Tom Sanders, Esq.

“What is homeschooling . . . and is it legal?” were the first questions Tom Sanders puzzled over when he was approached by church friends who were being criminally charged for their child’s truancy. That was in the early 1980s, and home education was a new idea to most people.

Tom had graduated from Houston Baptist University and the University of Houston Law Center, married his beloved Nancy, started a family, and was cutting his teeth at litigation. That homeschool case—and the answers to those questions—proved pivotal to Tom’s focus toward defending family rights, and to the Sanders family’s future.

Tom and Nancy began homeschooling in 1987, discovering it to be a lifestyle and a source of great joy. They eventually had six children, all of whom are now married and have 26 children between them. Some of the grandchildren are "traditional" homeschoolers, but all enjoy the freedom of parent-directed education.

Because of his faith in Jesus Christ and a commitment to help protect the rights of families, Tom has appeared in over 40 Texas counties to defend families who choose to home educate, as well as those who are at-risk from overly invasive social workers and government agencies.

He has tried many cases to verdict, including two jury acquittals of parents who were being prosecuted for home education. It is his honor and privilege to serve and represent HSLDA and its very special member families in the great state of Texas.