Tag Archives: Educational freedom

Educational, Elections, Homeschooling

Can You Trust Them To Support It If They Won’t Sign Their Name To It?

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Educational choice is the new buzz word/phrase in the great educational reform debate. How quickly politicians learn just the right thing to say when trying to woo voters. But do their words line up with their actions? That’s the great conundrum of politics. How do you tell when a candidate or elected official is really dedicated to a cause? Well, you can consider it a huge red flag when they are reluctant to put their name on something, something like the Educational Freedom Pledge.

For the last few years, Homeschooling United has been following the “trends” in “Educational Reform” and watching how the federal government has been closing the gap on parental and educational freedoms, not only in public education, but in the private and homeschooling realms, as well. And we have also been watching the attitudes of politicians waffle between falling into line to follow “establishment” directives and fighting for the rights and independence of individual educational choice and freedoms. When Homeschooling United first introduced The Pledge, candidates were all too happy to be associated with educational freedom and homeschooling. Recent developments within establishment politics and educational reform trends have found it more difficult to locate character within potentially elected who are willing to sign their names on pledges to fight for basic and fundamental rights of parents to make educational choices for their own children. Choices that were once rudimentary to our culture as Americans.

As we look to the August primary we will update the list of candidates who choose to defend educational freedom and those who do not. Please take a look at the platforms of all the potential candidates and make your choices based on facts. But please don’t be swayed by excuses. Candidates who make it a policy to not sign pledges, but tell you they support your cause need to be more thoroughly vetted before you give them your support.

Among the candidates who have the courage to stand openly for educational freedom are:

Ed Martin, candidate for Missouri Attorney General, Bill Randles and Fred Saeur, candidates for Missouri Governor, Martin Baker, candidate for the 1st congressional district, Tom Martz, candidate for state representative in district 131, Terry Varner, candidate for state senate in district 3, Cynthia Davis, candidate for Missouri Lt. Governor, and Eva Guest, committee woman candidate in St. Charles County.

Dave Spence, candidate for Missouri Governor, John Brunner, candidate for US Senate, and Ann Wagner candidate for the 2nd congressional district have all declined to support Educational Freedom.

Look for more updates soon, as we add to the list before the primary.

UPDATE: Fred Saeur, previously listed as in non support of the Pledge, has contacted Homeschooling United and supports the Educational Freedom Pledge. Edits have been made to this post to reflect that change. 4:00 PM Wednesday June 27, 2012

Educational, Elections, Homeschooling, Legislation, parenting

Compulsory School Age Mandates On Steroids?

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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.”

  • The White House: 202-456-1414, or send an online message.
  • 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.

Thank you for standing with us for freedom.

Sincerely,

Michael P. Farris, JD, LLM
Chairman, HSLDA
Elections, Homeschooling

Ed Martin, Candiate For U.S. Congress, Promotes Educational Freedom!

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Several months ago, Ed Martin signed on to Homeschooling United’s pledge for Educational Freedom. Mr. Martin is running for Missouri’s second congressional district’s seat. His enthusiastic support of homeschooling and less regulation in education is very much appreciated by those of us who value our parental rights and smaller government as it relates to choosing the right educational situations for our children. You can see Mr. Martin’s signed pledge here.

Check out his website and learn more about his plans for bringing more sovereignty to the people of Missouri.

Homeschooling United has contacted Ann Wagner’s campaign, but has not received confirmation of support for the Educational Freedom Pledge as of this posting. We will keep you posted as we look forward to hearing from her campaign soon, relating to the Ambassador’s stance on homeschooling, parental rights and less regulation in education.

Elections

Which National Candidates Will Support Educational Freedom?

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As campaign season starts, we remind you to be engaged and informed about the candidates running for elected office in 2012. The people we put put in office have a lot of power to influence educational freedom and parental rights across the state and nation.

