As I was filtering through my Facebook feed, I noticed a posting from my good friend, Dr. Brian Ray, of the National Home Education Research Institute (NEHRI). I often share his posts because they always reflect the reality of homeschooling, good and not so good. I have always known Dr. Ray to present homeschooling in a truthful and unbiased light, even though he has home schooled his own children and believes in parent led education as a viable form of schooling. I find it amazing that our society can be so brainwashed into such narrow thought.
The article, in SFGate, features a formerly homeschooled student from Kansas who is now attending Penn State. It was titled, Homeschooling Presents Opportunities, Challenges.
Last night, I had the pleasure to address a room full of patriots who have just recently been awakened to the serious threat that Common Core State Standards poses to educational freedom, parental rights, privacy, and the 10th amendment. Common Core is designed to gradually guide our future generations away from the free enterprise system in to a managed economy and global workforce.
Go to Missouri Education Watchdog and Missouri Coalition Against Common Core to learn more about what you can do to fight the over reach of the state and federal government into your parental rights and freedom of educational choice. Help us protect these rights and your right to homeschool your children, which are in great jeopardy, if Common Core advances in Missouri.
Speaking of free enterprise you, and your friends and family, have the opportunity to get a refresher course on what a free market is supposed to be. Loren Spicack, the Free Market Warrior, will be at the Family Vision Library for a free, two night seminar on REAL free market principles that America was founded on, and what you should expect from elected in order to maintain and environment to sustain such.
Here’s a sample of what you can expect on Monday April 29th and 30th. This is also a great opportunity for homeschooled students to get exposure to conservative free market principles and how government works, or not, to maintain an atmosphere in which they can thrive.
The Free Market Warrior Economic Literacy Seminar
Learn what every American and Patriot MUST KNOW about Free Market Economics and how they REALLY affect the economy.
Most Politicians don’t even know this about our economy.
Can you explain why some tax cuts (Bush’s second term, Obama’s proposed) do absolutely nothing to stimulate the economy, while others (Reagan’s, Bush’s first term) provide a great stimulus?
Were you taught in High School that the federal government needs to protect consumers from corporate monopolies that would otherwise be able to charge whatever they wanted?
Were you taught that Roosevelt’s New Deal saved the country by intervening in the economy and “stimulating” demand?
4. Did you know that the biggest problem with American healthcare (one that is financially hurting us all) is that there is far too much insurance coverage?
Would you be surprised to learn that the economic theories espoused by the current administration and congressional leaders were conclusively disproved more than 100 years ago?
The seminar is given over two evenings and divided into four parts:
Intellectual and Historical Roots of Socialism: Understanding its broad appeal.
The Intellectual and Historical Roots of Capitalism: Why we’ll starve without it.
The Source of Value: Two contrasting views and their implications.
Applying the Principles of Freedom to the Problems of Today: Taxes, Education, Health Care, Protectionism and Outsourcing, Population, Natural Resources and many more.
This is a great opportunity for High School Students to get the real scoop on America’s Free Market Principles. Bring your teenagers!
April 29th and 30th at the Family Vision Library – 6:30 to 10:00 pm
Not long ago, I published this story on PolitiChicks.tv. Homeschoolers need to understand how close they are to losing individual freedom and liberty. Your parental rights, as homeschoolers, and Americans are being eroded. Here’s the PolitiChicks article:
How does the plight of one German Christian homeschooling family expose the hypocrisy of the Obama administration’s policy on religious freedom, homeschooling, education in general and parental rights?
Common Core State Standards are the federally mandated/directed curriculums that are the key to undermining homeschooling/private schooling too. Just because this legislation is now targeted in public schools does NOT mean you, as a homeschooler, are safe from the reach of the government. This initiative will mandate how/if you homeschool. HB616 is the first small step in stopping CCSS.
Notwithstanding any other law, the state board of education shall not
2 adopt, and the department of elementary and secondary education shall not implement,
3 the Common Core State Standards developed by the Common Core Standards Initiative.
4 Any actions taken to adopt or implement the Common Core State Standards as of the
5 effective date of this section are void. Common Core State Standards or any other
6 statewide education standards shall not be adopted or implemented without the approval
7 of the general assembly.
Use the email addresses in the side bar to contact every one of the legislators in the House and Senate to let them know you are watching this and expect their support on this issue.
