad
if you waste your money on the wrong car.
What? It's a great car.
- Yeah. - All in one piece.
Okay, got it.
Thanks for this.
I know you're gonna be very happy with the car.
No, um, thank you.
I can finally give the bike to my sister
and travel in style.
So, um, can I, uh...
Ask you a question?
- Okay. - I just gotta be real with you.
I mean this is my first car and all.
I look a little older than my age.
You know, it's a big step of my life
and well I was just kinda wondering...
If it's a good car?
Yeah.
It's actually an awesome car.
I'd take her with me if I could.
That's great.
Yeah, that's, um, really good to know.
Well, so, um, I guess you'll be leaving for state in the fall.
Yeah, last little hurrah before I have to start adulting.
Yeah. Well, um, I was just... I was thinking.
Hey, sorry. This is my mom.
- I kinda have to take it. - Yeah. Yeah, of course.
Hey, mom.
Um, yeah, I'm here with the boy who bought my car.
It's fine. I can fend for myself.
Yeah, I'll just throw something in the microwave I guess.
Yeah. Okay, mom. Got it.
Hi, baba, it's me.
I just wanted to call to tell you that
I love you and I miss you.
I really wish that you would talk to me.
Please call me.
It's still early. You guys wanna grab a bite?
How about touring the city?
Guys, I don't think Taylor's gonna wanna do any sightseeing.
On the flight over here,
she told us that she was released from her job.
Why?
I guess she's been takin' too much time off
and the trip to DC certainly didn't help.
Wow.
Mike, you, uh, you mind checkin' us in?
I wanna go see if she needs anything.
Martin, you always wanted to be a pastor.
C'mon, this is what it looks like.
Okay.
Taylor, um, I'm so sorry to hear about your job.
Thanks. I can get another one.
This one just worked 'cause I could be
with Jackson during the day.
Okay.
Is there somethin' else?
I'm fine. Really.
You guys don't have to sit here and hold my hand.
I'm your pastor, Taylor.
We're here for you.
You guys, it's...
Look, if you don't wanna talk about it, that's okay.
But sometimes it's better if you do.
Everyone is feeling the stress, I think.
Yeah, Shannon said last night she doesn't
want her parents going to jail.
Children shouldn't have to worry about things like that.
I know, she even asked to sleep in our bed.
I mean, she hasn't done that in years.
Jackson hasn't slept without me in over a year.
My husband left for an air force training mission
and that was the last time we saw him.
Equipment malfunction.
But I've worked for the government long enough
to read between the lines.
How he died isn't important anyway
because I know why he did. It's just...
Jackson isn't dealing with it very well, you know?
We moved to hope Springs in the fall for a fresh start.
- It's where my mom grew up. - I'm so sorry, Taylor.
I didn't know.
You guys, the church, the co-op...
You've all been lifesavers.
I don't know what my son and I would do without you.
Jackson wouldn't last 10 minutes in a public school.
They'd classify him as special education
and label him emotionally disturbed.
They'd give him an individual education plan
which might not even challenge him at all
until eventually Jackson becomes the label
the state pins on him and why his father died
I feel like would all be for nothing.
Why?
Defending our freedoms.
I feel like such a fool. I had no idea.
I'm ashamed to admit it, but I assumed that she was divorced.
I mean, but would it have mattered if she was?
We failed her, Mike,
as christians, as just decent human beings.
Hey.
What's wrong with you?
Nothin', I got a date.
"Four score and seven years ago,"
our fathers brought forth on this continent a new nation...
Conceived in Liberty and dedicated
"to the proposition that all men are created equal."
"Now we are engaged in a great civil war"
testing whether that nation or any nation
"so conceived and so dedicated could long endure."
"It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated
here to the unfinished work which they have fought here."
"That from these honored dead,"
we take increased devotion to that cause
"for which they gave the last full measure of devotion."
"That we here highly resolve that these dead"
shall not have died in vain,
that this nation under god
"shall have a new birth of freedom."
"And that government of the people,"
by the people, for the people
"shall not perish from the earth."
I guess I just assumed that you went to oakwood.
No, um...
No, my sister and I have been homeschooled since the start.
What's that like?
Well, uh, the lunches are better.
Don't need a hall pass to go to the bathroom.
Uh, teachers don't have favorites.
No, there's no pressure to be popular, I guess.
No bullies, no school lockdowns.
But I don't know,
I guess the best part is I just get to be myself, you know?
My thoughts are my own, not what I memorized.