We, at Homeschooling United, have contacted several candidates running for US Congress and Senate, and asked them to sign the Educational Freedom Pledge as well as submit a “guest-post” so that they can tell you, first hand, about their views regarding education. So far, Ed Martin, candidate for the 2nd congressional district, has signed The Pledge. We have also contacted Ann Wagner, a candidate for that district, as well. U.S Senate candidates, Congressman Todd Akin, Sarah Steelman, and Senator Claire McCaskill have also been been offered the opportunity to advocate for parental rights and educational freedom. If anyone else jumps into the fray, we will also give them the same opportunity to communicate with the homeschooling community, here. We hope to hear from all of these candidates soon and look forward to their support for educational choice.

UPDATE: 5/18/2011 – Congressman Russ Carnahan was left off the list of contacts. He also received and invitation to support educational freedom. Sorry for the oversight.

Homeschooling, Legislation

The People Are Not Safe From Last Minute Legislation Until The Fat Lady Sings

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The following education bills, in the Missouri House and Senate, are outlined and updated here as to their status as the 2010/2011 session has progressed. Some bills that advance Race To The Top/Educated Citizenry 2020 are included here as well as any that are related to the threat of undermining homeschooling freedom as we, at Homeschooling United, believe that RTTT/EC 2020 does threaten homeschooling. Please also understand that even though bills may not, as of this posting, look as if they may advance through, to the Governor’s desk, nothing is ever dead until the session closes. Very often bills are, at the last minutes of the session, lumped together in omnibus bills, grouped or added as amendments on unrelated legislation and passed under the radar. It is very important to keep a watchful eye on all legislation until the session closes.

HB179: Nasheed, Jamilah – CoSponsor: Curls, Shalonn Raises the compulsory school attendance age to 18 in all school districts unless the student has successfully completed 16 credits towards high school graduation. Referred: Elementary and Secondary Education (H) Bill currently not on a House calendar

HB393: Jones, Timothy: – CoSponsor: Dieckhaus, Scott Establishes the Parent Empowerment and Choice Act or the Parent Trigger Act which allows parents under certain circumstances to invoke interventions for a struggling school Public Hearing Completed. (H) Bill not currently on House calendar.

HB463: McNary, Cole – CoSponsor: Funderburk, Doug Changes the laws regarding virtual schools Public Hearing Completed (H). Bill not currently on House calendar

HB473: Jones, Tishaura – CoSponsor: Cookson, Steve Changes the laws regarding charter schools and establishes the Missouri Charter Public School Commission Perfected with Amendments (H). Bill not currently on House Calendar

HB476: Funderburk, Doug – CoSponsor: Parkinson, Mark Establishes the Students First Interscholastic Athletics Act which requires every high school age student to have the opportunity to participate in interscholastic athletics. Public Hearing Completed (H). Bill not currently on the House calendar

HB639: McNary, Cole – CoSponsor: Dieckhaus, Scott Requires each school district to establish a comprehensive program for student academic progression.  Public Hearing Completed (H). Bill not currently on House calendar.

HB 738: Nasheed Requires that students develop a personal plan of study by the eighth grade year; Reported Do Pass (Senate)

HB752: Torpey, Noel – CoSponsor: Lampe, Sara Changes the laws regarding the compulsory school attendance of certain students Elementary and Secondary Education (H). Elementary and Secondary Education Date: 4/20/2011 Time: 8:00AM Location: House Hearing Room 6

HB835: Lampe, Sara – CoSponsor: Newman, Stacey Requires a child in the St. Louis City School District, except for a child who is intending to be home schooled, to be enrolled in a public, private, parochial, or parish school by five years of age Referred: Elementary and Secondary Education (H). Bill not currently on house calendar

HJR10: Barnes, Jay – CoSponsor: Dieckhaus, Scott Proposes a constitutional amendment repealing the prohibition against state funds being used to support any religion or religious school and specifies that parents have the right to choose any school Public Hearing Completed (H). Bill not currently on House calendar