ParentalRights.org issued an alert, today, urging Missourians to contact the state legislature in support of HB 513.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the state of Missouri, as follows:
Section A. Chapter 1, RSMo, is amended by adding thereto one new section, to be known as section 1.250, to read as follows:
1.250. 1. (1) The liberty of a parent to direct the upbringing, education, and care of his or her child is a fundamental right.
(2) Neither the state of Missouri nor any political subdivision of this state shall infringe this right without demonstrating that its governmental interest as applied to the person is of the highest order and not otherwise served.
(1) This section applies to all laws of this state, and the implementation of such laws, whether statutory or otherwise, and whether adopted before or after the enactment of this section.
(2) Any statutory law enacted after the date of the enactment of this section is subject to this section unless such law explicitly excludes such application by reference to 11 this section.
Here’s the communication from HSLDA:
February 27, 2013Call To Support Missouri Parental Rights ActMissouri House Bill 513 (HB 513) would preserve the traditional right of parents to direct the upbringing, education, and care of their children – but we need your help to see it passed. HB513 faces a crucial vote in the Missouri House Committee of Children, Families, and Persons with Disabilities, and that vote could come at any time.
A parent’s traditional right to raise their children according to their own conscience and belief was unquestioned in America until 2000. In that year the Supreme Court’s Troxel v. Granville decision failed for the first time to respect the rights of parents on par with other fundamental rights.
Since that decision, 24 lower courts have revealed an erosion of respect for parental rights as well – largely because legislatures have not yet stepped up to make sure these rights remain protected with clear legislation.
The time for silence is over. The Missouri legislature needs to say loud and clear that parental rights are worth protecting, and not to be left to the whim of judges.
Action Item
Please visit http://www.house.mo.gov/ and enter your zip code in the search box to find your state representative. Then, if your representative is on the list below, please call him or her and urge support for HB 513. Your message can be as simple as, “Please vote yes on HB 513. The rights of parents need to be protected by statute, not left to the shifting whims of judges.” Or you can form your own message from among the talking points below.
Committee members with an asterisk are already cosponsors of the bill. W encourage you to still call them, but also thank them for being a cosponsor when you call.
Contact Information
Jeff Grisamore, Chairman573-751-1456
Rick Brattin*573-751-3783
Elaine Gannon573-751-7735
Elijah Haahr*573-751-2210
Andrew Koenig*573-751-5568
Sue Meredith573-751-4183
Genise Montecillo573-751-9472
Jim Neely573-751-0246
Stacey Newman573-751-0100
Time Remole573-751-6566
Jill Schupp573-751-9762
Talking Points
HB 513 is designed to protect your parental rights as “fundamental.” Fundamental rights require a high level of legal protection, and only a “governmental interest of the highest order,” or a “compelling government interest,” can override such a right. Otherwise, the government only needs to show some “rational basis” for violating your right – and that is really no right at all.
So here are some key talking points to remember as you urge your lawmaker (and friends) to support HB 513:
HB 513 will not give any additional rights, nor expand any existing rights that parents have. It only provides better protection for the rights parents already have.
HB 513 will not allow parents to abuse their kids. It will not take authority away from the state to protect children from abuse or neglect. Because HB 513 reflects what is already the legal standard, it will have no impact on these other laws.
HB 513 will not remove the “best interest of the child” standard. Currently, that standard comes into play when a parent has been deemed unfit or when the family is broken and it falls to the judge to determine child custody. And the same standard will still come into play in all of those same situations even after HB 513 is passed.
HB 513 will not change the definition of “parent” or change who does or does not have parental rights.
It also will not upset current custody or adoption orders. Even when parental rights are fundamental, courts still have the power to enter custody orders when custody of a child is in dispute. And courts still have power to terminate the rights of parents (like for adoption). HB 513 does not change that.
HB 513 also will not let parents dictate curriculum in public schools. Even fundamental parental rights have been found insufficient to “entitle individual parents to enjoin school boards from providing information the boards determine to be appropriate” for students. Fields v. Palmdale School District, 2005
Thank you for standing with us in support of parental rights in Missouri!
