Across the States
Bill Would Require Registration
Introduced by Representative Brenda Clack on March 19, 2008, House Bill 5912 would require homeschoolers to register with the local superintendent. The registration would include the name and age of each child being home educated and the names and address of the legal guardians or parents providing the education.
Lately, the House has become increasingly hostile toward homeschoolers. During a hearing on another bill (to lower the compulsory attendance age from 6 to 5), many legislators voiced their opposition to homeschooling and cited lack of accountability as a factor in the need to regulate homeschoolers.
Nevertheless, several of the original
24 cosponsors of H.B. 5912 have dropped their sponsorship due to pressure from homeschoolers. Home School Legal Defense Association, together with the Information Network for Christian Homes, has sent two email alerts to Michigan homeschoolers.
These e-lerts have generated hundreds of contacts with the Michigan House; one legislator said that he received over 500 phone calls.
The office of one of the cosponsors said, “There is no other group in Lansing that the representative and his colleagues have found more passionate … than homeschoolers.”
We are urging homeschoolers to continue to call the cosponsors to ask them to withdraw support for H.B. 5912. At the very least, we are hoping the constant pressure will keep this bill from being passed out of committee. Please visit the HSLDA Michigan homepage for the committee members’ phone numbers and to find the latest information on this bill.
— by Christopher J. Klicka
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