HB939: Dieckhaus, Scott– CoSponsor: Jones, Timothy Creates procedures for open enrollment of public school students across school district boundary lines Referred: Elementary and Secondary Education (H). Bill not currently on House calendar

HJR38: Barnes, Jay Proposes a constitutional amendment allowing the General Assembly to provide financial assistance to students to pay for elementary and secondary education at any accredited school they select Referred: Elementary and Secondary Education (H). Bill not currently on House calendar

SB 20: Wright-Jones Modifies the compulsory attendance age for the St. Louis City School District so that students must attend school from five years of age to eighteen years of age Bill not currently on Senate calendar

SB 21: Wright-Jones Requires kindergarten attendance at the start of the school year for children who turn age five at any time during the calendar year. Bill not currently on Senate calendar

SB 124: Keaveny Requires children in the St. Louis City School District to attend school at age five

There have been many, many bills added to the list of educational legislation since we last updated you on bill status. The session ends in mid May and all bills are up for grabs even though elected representation may claim the demise of any particular legislation. It’s a good idea to continue to monitor any and all legislation you are particularly concerned with, until the session is over, because it isn’t over until it’s over and the fat lady sings.


Legislation

Tax Credits For Homeschoolers In Missouri?

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Missouri is considering, this year, offering tax credits to homeschoolers. Perhaps it is in reaction to the long list of educational reform bills which include one, HJR 10, that is also flirting with the idea of creating a voucher program. HB618 sponsored by Jason Holsman is a bill that allows for a tax deduction of up to $500 per year for school supplies used for the purpose of homeschooling a child.

The great tax credit/voucher debate is still ongoing. Can you take tax credits or any kind of government assistance and remain sovereign? While the differences are large, between tax credits and vouchers, there will always be the question of how the government determines what criteria constitutes “supplies”. Would you be required to submit documentation of the “supplies” you use to be eligible for the deduction? Would registration be required as well?

This article in Home Education Magazine has a comprehensive compilation of researched articles on both sides of the topic on tax breaks. Take some time to read this and click the links to the different articles. It’s worth the time.

HSLDA (Home School Legal Defense Association) has declared its position against vouchers, but supports tax credits as long as it does not induce additional burdens on the homeschooling family. While some homeschooling families feel they are being doubly taxed, since they do not use the public school system and are also paying for their own children’s education at home, tax credits for education seem to be a viable relief to the solution. They also caution to be aware of the type of tax credit your state offers.

Beware of legislation that may seem like an educational tax credit, but is really a “refundable tax credit”. A regular educational tax credit reduces your total tax burden on a dollar for dollar basis, whereas refundable tax credits apply even if you don’t have a tax bill. Refundable tax credits are vouchers in disguise.

It’s not likely that Missouri will see tax credits this year. The bill has stalled since its second read in the House in February. I was unable to reach Representative Holsman to discuss the status of this bill. I will update you should there be further developments.

Legislation

Missouri Law Makers Introduce Even More Legislation To Restrict Educational Freedom

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Missouri legislators are certainly earning their pay this year. While they aren’t going for the big power grab with one single piece of legislation, they certainly have peppered the session with lots of small attempts to chip away at your educational freedom. Here are a couple of other bills you should watch and be aware of.

HB 179 This bill raises compulsory school age for everybody, to 18 years of age. If your homeschooled child can show they have completed course work to satisfy 16 credit hours, they are exempt. It also takes away, previously allowed by law, the ability of metropolitan school districts to lower the age to sixteen by resolution of their school boards. This is another veiled bill to advance Educated Citizenry 2020. EC2020 seeks to mandate educational control of all students from pre-K to age 20. Hence, multiple bills in the legislature, this session, to change compulsory school age on both ends.

This bill has been referred to committee.