Yeah, I learn stuff and make it matter to me.
- Wow. - I mean, it's not all that.
I don't get to do you know, this.
No school sports, no homecoming, no prom.
I really don't get to meet a lot of people outside church,
so you know.
You're not really missing much.
Nobody goes to the homecoming dances
'cause everyone thinks they're lame.
Still, uh, prom sounds cool.
Get to wear like a tux and all.
So what about you? What are your plans after college?
- Pre-law. - Okay.
It's kind of a family tradition.
I've been holding mock trials with my mom since I was a kid.
Really?
Your honor, the plaintiff petitions the court
for an increase in weekly allowance
and suspended bedtime during the summer months.
- How'd that work out? - You win some, you lose some.
No, but my mom's fair.
She knows her stuff.
Speaking of which, I should probably go.
It's getting late and my mom tends to worry.
Yeah.
Um, can I give you a ride?
Sure.
The pillars represent the states and territories
that sent men and women to serve under the us flag
during world war ii.
See how they're linked with that rope?
It symbolizes the country's unified effort.
The freedom wall bears a field of 4,000 golden stars,
each of which stands for 100 American military deaths
in the war.
"Here we Mark the price of freedom."
You didn't have to walk me to the door.
No, it's cool.
I, um... I wanted to.
Such a gentleman.
Thank you for bringing that earring back.
My mother would've killed me.
Belonged to my grandmother.
Oh, man. Ah, my grandma.
She's staying with us while my parents are out of town.
I totally forgot. I'm...
I'm so sorry. I really gotta go.
I, I mean like you know,
she's not babysitting me or anything.
I'm... I'm way old enough for that.
It's, uh, it's my sister.
I will see you later.
I will call you. Yeah.
Maybe I shouldn't, but I feel confident.
I need to go over these homeschool statistics.
So much to learn.
The Washington monument is 55 feet at the base
and 555 feet high.
At the very top, there's an aluminum cap
where there's an inscription, "laus deo."
Two words, seven letters
overlooking the most powerful city in the world.
It means praise be to god.
I thought maybe you needed to hear that.
I, uh, I need to take this.
I'll see you at the hotel.
Thank you, Martin.
Hello?
Oh, hi.
Jimmy's pizza.
Uh, no, but I'm sure I can find it.
Reverend hill.
Ah! Congressman Smith.
Hey, glad to see you made it safe and sound.
Thanks for coming.
Thank you.
Thank you, Jimmy.
I just wanna make sure you understand
what you're fighting here.
I was able to do some fact finding on St. Jude's co-op
before I left home
and I think the commission's gonna be pleased
on how well our students do on standardized tests.
Yeah, well right now there's an effort on the way
demanding universal educational guidelines.
- Sounds reasonable. - Oh, it's meant to.
But make no mistake, those guidelines
are increasingly at odds with the Christian worldview.
There won't be any opt-out for homeschoolers.
Homeschooling is like a weed to these folks
and they just wanna yank it out.
- But why? - Why?
Indeed. In the common core agenda...
Oh, excuse me, curriculum, everything's relative.
And I mean everything from kindergarten on.
Even basic facts are seen as subjective.
Common core deliberately creates the illusion
there's no such thing as truth.
Because if truth doesn't exist, then there's no moral absolutes.
And by middle school,
there's a discernible political agenda
behind the classroom reading lessons.
Ask your average millennial about our founding fathers
and they'll tell you that they were all a bunch of old
and rich oppressive slave owners.
That perspective came from somewhere.
But weren't they?
Most of 'em were just kids.
Edward Rutledge and Thomas lynch,
both were just 26 years old
when they signed the declaration of independence.
And Thomas Jefferson was the ripe-old age of 33,
when he helped write it.
And, as far as owning slaves, absolutely,
some did...
But many did not.
But they all get tarred with the same brush.
But why, to what end?
If you discredit them,
then you discredit what they gave us.
Instead of the people
havin' their natural rights derived from god,
we can convince the students that...
We only have those rights,
which the government allows us...
Replacing our liberties with control.
Gotta admit the pizza isn't sitting well with me.
Oh, it's me. I'm heavy.
It's a lot to digest, man.
Jimmy, this was fantastic as usual.
Thank you so much. No, no, no.
Your money's no good here. It's no good here.
Thank you congressman Smith,
for everything you're tryin' to do for us.
Yeah, absolutely.
And, uh, just so you know,
I think we caught a break for tomorrow.