Sincerely,
Michael Ramey
Director of Communications & Research
Scott Woodruff, of HSLDA, gives this definition of “Fundamental Rights” as they relate to Parental Rights:
There are three types of rights: ordinary, fundamental, and absolute. If a right is “absolute,” the government can do absolutely nothing to restrict it—like the right to choose a faith. The rights of parents have never been considered absolute. The battle today is over whether your rights as a parent are “ordinary” or “fundamental.”
Additionally, check the sidebar on the home page for a complete listing of email address, of the Missouri House and Senate, for you to copy and paste in your address fields so you can send blanket emails to the legislature in support of parental rights.
Should a free citizen ever be afraid to walk, and be present, within their own community, without the fear of interrogation from government? It seems the town of Hollister, Missouri would rather interrogate and incarcerate its law abiding youth than work to fight juvenile crime. Daytime curfews have become all the rage across the country. Are they an easy solution to an out of control crime situation? Has juvenile crime become so severe that the town needs to go on lock down during daytime hours? Or should law enforcement find more effective ways to identify criminal activity and stop harassing citizens without probable cause?
HSLDA issued this action item today. Please read it and contact the authorities below, even if you don’t live in Hollister. Send a message that Missourians don’t do business this way.
Dear HSLDA Members and Friends,
Your help is urgently needed to block an effort in Hollister, MO, to pass an ordinance that would make it a crime for young people to be in a public place during public school hours.
Daytime curfews do not accomplish what the proponents claim. They have a disproportionate impact on homeschool families because we allow our children free time while public schools are in session.
Homeschoolers have been harassed and made fearful by policemen who treat them like suspected criminals for doing nothing more than being in public. Daytime curfews often give rise to litigation.
Action Requested
1. If you live in Hollister please stand up for freedom by immediately calling the two aldermen for your ward and the mayor (contact information is listed below) to express your opposition to the daytime curfew proposal. If you ever plan to visit Hollister, call any alderman. Your message can be as simple as:
“Please oppose the daytime curfew. It will reduce freedom, but it will not reduce crime.”
Or you can express your opposition in your own words.
2. Please pass this on to other area families, as well!
Contact Information
Alderman Ward I, David Honey
161 Trent St, Point Lookout, 65672
417 230-4340
Alderman Ward I, Jim Davidson
PO Box 1876, Hollister, 65673
417 334-9002
Alderman Ward II, Phil Carman
363 Greenbriar Lane, Hollister, 65672
417 942-0887
Alderman Ward II, David Willard
406 Knox Ave., Hollister, 65672
417 336-5925
Mayor David Tate
155 Jones St., Hollister, 65673
417 335-2364
Background
1. Daytime curfews do not deter juvenile crime.
A recent California study compared the juvenile crime rates of counties that enforced curfew ordinances and counties that did not. The crime rates were the same. The curfews had no effect on juvenile crime.
After the city of Belvidere, Illinois, enacted a daytime curfew in 1996, chronic truancy surged by an astonishing 72% over the next 10 years.
2. Daytime curfews allow searches without probable cause.
The Fourth Amendment forbids any investigation of a citizen without a “probable cause.” The proposed ordinance allows policemen to stop and interrogate a person merely because he looks young enough to be violating the curfew. It is an invitation to harass homeschool families.
3. Daytime curfews assume a person is guilty until proven innocent.
In several incidents where homeschool students were stopped by police, they had done nothing to arouse suspicion. There was no evidence they had committed a crime or intended to. Nonetheless, the police interrogated them and treated them like criminals until they had proved their innocence.
4. The ordinance allows some exceptions, including an exception for homeschooled children who are in a public place with parental permission. Unfortunately, the only way for a policeman to determine if an exception applies is to stop and interrogate the frightened young person. By then the damage has already been done. The child may be afraid to go outdoors again. The right to homeschool includes the right to be free from fear—especially for young people, who are most vulnerable to feelings of fear.
5. The Hollister City Council discussed a draft version of a daytime curfew on October 4.
6. HSLDA and Families for Home Education are united in opposing this ordinance.
Thank you for standing with us for freedom in Missouri!
I started reading Gatto when I pulled my kids from public schools and began homeschooling. I and they began our exposure to a different way of thinking about education and why it is important and different from what the larger culture is conditioned to value. Enjoy this series.
