Episode 107: Homeschooling in California ft. Mike Smith of HSLDA

In this episode of The Frontline with FPM, Nathan Pierce interviews Mike Smith, co-founder and former president of HSLDA. Mike shares how he first discovered homeschooling in the early 1980s through Dr. Raymond Moore, leading his family to begin homeschooling and eventually drawing him into early legal battles to defend homeschool families in California. He explains how he met Mike Farris, how HSLDA was formed, and how their work—together with state partners like Family Protection Ministries—helped secure legal recognition for homeschooling nationwide. Mike also recounts the pivotal 2008 Jonathan L. case, when a court briefly ruled homeschooling illegal before reversing course and affirming its legality under California’s private school exemption. HSLDA Website: https://hslda.org/ Become an HSLDA Member: https://hslda.org/join Donate to HSLDA: https://hslda.org/content/donate/ FPM Website: fpmca.org