… strengthening the P-20 pipeline will encourage communication between all levels of the education community and the business sector to ensure that Missouri’s schools and institutions are meeting the demands of the workforce both in quality and area of preparation. …

Provide parents and early childhood educators with the information they need to see that all children enter kindergarten on par with their peers and ready to learn. Formalize DESE’s existing school readiness standards by requiring that standards be distributed to parents, early childhood educators, and school districts. School readiness assessment data and information on prekindergarten experiences for all kindergartners shall be included in core data reporting requirements.

Advance efforts to support voluntary, universal prekindergarten. Explore potential funding sources for prekindergarten education including federal funding. The Committee would like to note that there was not unanimous support for the prekindergarten recommendations.

 

HB 463 This bill focuses on Virtual Schools. Educated Citizenry is very focused on advancing Charter Schools and Virtual Schools.

The Committee also formulated ideas for improving provisionally accredited and unaccredited schools, including the need to continue to investigate alternative school models such as virtual schools and charter schools.

HB 463 mainly addresses funding for virtual schools. It is very important for homeschoolers to understand that virtual schools probably pose the most serious threat to homeschooling freedoms than any other issue in education reform. If you decide to participate in virtual schools, on a full or part time basis, you would certainly be required to register with the state as a participant, and funding, of course would be an issue. With that would absolutely come the mandates and restrictions of government control. It is something all homeschoolers should be aware of and keep in mind as they make decisions in the future whether or not they want to participate in virtual school program. This bill has also been referred to committee.

Homeschooling families in Missouri and across the country should be very aware of the legislative developments in Illinois. Illinois is the testing ground for government takeover of educational freedom. Please continue to watch closely the developments of SB 136. While Arne Duncan was the Chicago Education Secretary, before he joined the Obama administration’s Department of Education, he made it very clear that putting homeschooling under the mandates and control of the government was his goal.

 

Educational, Legislation

Missouri Education Legislative Updates 2/17/11

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Here are some updates and some additional bills to watch, as of this week.

HB179 Raises the compulsory school attendance age to 18 in all school districts unless the student has successfully completed 16 credits towards high school graduation. This bill also takes authority away from metropolitan school districts to adopt resolutions to the contrary of this legislation as is now allowed by law. Introduced on 1/12/11 with two readings and recommended to the Elementary and Education committee on 2/8/11

(2) Seventeen] eighteen years of age or having successfully completed sixteen credits 73 towards high school graduation [in all other cases. The school board of a metropolitan school district for which the compulsory attendance age is seventeen years may adopt a resolution to lower the compulsory attendance age to sixteen years; provided that such resolution shall take effect no earlier than the school year next following the school year during which the resolution  is adopted].

HB463 This bill is all about funding virtual schools. Homeschoolers need to watch this one if they plan to be part of virtual schools because this bill is heavily focused on federal funding for students of virtual schools and expanding charter schools. It could have the potential for identifying homeschoolers or mandating curriculum.

Such nonresident students shall be defined as virtual resident students.

For now we are just red flagging this one. We don’t want it to grow into issues of registration for homeschooling or mandating curriculum since the push is to have Common Core Standards be the rule throughout Missouri. Introduced on 2/9/11 and has had two readings to then be recommended to the Elementary and Secondary Education committee. It seems to be on the fast track.

SB20 was heard in committee on 2/9/11. To date there is no action listed on the General Assembly website, which means it is not dead, but has not advanced. It is still possible for this bill to advance on its own or be hidden in an omnibus bill before the end of the legislative session.

SB21 While scheduled to be heard in the 2/9/11 hearing it was not debated. Again, we are not out of the woods on these bills. They could end up being resurrected and voted through before the end of the session.

SB124 This bill was heard in the 2/9/11 committee hearing and holds the same status as SB20 and SB21.

Thank you to all who sent in testimonial forms for last week’s hearings. Being informed and engaged is the best way to ensure freedom and influence your representation. We hope the legislators understand that homeschooling must remain free from extraneous mandates and restrictions. It is preferable to see these bills that threaten parental rights and homeschooling freedoms to die as soon as possible, this legislative session.