It’s time for a legislative update. As of Sunday, Feb. 19, 2012 there are approximately 1278 pieces of legislation floating through the Missouri state capitol. Some are recycled from previous years and some are duplicates, but there are some very busy legislators with writers cramp in Jefferson City.
Let’s first address the most recent threat to homeschooling freedoms, SB 706.
Jane Cunningham’s office did respond to our requests for edits and your phone calls and emails regarding language in her Race To The Top bill, and how it may affect homeschooling freedom. While her office may not have been happy to have had to address questions, the process is set up to be transparent and accountable to the voters, and it appears that contact from concerned parents/voters/homeschoolers has been productive for homeschooling freedom.
Kit Crancer responds to HU's SB706 alert
A preliminary copy of a revised SB706 shows the offending language has been removed from the edited bill. It is not yet posted on the General Assembly website, so the threat isn’t completely eliminated until the revised bill is approved, but this is a step in the right direction. There are still many other problems with this bill, but none that affect homeschoolers at this time. This bill is one to keep an eye on and we will do so. Since transparency is and should be crucial in the legislative process, we hope Senator Cunningham’s office will make available, publicly, the bill before it makes its way through the approval process. It is imperative for the taxpayers to have a chance to examine this legislative work before it is approved by lawmakers.
SB460, introduced by, Senator, Robyn Wright-Jones is all about compulsory school age and this one moving, slowly, but moving. It has been referred to the Senate Education Committee after its second read. This one requires any child to attend kindergarten when they reach the age of five or earlier if their birthday falls early enough in the school year.
SB483, Senator, Scott Rupp’s bill for scholarships for academically advance public high school students has been approved out of committee and will move on to the senate for debate/approval.
SB527, Senator, Rob Schaaf’s, let’s “consider” homeschoolers for scholarships, bill has been referred to the Senate Education Committee.
HB1206, Rep. Jay Barnes, homeschooling sports participation bill has been referred to the House Elementary and Secondary Education Committee.
Since my last posting, HSLDA has flagged a couple of bills.
HB1610, Rep Jamilah Nasheed has resurrected this bill from last year. In fact, this is the bill, in 2009, that raised compulsory school age for homeschoolers to 17, unless 16 or more high school credits were earned toward graduation. She is now trying to raise the age to 18. This does affect homeschoolers. This bill was introduced on February 1st and has been assigned to the House Elementary and Secondary Education Committee.
SB643, Senator Keaveny’s, compulsory school age bill requires children to attend kindergarten at the age of 5 years old in St. Louis City and Kansas City schools. This bill does have language that excludes homeschool students.
Understand that this is a big year for education reform in Jefferson City. While most bills do not specifically address homeschooling, yet, the reform will have far reaching affects in the long term and all parents need to follow what legislators are doing in this regard. Most of the legislation models the Obama administration’s Race To The Top agenda and will ultimately result in loss of local and parental control of your child(ren)’s education.
Home School Legal Defense issued an alert, today, regarding an initiative on Tuesdays ballot in Springfield, Missouri.
According to HSLDA, homeschooling freedoms are in jeopardy due to the proposed ordinance that will require families use the Department of Homeland Security’s E-Verify systems to check the citizenship of anyone they may hire to teach their children.
As most homeschool families hire tutors or employ teachers in co-op situations, Scott Woodruff, Senior Council for HSLDA, feels the regulation placed on them, in this situation would, “be a catastrophe for the cause of freedom.” Detail of their alert is posted below.
A proposed ordinance will appear on the City of Springfield ballot that will require you to use the Department of Homeland Security’s system (“E-Verify”) to electronically check the citizenship of any person before you hire him or her to teach your children any subject or skill.
Most homeschool families occasionally hire a teacher or tutor, or teachers in a co-op, to teach their children something worth learning. This is a normal and healthy aspect of homeschooling. But your ability to do this without government regulation will end if the ballot measure passes.
Action Requested
1. Please go to your appropriate polling place on Tuesday and vote “no” on the “E-Verify” ballot measure.
As you would expect from a legal document, the language on the ballot describing this proposal is wordy and complicated. It’s the one that starts off by saying: “Shall the City of Springfield make it unlawful for any business entity, that is any person or group of persons performing or engaging in any activity common enterprise, profession or occupation … ”
About the middle you will see this language: “further, all businesses in the City of Springfield are required to participate in E-Verify to verify the eligibility of all workers and conditional hires … ”
This is the proposal we urge you to vote “no” on!