Oh, yeah? How?
Congressman Jason Abercrombie,
the sitting chair on the committee.
- Is he on our side? - He's smart and he is fair.
That's as much as we can ask for.
It'll have to do.
Believe me, it could've gone a lot worse.
Kayla, have you found grammy's earring?
Uh-huh, Brandon brought it to me.
Who's Brandon?
I want this over quickly, Denise.
- There's real work to be done. - Baby steps, Murray.
We win incrementally and stay on the right side of history.
I know we can count on you.
- Yeah, I'm a team player. - Good.
- Morning, Denise. - Smith.
Shame about Abercrombie.
So sudden.
Heart attack.
Oh, he was a dinosaur.
Time for the old centrist to be put out to pasture.
Well, who's, uh, who's sitting chair in his place?
Lots of surprises for you today, Smith.
Daryl.
My deepest condolences, sir.
Jason, Jason was a friend to us all.
I'm sure his family will be pleased to hear.
Thoughts and prayers, sir.
Thoughts and prayers.
I would like to call this hearing
of the house subcommittee on elementary
and secondary education to order.
At this time, I wish to thank both members and their staff
for their participation.
Would the first witness state her name and position?
Donna Chesney, United States secretary of education.
Ms. Chesney, we're in receipt of your report.
Would you care to summarize your findings on the practice
generally known as homeschooling?
Ah, yes, Mr. Chairman.
Our department considers homeschooling
an unusual, unnecessary
and borderline antisocial practice.
And your further recommendations are?
It's in the state's opinion,
we should be following Europe's lead.
A number of European countries
have already outlawed homeschooling.
Germany, Spain, the Netherlands
and that's just to name a few.
And in places where it is allowed like Sweden,
it's tightly regulated and closely monitored.
Thank you for your expert testimony.
Did you get any sleep?
Ah, none. You?
Same.
Good morning. Daryl Smith.
Mrs. Hays.
- Mrs. McKinnon. - Hi.
- Mike McKinnon. - Yes, sir.
Reverend, I trust that Jimmy's pizza
didn't give you nightmares.
Ah, that's not what kept me up last night.
I can't thank you all enough for makin' the trip,
especially since I know how difficult things are
for you at home.
We felt that we didn't have much of a choice really.
That's just it, you did.
As believers, we've abandoned the mountain
of politics for far too long.
We've decided that it's just too dangerous of an arena
for christians to be walking into.
So, we just left it to anyone who wanted to go there
for their own selfish and worldly reasons
and hope that everything will work out fine.
Only it didn't,
and now we're in a mess.
What's happening in there?
They're still running testimony for the other side.
They should be finished in about a half hour...
And then it's your turn.
If god is for us, who can be against us?
What? Around here?
Just about everyone else.
Now, maybe I've been in Washington, DC too long.
You guys relax. I'll come and get you later, okay?
Thank you.
What color corsage do I get?
Depends on what color dress she's wearing.
Well, how am I supposed to know that?
It's kind of like a coral.
- Coral? - I got you.
Everything okay with your grandmother?
Huh? Oh, yeah.
I'm... I'm so sorry about that.
My, uh, my parents are in Washington.
- As in DC? - Yeah.
They're actually, uh, testifying
at a congressional subcommittee on homeschooling.
Wow. I bet they must be pumped.
No, no, no, no, not really.
They actually had to go
because a judge here in town
threatened to fine them if they didn't
send us to public school.
Does that look good with coral?
- Yes. - A judge in hope Springs?
- Which one? - Uh, I don't know.
Some, uh, some family judge.
Hey, I gotta run.
Okay, I'll, I'll call you later.
Strange place to cram for a test, reverend.
Yeah, this is not really my thing.
I'm afraid I'm gonna make things worse
for everyone out there.
Matthew 10:19,
"do not worry about what you will say."
"At that time, you will be given what to say."
"For it will not be you speaking,
but the spirit of your father,
speaking through you."
There's been a development.
We have a... new chairman,
a Robert Benson.
I'm guessing he's not as friendly as Abercrombie.
Hardly, and the direction out there,
the narrative is going to change considerably.
They are going to insist that religious beliefs
are antirational,
antiscience and antisocial.
Show them that religious beliefs are supported through
rational thought with a basis under
us law and tradition.
I think I have a card for that.
And also,
I need you to make them understand
that if they insist on trampling believers' rights,
well, sir, they are in for a fight.
You got this.
Mr. Willoughby, you have
a strong attachment to the idea
of developing a nationalized curriculum, do you not?