Head Scratcher of the Week – SB222, introduced by Senator Jane Cunningham, basically eliminates restrictions on the child labor laws. Read it for yourself, folks. I can’t even imagine what she was thinking when she introduced this one. It has received two readings and has been referred to General Laws on 2/10/11.

Legislation

Call To Action: Send The Education Committee Your Testimonial To Maintain Educational Freedom!

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The Senate Education hearing scheduled for tomorrow, 2/2/2011, in which the merits of SB20 and SB21 were to be debated, has been canceled due to bad weather. It is tentatively rescheduled for February 9th. We will keep you updated as information becomes available. In the mean time, please be aware of the following details for the upcoming hearing.

SB21 lowers compulsory age to 4 years.

… any child whose fifth birthday occurs at any time during the calendar year shall be deemed to have attained the age of five years at the commencement of the school year beginning that calendar year.

And also mandates kindergarten attendance.

The parent, guardian, or other person having charge, control, or custody of any child who has attained the age of five years in accordance with this section shall be responsible for enrolling the child in kindergarten.

SB20 is a result of the fallout from 2009’s SB291, in which homeschoolers lost the freedom to determine high school graduation credits and graduation status/age for our own children. It is now being “tweaked” once again to solidify the raising of compulsory school age to eighteen in metropolitan districts …

(1) [Seventeen] Eighteen years of age for any metropolitan school district [for which the school board adopts a resolution to establish such compulsory attendance age; provided that such resolution shall take effect no earlier than the school year next following the school year during which the resolution is adopted]; and

and seventeen in a (7 Director, urban districts), and eliminating the option for districts to adopt their own resolutions to the contrary.

Seventeen years of age in a seven director or urban school  district or having successfully completed sixteen credits towards high school  graduation [in all other cases. The school board of a metropolitan school district  for which the compulsory attendance age is seventeen years may adopt a  resolution to lower the compulsory attendance age to sixteen years; provided that  such resolution shall take effect no earlier than the school year next following the  school year during which the resolution is adopted].

Such legislation is oppressive to parental rights, educational choice and local control of schools, and it has no exclusion for homeschooling or private schooling students. So, one can only assume the intention is to target students state wide in gaining control over student attendance on both ends of the compulsory school age law. However, there may be one positive note in the present day attempts to gain even more control on parental educational decisions.

In a press release, issued by Senator Joe Keaveny, he outlines the details of a bill he introduced, SB124. While this bill also mandates a lowering of compulsory school age from 7 to 5 years of age for metropolitan school children, it does include language which excludes homeschoolers. It is important to understand that if this bill is passed the threat to homeschooling freedom is not evaded. This bill only addresses metropolitan school districts and does not negate the language, or lack of it, in SB 20 or SB21.

In all three bills, legislators are attacking the decision making rights of parents to determine the best time for their children to enter or leave school, whether it be home, public, or private school.

It is imperative for you to make your voice heard. Please contact Senator, David Pearce, Education Committee Chairman, and let him know that homeschoolers want to be excluded from any legislation that enters the realm of Educational Citizenry 2020 education reform in the 2011 session and beyond. We have, in the past, suffered great losses of freedom as parents and homeschoolers when SB291 raised compulsory school age and changed graduation requirements. We do not want any further mandates or restrictions imposed which would take away additional rights/freedom. Please, also, express your strong desire for the committee to kill these bills immediately, and prevent them from advancing further in the legislative process.

Please download a witness appearance form and fax it to the senator’s office with your polite comments concerning your wishes to maintain your parental rights for educational choice and homeschooling freedom. These testimonials have great weight with the committee members and go a long way in influencing decisions about legislation. If you do not have a fax, forms can be scanned and emailed or sent by snail mail before the hearing date of 2/9/2011. Phone calls are always a good idea as well. (573-751-2272) The more your representatives hear from you about your wishes, the better they can represent your interests.

Feel free to contact the other members of the Education Committee, as well.