2. Since time is short and the election is very close, please pass this on to your friends.
Background
You might think that the proposed ordinance would only apply to businesses. Unfortunately, the ordinance defines “business entity” to include “any person” doing “any activity” for any (undefined) “benefit” or (undefined) “advantage.” Every adult and child in the city of Springfield would therefore come under the definition of “business entity” (See section 2.A. of the ordinance) and be subject to city regulation (See section 3.B of the ordinance).
You might think that churches or clubs would be exempt. They are not. “Business entity” is specifically defined to include any not-for-profit group. This means your church, your hunting club, your missions organization, your ALERT or AWANA group, your neighborhood association, your homeschool co-op, your state, regional, and national homeschool support groups, etc., would be subject to this regulation. (See section 2.A. of the ordinance.)
You might think that if you or your group hires someone to do something that is not really “work,” you would be exempt. Unfortunately, the ordinance defines “work” to include “all activities” conducted by a business entity. As already explained, every man, woman and child in Springfield comes under the definition of “business entity.” Therefore every single activity of every single man, woman and child in Springfield would potentially be subject to this regulation. (See section 2.F of the ordinance.)
If you hire anyone to babysit your kids, mow your lawn, rake your leaves, give a talk to your group, shovel the snow off your sidewalk, walk your dog, etc., you would be subject to city regulation. If your kids try to sell lemonade on the sidewalk or your baseball team wants to wash cars for donations to buy uniforms, it would be subject to city regulation. If your Boy Scout troop wants to sell popcorn or your Girl Scout troop wants to sell cookies, they would come under city regulation.
Your church could not hire a pastor, secretary, or choir director without coming under city regulation. You could not “hire” your own kids to do household chores without coming under city regulation. The scope of this ordinance and its attempt to micromanage economic activity at the most humble level is simply breathtaking.
If you are shaking your head in disbelief, I challenge you to read the text of the ordinance yourself.You can find it here >>
Every year, in Missouri, homeschoolers face legislation that threatens their parental rights and educational freedoms. Each year, lawmakers present bills, in some form, that mandates compulsory school age. The heavy hand of big government attempts to mandate compulsory school attendance because they know the more time they can mandate children spend in government schools, the more influence they can have on your children. Homeschoolers must always be vigilant in monitoring these attempts encroach on compulsory education requirements because these regulations will, without fail, reach over into homeschooling regulations, and parental rights to direct the education of our children will be forever lost.
On Tuesday evening, in his State of the Union Address, the president stated it was his intention to propose that every state mandate a raise in compulsory school age to 18. As homeschoolers, this flies in the face of all parental authority in deciding what is best for our children in the educational realm we choose appropriate.
Michel P. Farris, of Home School Legal Defense, issued a statement yesterday, urging all members of the homeschooling community to make their voices heard regarding the potential intrusion on educational freedom and parental rights proposed by the Obama administration.
Call Now!
Right now, please call the White House and your members of Congress, and give them this message:
“Last night, President Obama called for the government to mandate that all children stay in school until they graduate or turn age 18. This is not the federal government’s responsibility. Leave education decisions to parents, not federal bureaucrats. Tell President Obama to withdraw his compulsory attendance mandate immediately.”
Your U.S. representative and two U.S. senators: 202-224-3121 (Capitol Switchboard) or use HSLDA’s Legislative Toolbox to find their names and contact info.
There appears to be no limit to this president’s desire for power. Car companies, banks, doctors, and now schools and the family. But this time he’s gone way too far, and homeschoolers and freedom-loving Americans need to make sure that he hears our message.
Last week, PatriotSoul sent this video as a comment to a previous HU post. What a great job the parents of this young girl did, teaching critical thinking and expressive speech! Enjoy, and comment if you feel the need.
As I was filtering through my Facebook feed, I noticed a posting from my good friend, Dr. Brian Ray, of the National Home Education Research Institute (NEHRI). I often share his posts because they always reflect the reality of homeschooling, good and not so good. I have always known Dr. Ray to present homeschooling in a truthful and unbiased light, even though he has home schooled his own children and believes in parent led education as a viable form of schooling. I find it amazing that our society can be so brainwashed into such narrow thought.
