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Date:
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Subject:
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6/14/01 5:51:18 PM
Christopher J. Klicka, Esq., Senior Counsel of HSLDA
Michigan--Calls Needed! Oppose H.B.4830--Say "No" to New Regulation
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From the HSLDA@Capitol Hill E-lert Service...
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June 14, 2001
Dear Michigan Members and Friends,
Here we go again! It seems that Representative Michael Switalski is
being pressured to regulate home schoolers, so he is trying once
again to pass restrictive legislation. (Thanks to your calls, his
attempt earlier this year failed.)
On May 30, 2001, Representative Switalski introduced House Bill 4830,
which would require the parent of a home school child to notify the
local or intermediate superintendent at the beginning of each school
year with the following information: the name and age of each child,
the name and address of the child's parent, and the number or name of
the school district and county in which the family resides.
This new law would require all home schoolers, including those
operating under exemption (f) (home school option), to submit notices
of intent.
H.B. 4830 has been referred to the House Committee on Education.
REQUESTED ACTION:
Please call Rep. Switalski (H.B. 4830 sponsor) at 517.373.0854 with
the following firm, but courteous message:
"Please publicly withdraw your support of H.B. 4830, and please stop
introducing legislation that would restrict home schoolers. Home
schoolers in Michigan have earned the right to be left alone."
BACKGROUND
There is good news. Yesterday, I contacted Representative Wayne
Kuypers, Chairman of the House Education Committee, to discuss H.B.
4830. He was unaware of the bill. However, after I described it and
told him that many concerned parents would be calling committee
members, he personally assured me that he will not allow it to be
heard or pass out of his committee.
Representative Kuypers urged me to inform the home school community
of his commitment to let this bill die. "Home schoolers need to know
they have a friend as chair of the education committee," he added.
Therefore, we are focusing our calls on Representative Switalski,
asking him to publicly withdraw his support for H.B. 4830. If he
hears from one thousand home schoolers, perhaps he will finally be
persuaded against introducing legislation that is harmful to the
freedom of home schoolers in Michigan.
It is interesting to note that earlier this year Representative
Switalski had eight additional sponsors on his bill to mandate the
MEAP test for home schoolers. This time, he has no sponsors for H.B.
4830! The other legislators seem to have received the message that
home schoolers want to be left alone.
Important evidence is supplied in a study by Dr. Brian D. Ray of the
National Home Education Research Institute. This study found no
positive correlation between government regulation of home schooling
and the academic performance of home school students. There was no
significant difference in the academic performance of home schoolers
in states that did not regulare home schoolers compared to that of
home schoolers in states that were moderately or heavily regulated.
Home schoolers' average scores were well above the national average.
More regulation does not produce better home school students.
To review the findings of this study, click on the following link:
http://www.hslda.org/elink.asp?ID=153. To read the full text of H.B.
4830, click here: http://www.hslda.org/elink.asp?ID=154, (Adobe
Acrobat Reader required) or to review the results of the battle to
defeat the mandatory MEAP assessment for home schoolers, click here:
http://www.hslda.org/elink.asp?ID=155.
Thank you for taking the time to help preserve freedom for home
schoolers in Michigan.
Sincerely,
Christopher J. Klicka
HSLDA Senior Counsel
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Home School Legal Defense Association
P.O. Box 3000
Purcellville, Virginia 20134
540-338-5600
www.hslda.org
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 Other Resources
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More information on the Michigan's House Bill 4830
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HOME SCHOOL LEGAL DEFENSE ASSOCIATION