Yes, because it's in the best interest of our children.
I'm just concerned that we're working awfully hard here
to violate one of our own existing laws,
the elementary and secondary education act of 1965,
which prevents us
from nationalizing any school curriculum.
I mean, we passed the law, that said we wouldn't do that.
We've achieved a way to avoid violating
the spirit of that law with common core.
We merely propose the guidelines
and the states adopt the measures on their own.
On their own without any pressure from the government.
None whatsoever.
Mr. Willoughby, if you succeed in gaining approval
for your curriculum, would parents be able to opt out
or be allowed to opt out of their program?
I'd encourage the states to require
full participation... Without exception.
But what gives them the right to do that?
Well, once we determine what every child needs to know,
it becomes imperative that every child know it.
After all...
The children belong to all of us.
Interesting perspective.
There are parents waiting in the wings,
waiting to testify,
that their children in fact
belong to them...
And not to all of us.
But thank you for your candor.
They're ready for you.
Okay, come on.
Would the witnesses state their names
for the record?
Yes, sir.
Michael and Rebecca McKinnon.
Taylor hays, your honor.
Well, this is not a courtroom, Ms. Hays,
and I most certainly am not a judge.
Please refer to me as Mr. Chairman.
And I'm David hill.
Reverend David hill.
Yes, sir, the preacher.
We'd like to thank the subcommittee for having us,
um, well now that,
who we all are has been established...
Mr. Chairman, my husband and I have our two children
in the St. Jude homeschooling co-op
and they continue to perform better on standardized testing,
than their public and private school peers.
Givin' us a good reason to believe
that we're doing somethin' right.
Well, I should begin by letting you know
that we've had a series of experts pass through here,
all of them assuring us that we have nothing to fear
from a standardized education.
With all due respect, um, in this particular case,
we believe that the experts are wrong.
Lemme give you an example.
So, in our district,
they teach a revisionist version of history,
which is both progressive and antifaith in equal measure.
And, so if our children are forced onto
its common core track, they will never learn about
the faith based underpinnings of the us constitution
or its bill of rights.
They'll never hear about George Washington's plea
for the blessing of almighty god at his inauguration.
They're not taught anything that reflects
positively on america's Christian heritage,
despite the fact that america's history
and its faith traditions
are so deeply intertwined.
Well, that is not what our experts
have testified to here today.
What about Thanksgiving?
- Excuse me? - Thanksgiving.
You know, pilgrims, turkeys, native Americans...
- I'm familiar with the holiday. - Well, sure you are.
I mean, from kindergarten onward, every child
learns about it, but, well, what do they learn?
This is the nea's own statement regarding Thanksgiving.
"The national education association
believes that Thanksgiving is the recognition of unity
and the rich American diversity
that was embodied in the settlement of america."
Well, that sounds completely reasonable.
Well, that would've come as a big surprise
to the pilgrims that were actually there.
They came together to thank god for the bountiful harvest.
Now, the native Americans were fellow guests.
Yes, absolutely.
But god was the reason for the feast.
And to indicate that the purpose of
the first Thanksgiving was primarily a multicultural event
is a fabrication.
And if we don't teach the common core myth,
then social services and a...
A judge in hope Springs has decided that
we risk going to jail for contempt.
It's your babysitter. She said it's urgent.
Thank you.
Hello, Meredith?
Taylor, Jackson's not hurt.
It's just he's been cryin' all day.
And, now, he's refusing to eat.
I thought maybe you would talk to him.
Of course. Can you put him on the phone please?
It's your mama, Jackson.
Mommy?
Hi, honey, are you having a bad day?
Are you coming back?
Yes, sweetheart. Mommy always comes back.
I'll be home as soon as I can.
Hey, did you know that this is where the president lives?
Come back. Don't go to heaven. Stay with me.
Mommy always comes back.
You'll feel better if you eat your lunch.
Please eat something, honey.
Love you, sweetheart.
Jackson, let's go get something to eat, okay?
2 P.M.?
Where is ayisha moradi?
Relation to the patient?
I'm her father.
She'll be in 302.
You know that, don't you,
that I love you?
Yes, father.
Ayisha!
He's the one god who is not begotten.
I command you to say it.
Now!
I'm sorry.
You see, my concern is that our children
will not live up to their full potential
by being subject to a faith based education
which is antirational and antiscience.
May I say something?
That's why you're here, Ms. Hays.
Belief in the Bible isn't antiscience.
