When I first met actress Chelsea Noble Cameron, it was quick to see that she was a down-to-earth, “normal” mom.
I realized this as she was looking for her keys after dinner. Like a typical mom, they were lost in the abyss of her purse, and it took the uncovering of a diaper, some wipes, a tube of lipstick, and no telling what else to find them. But she did indeed find them.
We took some pics together, said our goodbyes, and I watched her get into a white 15-passenger van, which was her everyday vehicle, and she drove it like a champ. It was then that I knew something was different – in a good way – about actors Kirk and Chelsea Cameron, and the life they lived in the foothills of Hollywood.
At the time, the couple had six children, all under 9 years old. They didn’t hire a nanny, and didn’t leave their children with just anyone; it was usually only with grandparents or a family member. In fact, the night I met Chelsea, I was supposed to have dinner with both her and Kirk. But their childcare arrangements fell through at the last minute, so they improvised. Since they only lived around the corner from the restaurant where we met, they tag-teamed our interview. Chelsea came first, then Kirk.
It made me very aware of the importance they place on their family, their children, and the godly authority and care they put over their children’s lives. So it was no surprise to me that they chose to homeschool their children. And it’s no surprise to me that almost 18 years after our initial visit, Kirk and CamFam Studios are releasing The Homeschooling Awakening as a two-night Fatham event that will be in theaters nationwide June 13 and 14.
The Homeschool Awakening is an eye-opening documentary intended to change the stereotype of homeschooling and to expose the government’s liberal “educational” agenda. Through interviews with dynamic homeschooling families from all walks of life, the new documentary clearly reveals the importance of parent leadership in education, explains the ins and out of homeschooling, and provides honest answers to frequently asked questions.
Kirk calls it “pro-education, pro-family, pro-faith, and pro-America.
“I’ve been working on it for two and a half years, and I believe American families need to see it right now,” he added.
Kirk narrates the film while an ongoing conversation between Kirk and Chelsea about their family’s personal homeschool experience serves as a backdrop. Various families share both why and how they homeschool and offer a great deal of encouragement and hope for homeschooling families – both current and prospective.
The documentary’s case for homeschooling is backed by research and includes biblical insight from experts such as Dr. Kathy Koch, founder and president of Celebrate Kids Inc.
Some of the overarching messages of the documentary is a directive to parents that “you are qualified to teach your kids” and that “education really is discipleship.”
“It’s up to us, the parents, to cultivate the hearts, souls, and minds of our children, and today’s public-school systems are not working for us, they are actively working against us,” said Kirk in reference to the system’s teaching of “things like critical race theory, gender queer theory,” as well as “exposing children to sexually explicit material in spite of parental objections, and undermining America’s godly history and values.”
While Kirk boldly speaks out against the public school system and exposes its radical left and liberal agenda, this documentary is not overly condemning in nature; rather, The Homeschool Awakening comes across as a “how-to,” “you can do it” guide to homeschooling.
“The radical Left hates it because it pulls back the curtain on an evil agenda targeting our kids, but for parents and grandparents who love their children, love God, and love America, it’s giving them courage, hope, and inspiration,” Kirk wrote in an email.
The 100-minute film is suitable for the whole family; however, there is a small bit of immodest attire that may be concerning to some, and some of the homeschool scenarios presented may seem unrealistic to the average family.
But Cameron promises that “The Homeschool Awakening will give you new hope and courage to fight back and make a positive difference against the cultural challenges we’re facing!”
Click here for more information and to view the trailer. To see if the documentary is playing in a theater near you on June 13 and 14, click here.
