Posted on 01/25/2012 12:27:51 PM PST by scripter
WASHINGTON, D.C.Last night in his State of the Union address President Obama called on all states to raise their school compulsory attendance age to 18, unnecessarily adding to bureaucratic requirements for homeschoolers.
Homeschool advocates at the Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA) are dedicated to protecting the educational relationship between parents and their children. Parentsnot the federal government and certainly not the presidentare the ones who should decide how children are educated and when theyre ready to graduate from high school.
But President Obama presumptively spoke on behalf of parents and the states: So tonight, I am proposing that every stateevery staterequires that all students stay in high school until they graduate or turn 18.
Michael Farris, founder and chairman of HSLDA, expressed the shock felt by homeschoolers: There appears to be no limit to the presidents desire for power. Car companies, banks, doctors, and now schools and the family. Hes gone way too far this time.
State-mandated attendance has not been the historical norm. In 1642, the Massachusetts Bay Colony stipulated that parents provide religious instruction for their children. For the next 200 years, most education laws were minimal and focused on family-centered education, giving children the tools to read, write, and do arithmetic, helping them understand what it meant to be virtuous citizens, and allowing them to learn a trade.
Ultimately, a formulaic and compulsory approach to education fails to instill in children a love of learning or a quality education. HSLDA President J. Michael Smith confirmed, HSLDA has consistently protected homeschool families from the harmful effects of compulsory attendance education in their states, reinforcing the parental right to choose the method and duration of education most fitting to the individual needs and gifts of their children.
Home School Legal Defense Association is a nonprofit advocacy organization established to defend and advance the constitutional right of parents to direct the education of their children and to protect family freedoms. Visit us online at www.hslda.org
More people need to stand up to him. If enough people do it, they can’t control everyone.
Gee.... wasn’t the Department of Education one of those that loony ol’ Ron Paul wanted to be rid of?
And more union jobs...
And more kickbacks...
and more indoctrination...
Besides, it keeps criminals off the streets and lets them roam the halls instead.
DoE was on Perrys’ hit list and is on Pauls’ hit list, Newt wants to shrink it. Perry wanted to axe two other departments, Paul wants axe four others.
Thanks. I am actually married to a really great guy, and he and I have talked extensively about homeschooling; we have decided that when we have kids that we will either put them in a private Christian school or homeschool them. Unfortunately, we have no idea what state we might end up in, since he will be ordained as a Lutheran (LCMS) pastor in May 2013.
Usually the first call is picked for you by the seminary.
Thanks for the advice, though. When we started dating I mentioned that I someday wanted to homeschool my children and he started spouting “homeschool kids are sheltered and have no idea what the real world is like blah blah blah...”
Yeah, he’s lucky I didn’t dump him on the spot. He’s seen the light since then. :)
“Okay students, now it’s time to learn about our duty to the Party!”
Well at least you straightened him out!
TalonDJ and I met on FreeRepublic; our homeschool backgrounds was one of the things we liked about each other right off. So nice to be debating how we will handle homeschooling and not whether we will! Our little girl isn’t quite three yet and already excited about doing “school” with mommy.
I would encourage you to stand up for homeschooling. Even private Christian schools can’t match the devotion, love, and potential that a homeschooling mom and dad can give!
I’m not sure what your point was. I guess it was sarcasm.
But using ‘excepted’ instead of ‘accepted’ is neither a misspelling, a typo, or a grammatical error.
I wasn’t trying to be a school marm or hypercritical.
You did notice the 3 smiley faces ?
Was just having a bit of a Freeper tease.
I thought I was being funny, sorry to offend. Even homeschoolers can do those things, but people are quick to point out mistakes and say things like, “And you teach your kids at home?” So most of my homeschool friends joke with each other like that. I forget that it is hard to joke like that on FR. No offense intended. Joke...
Background
We received some questions from homeschoolers asking if President Obamas statement was actually a threat to homeschool freedom.
First, it is important to note the venue for the presidents statement: it was during the State of the Union address, where the president outlines the legislative agenda he hopes Congress will take up in the upcoming year. The president wasnt making a statement to the media encouraging the states to change their compulsory attendance laws; he was speaking to Congress. We know that there are certain members of Congress who would gladly pass legislation that would require the states to raise their compulsory attendance ages, and many of these same members of Congress would like nothing better than to establish federal control over homeschoolers. We must speak up strongly to discourage any legislation from being introduced in Congress.
Second, this administration has a history of outlining a policy and then not waiting for Congress to pass legislation. We have seen Race to the Top, the presidents signature education policy, mandate that the states adopt the Common Core Curriculum Standards, and other education policies that are priorities for the Obama Administration, as a condition for receiving federal funds. Race to the Top is primarily driven by administrative regulations, not laws passed by Congress. We are concerned that the White House may try to draft regulations that force the states to raise their compulsory school attendance ages without waiting for legislation from Congress. We want to send a strong message to the White House that such a move will not be tolerated by homeschoolers.
If there were a federal mandate (either passed by Congress or through regulations) that required the states to keep students in school until they graduate or turn age 18, this could lead to a federal definition of what constitutes graduation from high school. Once the federal government creates federal guidelines or definitions in this area, additional and harmful federal regulations on homeschoolers could easily follow.
It is imperative that we remain united and show Congress and the White House that homeschoolersand all people who believe that parents should make education decisions for their children instead of federal bureaucratsstrongly oppose any federal compulsory attendance mandate.
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