What is your occupation?
It says here you're an assistant manager in a restaurant.
Recently unemployed.
What else do your notes say?
Well, there doesn't really appear to be too much here.
Let me fill in the blanks for you.
I'm a widow.
After my husband passed away,
I took a less demanding job,
to spend more time with our son.
You have my condolences.
But before he died,
I completed an advanced degree in aerospace engineering
and worked as a systems engineer in Houston
at the national aeronautics and space administration.
NASA.
NASA has a long history
with men and women of faith.
Do you know what the first food and beverage
ever consumed on the surface of the moon was?
I have no idea. Tang, I suppose.
Consecrated bread and wine.
It happened when astronaut buzz aldrin took holy communion
just after setting down the lunar module
in the sea of tranquility.
You see, aldrin was an elder at Webster presbyterian church
and he got special permission
to take the bread and wine with him
and give himself communion.
A few months earlier on Christmas Eve,
the crew of Apollo 8 read from the book of Genesis
while they orbited the moon.
An Israeli astronaut ilan Ramon
recited the Jewish shabbat kiddush
and Russian cosmonaut sergey ryzhikov...
What is your point, Ms. Hays?
There's a common misconception of homeschool parents,
particularly those of faith,
that we're some kind of flat earthers.
My 7-year-old knows that the earth is round
and that the sunrise is an illusion
caused by the earth's rotation.
And when tested in physics or chemistry
about the rate of acceleration of a falling object
or the atomic mass of cesium,
acceptable answers do not include Jesus
or whatever god wants it to be.
And lastly,
my husband was a United States air force pilot
who fought for our freedoms
and died in service to this country.
So, if it's all the same to you,
I would prefer you call me Mrs. Hays
out of respect of my marriage
and to my husband's memory.
Your nation thanks your husband for his service
and you and your family for your sacrifice.
I'm afraid that's all the time we have here today.
This hearing is now adjourned till tomorrow morning.
I don't know what you're talking about.
No.
No, I just got home.
Hold on.
The parents of St. Jude co-op
are only asking social services and judge neely
to allow us to supervise the education of our children
as best as we know how.
And they continue to perform higher on standardized tests
than their public and private school peers.
I'll call you back.
Mom.
She has no bone fractures,
no internal injuries or bleeding.
Then, why won't she wake up?
Head trauma.
But she's young and in good health.
I'm hopeful she'll recover without
any serious repercussions.
Hopeful?
Are you a religious man, Mr. Moradi?
Yes, of course.
Why do you ask?
I thought you might be comforted in prayer.
Prayer.
It can't hurt.
May I be excused?
You have something to say, say it.
Okay, it's kinda weird to find out that your mom is the one
who's sending your friend's parents to jail.
You know I don't send people to jail.
They put themselves in jail by refusing to follow the law.
And since when do you have homeschooled friends?
Since when is homeschooling illegal?
Watch your tone.
The state has set universal standards for education.
Homeschoolers can't pick and choose
the ones that they wanna follow.
But don't they have to take the same tests that we do?
Who cares what road they take if we all end up in the same place?
That's just the point.
We don't end up in the same place
because the roads that they take are paved with privilege.
Why does every conversation have to go back to...
Homeschooling is separatist, elitist and racist, Kayla.
And I didn't raise you to challenge me this way
in my own home.
Actually, you kinda did.
So where did Martin run off to?
He's off on a fact-finding mission
with some tourists that he met.
Oh, bless his heart. He's so happy to be here.
I was too, but, I'm not so sure now.
I just have no idea how we're doing in there.
Have we heard anything from congressman Smith?
Not yet.
- We should call the kids. - Alright.
Excuse us. Let's go in the back.
Ah.
Food's here. I'm gonna run down and get it.
Thanks.
Hey, uh...
Maybe it'll help to know that...
We're here for you.
You have a family in St. Jude's.
Where did Smith dig up a dead soldier's wife?
Benson needs to vet the witness list better.
And anyone buying the holy-roller story
that she used to work at NASA?
Hey, someone has to empty out the garbage cans, am I right?
How much longer do we have to suffer through this?
I got better places to be.
- Uh, no, you can keep it. - Thank you.
Reverend hill, how do you answer the comment
by former us commission on civil rights
chairman Martin Castro and here I quote
"the phrases religious Liberty and religious freedom
will stand for nothing except hypocrisy,
as long as they remain code words
for discrimination, intolerance, racism,
sexism, homophobia, islamophobia
"or any form of intolerance."
