The ruling is real, but this one won't stand.
The home school community is filled with incredibly passionate people...they'd have to be to take on the task of educating their kids. Those passionate people will mobilize their networks, and considerable political pressure will be brought to bear. I suspect this ruling will have a very short half life.
Can't claim to be unbiased on this one -- we've home schooled both our kids straight through. Our oldest is in college on a President's Scholarship, with a career goal of being a Professor of Classical Languages and Ancient Greek/Roman History. (Her schedule freaks me out -- this year she's got upper level Latin, upper level Ancient Greek, Classical Mythology, Modern German, History of Middle East, and some core liberal arts courses.) My son's only a sophomore in HS, but is academically successful (as judged by national standardized tests) and is showing maturity far beyond his years.
My point is that home schooling absolutely CAN work, can be an alternative to traditional bureaucratized methods of instruction. When some use "home schooling" as a cover (whether it's to cover up the kids' social/emotional failings, to hide from negative contacts, to avoid detection of abuse or neglect) the problem isn't the home schooling, any more than cars are the cause of drunk driving accidents.
And just as there are those who think government shouldn't try to solve ANY problems, there are those (far more numerous) who think government should be the only solution for EVERY problem, even when the government solutions are failing by common consent. This judge is one.