VIRGINIA
Relief for Fairfax Families
Over the past few months, the Fairfax County School Board has attempted to prevent any family from removing their children from public school to begin home schooling in the middle of the school year. Although Virginia's home school statute does indicate an August 31 notification deadline, an Attorney General opinion from 1984 says that parents should not be prosecuted if "there is good cause for the parent's failure" to meet this deadline. After weeks of conflict, Fairfax has withdrawn its policy and sent letters of apology to the families involved.
Virginia PRA
Virginia's home schoolers were key players in an intense battle to pass a state parental rights bill. The bill would have amended Virginia's constitution to include the statement, "The right of parents to direct the upbringing and education of their children is a fundamental right." In spite of remarkable public support for the PRA, the Virginia Senate killed the proposed amendment in a 21-19 vote.
Although the Virginia PRA failed to pass, it appears a few good things will come out of the Virginia legislature this year. A bill which will make it easier for home schoolers to take the GED (House Bill 2379) and one that provides penalties for making false reports of child abuse (H.B. 2806) were both signed by Governor George Allen on March 16, 1997. Another bill, H.B. 1870, which would have required home schoolers to submit copies of their children's birth certificates to the department of education, died in committee.