I think it says more about the bias
of the former civil rights chairman,
than it does about the supposed biases of believers.
But surely you recognize
how offensively patriarchal and sexist the Bible is.
Is that a legitimate question
or is that just your chance at a soundbite?
Quiet.
Excuse me?
Um, considering the time when it was written,
the Bible is one of the most pro-feminist documents
in history, in an era where
women were treated as property to be bought and sold...
Paul ordered women to cover up their hair,
to wear a veil in the assembly.
Do you think I need to wear a veil for you?
Single women in the Roman empire were required by law,
to unveil their hair,
for the visual pleasure of men.
It would be like today if we forced a young woman
to dress immodestly and it was totally exploitative.
To get around that, you either had to be married or widowed.
So, when Paul told women to wear a veil in the assembly,
he was adding to the dignity of women basically saying,
"you are every bit as good as a married woman or a widow
and you don't have to put yourself on display,
at least not in here."
Mom?
I'd like to make an argument.
Um, I'm already late.
It's important.
Five minutes.
In the matter of the state versus the St. Jude's
homeschooling cooperative.
That case has been decided.
Is the court's decision not subject to appeal?
- Grounds? - New evidence.
- Conflicting evidence. - Four minutes.
Point of clarification.
How is homeschooling socially selfish
and misaligned with liberal progressive values?
Because it ignores the needs of the community at large.
We're divided enough as it is, Kayla.
We shouldn't be teaching our children to be suspicious
of public institutions and civic obligations.
Well, what if Christian homeschoolers are
more likely to donate to charities
or be first in line to volunteer in third world countries?
There's no evidence of that.
Mom, they're literally christians.
Who do you think does most of the donating and volunteering?
You've always told me that there's value in dissent
and challenging prevailing norms.
Isn't that the foundation for liberal activism?
What about institutional diversity?
Look, all I'm saying is
shouldn't there be options for education,
choices for the individual instead of lumping everyone
together in a single one-size-fits-all model?
How is that diversity?
The public school system is there for us as a society.
The people are not there for it.
As soon as it stops working for the kids,
parents are obligated to leave.
The parents of the homeschooling co-op
take seriously our duty to instruct our children,
to teach them, to educate them, to decide what is best for them.
It's really, it's a natural extension of our beliefs.
Beliefs that I consider to be divisive and intolerant.
Only because you label intolerant
anyone who you don't agree with.
And you label divisive as anyone who doesn't agree with you.
The gospels describe Jesus' teaching his followers
to forgive each other...
To love their enemies...
Show generosity to those in need
and embrace those outside their ethnic circles.
Would you call that divisive?
Christ commanded his followers to advance his message
with the irresistible force of love and the power of truth.
Would you call that intolerant?
No one has a monopoly
on the truth, Mr. Hill. Not even you.
No, but if god exists,
then he has the monopoly on it
and we hold that he does exist and has spoken.
Your truth, sir, not mine.
Except that's not the way that truth works.
Truth is truth for everyone and everywhere.
Even if over time, it loses its popularity
or becomes politically incorrect.
That's what the parents of these children understand
that in a society where suddenly everything is relative,
truth is absolute,
a transcendent thing not of this world.
Something that they have no power to change.
America was founded on these principles.
And if we just throw them away...
I think we're done here.
I would like to thank the witnesses for their input.
They're free to go. This hearing is now adjourned for one hour.
After which, we will vote on this issue.
Mr. Chairman.
Mr. Chairman, you haven't ruled on our situation.
I'm sorry, sir, that you have misunderstood
the purpose of this hearing.
Thank you.
Wait, what does he mean the purpose of this hearing?
I'm not sure. I mean is any of this going to matter?
It has to.
I mean even when it turns out we're still under a court order
and facing all kinds of fines when we get home?
Are you sure?
Yeah.
I see.
Okay.
Have a safe flight.
Is mommy coming home?
Mommy's comin' home.
I'm impressed. Mr. Hill.
You really should've had yourself a career in politics.
Thanks.
I'll pass.
Do you really think anything you said in there
is gonna have any effect on what we do?
You see, we do these things because we're supposed to.
Because supposedly somebody's watching.
But other than a few c-span junkies,
is anybody really paying attention?
Don't you get it?
We've already decided what we're gonna do.
Or you wouldn't be having these hearings in the first place.
Look, I understand your position.
You feel that you're makin' a last-ditch stand for your faith
and you've chosen this as a hill that you're willing to die on.
Our whole faith started because one man
chose a hill he was willing to die on.
Yes, but that was a long time ago.
And now nobody really cares.
Let's face it.
Your god, your book, they're in the way.
They're in the way of moral relativism.
They're in the way of calling good evil and evil good.
What did you plan to accomplish here today?
To defend the rights of parents,
to educate their children as they see fit.
And to make congress promise
that they will never threaten those rights again.
- Yes. - Sir, that is not gonna happen.
In a few minutes, we're gonna go back in there,
we're gonna take a quick straw vote,
which is gonna find in favor of the experts' recommendations.
Experts.
And, then we're gonna push this through,
just like we planned.
- Just like that? - Just like that.
I'd be careful about goin' to war against god's church.
Scripture promises the gates of hell
will not prevail against him.
This is not hell, Mr. Hill.
- This is Washington. - Close enough.
For 2,000 years, men have tried to get rid of christianity.
Diocletian, Napoleon,
Stalin, mao zedong.
What makes you think that you can accomplish
what they couldn't?
They didn't have an 83 percent approval rating.
Chairman.
I really thought the lord had intervened on our behalf.
Before you say anything else,
I wanna show you all something.
Follow me.
You want to talk?
Let's talk!
Huh?
Did you say something?
I can't hear you.
They say you're a man,
then come down and face me like one.
You're more than a man, no?
You see all.
You know all.
Then tell me, son of god,
why did you take ayisha from me?
She's my daughter.
Are you punishing her?
Did she displease you?
Or...
Are you punishing me?
I beg of you,
she must have blood.
Take mine instead.
Let ayisha live.
I'll do anything.
Anything.
Everybody knows her big sister,
lady Liberty who stands in New York harbor.
But this one?
She's my girl.
She's a replica.
Do you know her story?
The bronze was cast in 1861 outside of Washington.
Her name is freedom.
And in one of those ironies that god seems to delight in,
Philip Reid, the foundry foreman
in charge of casting her was a slave.
A gifted artisan, but a slave nonetheless.
But by the time the capitol dome
was ready to receive her in 1863,
the emancipation proclamation was in full effect.
Meaning that Philip Reid,
most likely stood outside of this building
and watched her go aloft as a free man.
And all the hands that strained at the hoisting ropes,
all belonged to former slaves.
In my mind,
any country that can do that,
is worth fighting for.
For that is exactly what we need to do.
Keep fighting.
You at home and me...
Right here.
They're gonna be taking the vote soon.
Uh, I need to get back in and prepare my closing statements.
They only gave me five minutes, but I'll take it.
- Thank you. - Thank you.
My pleasure.
You all did wonderful.
Thanks, Martin.
And it felt like the fight was rigged though.
Founding fathers didn't account
for the likes of chairman Benson.
Governor Morris was a founding father and he wrote,
"religion is the only solid basis of good morals."
"Therefore, education should teach the precepts of religion
and the duties of man towards god."
Those days are past.
Mr. Morris didn't stand the test of time.
But he did.
Maybe this other thing he wrote,
will be more familiar to you.
"We the people of the United States
in order to form a more perfect union..."
"Establish justice."
"Ensure domestic tranquility."
"Provide for the common defense
and promote general welfare."
"And secure the blessings of Liberty."
- Liberty. - Liberty.
"Do ordain and establish this constitution."
"For the United States of America."
I'm sorry, I...
I saw you all inside, but I...
We're the other 75 percent.
Three quarters of parents who homeschool
for other than primarily religious reasons.
Three quarters, I mean I thought that...
That's what most people think
that at all homeschools are conservative christians.
That's not true.
- Robert Williams from nbhe. - Nice to meet you.
We homeschool because most of the schools in my area
are chronically underfunded.
Hmm, not to mention institutionalized racism.
- Hmm. - My son has special needs.
Public schools just aren't equipped.
Medical freedom.
I want to be able to choose
which immunizations my children receive.
Bullying, violence, school shootings.
There are many reasons.
Low student-teacher ratio.
Parents can choose the pace and approach of the classroom.
Yeah, we have time for community service,
volunteering and entrepreneurship.
Not to mention the arts,
outdoor play and real experiments.
First things public schools cut to save money.
Our reasons might be different,
but we all want the same thing.
As long as government overreach goes unchecked,
Liberty is threatened.
- All of ours. - We can't stop.
We're stronger together.
I am we the people.
We all are.
I can't believe how I missed this.
Wait, where are you goin'? We got a plane to catch.
I'll be back in five minutes.
My daddy used to fly airplanes.
He wore the same as you.
He's in heaven now.
I see.
You must miss him terribly.
If he could be with you, he would.
This I know.
How do you know?
Because every father
will always choose his child over.
I would go to heaven so daddy could come back for mommy.
No, child.
You mustn't say such a thing.
That is an evil and pointless wish.
But mommy's always so sad.
That's because she's forgotten that our lives...
Belong to god.
We must trust
that god knows best.
Do you really think your mom would be less sad without you?
She loves you.
She needs you.
Jackson?
Time to go home.
Almost your bedtime.
You feel that you're makin' a last-ditch stand
to protect your faith.
Don't you get it?
We've already decided
what we're gonna do.
"Laus deo," it means praise be to god.
America is a country so blessed with prosperity.
Religion has been removed from our schools.
"We the people of the United States."
"And secure the blessings of Liberty."
- We're stronger together. - I am we the people.
We all are.
"Don't worry about what you will say.
At the time, you will be given what to say."
"For it will not be you speaking,
but the spirit of your father...
Speaking through you."
Mr. Chairman, I would like to yield my time to the witness...
Reverend David hill.
That's fine, but I remind the witness
he's limited to five minutes.
Thank you, congressman Smith,
Mr. Chairman...
For allowing me these last five minutes.
You ever been on one of those sightseeing tours
they have here in Washington?
You know the kind where they
take you to see all the monuments?
Yes, I believe most of us have visited
the city's major attractions.
Papa.
Maybe you oughta think about goin' again.
'Cause those... How did you put that?
Attractions...
Are here for a reason...
And I almost missed it.
I don't know how because you can't throw a rock in this city
without hitting a statue or a monument of some kind.
I mean, every street, every building in this city,
all the marble and the granite, the brick
and the stone is tryin' to tell us somethin'.
They're sayin',
"don't forget about us."
"Don't forget about the,
the battles that we fought
and the price that we paid for freedom."
"Don't let our sacrifice be in vain."
You wanna hear something interesting, Mr. Chairman?
I have three friends that have a pretty good understanding
of what's at stake here today.
And the funny thing is... is
they're not even from america.
They're from faraway places like China,
Iran,
Africa.
But they get it.
They know what's at stake here.
And maybe in order to understand
how precious and fragile
freedom really is, maybe...
Maybe you have to lose it.
But you already know that. I mean, all of this, it's...
Oh, it's just a distraction.
And I made it easy for you, didn't I?
I bet your face just lit up when you realized
that there was a pastor on the witness list.
You knew that if you challenged scriptures,
I would rise to defend them.
It's kind of in my job description.
You figured you'd run out the clock while we debated how,
how women wore their hair 2,000 years ago.
All in hopes that no one would realize
that it's really their freedoms that are on the line.
Not at all, sir.
The issue here today is homeschooling.
I wish it was, Mr. Chairman.
I truly do.
No, today...
Today was about turning neighbor against neighbor.
That's part of your plan, isn't it?
Keep us all divided.
So bit by bit, we don't realize
you're chipping away at our freedoms and liberties.
You got us all talking about how Noah
got all the animals on the ark.
Meanwhile, you're crafting legislation
that will allow the government to barge into our homes
because it's all about power for you.
And the only way that you can get more power
is by taking it from someone else.
And that would be all well and good if it wasn't for that
pesky thing called the constitution
that keeps getting in your way.
Now you hold on a second.
No, I'm done talkin' to you!
I'm talking to the people who elected you.
Because as inconvenient as it is, sir,
this is where your power comes from!
Order!
You see those statues and those monuments out there?
They say, "you work for us!"
You are out of order, Mr. Hill.
"A government of the people, by the people, for the people."
Order!
You are out of order, Mr. Hill.
Order!
Bailiff.
So stay out of our homes and churches.
And yes, stay out of our children's education.
Because what you call teaching, Mr. Chairman,
is really social engineering.
You are out of order, Mr. Hill!
Your history is being rewritten
biology is redefined and right and wrong are erased.
Our children don't belong to the government
and neither does our country.
America belongs to it's citizens, to each and all.
To the farmers in Texas to the window cleaners in New York,
to the cabinet makers in Maine and the teachers in Oklahoma,
to every man, woman, and child.
It belongs to the people!
We the people.
Freedom is a fragile thing.
It must be fought for and defended constantly
by each generation.