|
| « |
|
LEGAL/LEGISLATIVE UPDATES
|
|
» |
|
ACROSS THE STATES
|
Legislative whirlwind in Cheyenne
State Senator Kathryn Sessions has threatened to "crack down" on homeschooling in the next legislative session, but if this year's session was any indication, she will be in for a tough fight. This year, the legislature met in a special "budget session," which was supposed to handle only financial matters. While budget sessions are typically short, this one was unexpectedly eventful.
In 2003, the legislature established an interim study committee to propose changes to Wyoming's child abuse and neglect laws. The bill that emerged was 50 pages long and contained some disturbing provisions. These included changes to Wyoming law that raised doubts about the legality of spanking and that authorized medical professionals to take a child into "temporary protective custody" upon a doctor's or nurse's mere suspicion. Even though none of these changes directly affected the right to homeschool, many of them impacted family freedoms.
Homeschoolers responded resolutely to this bill. The Homeschoolers of Wyoming sent a representative to Cheyenne to work directly with individual legislators. Sheryl Schmidt spent countless hours carrying documents from the Department of Family Services to the legislature and maintaining contact with Home School Legal Defense Association. Meanwhile, the Wyoming Homeschool Legislative Watch fired up its email network and mustered volunteers to appear at committee hearings. Susan Pearce of the Wyoming Vaccine Information Network also contributed to public awareness of the bill. The bill was held up by homeschoolers' concerns, amended to address some of those problems, and finally died on the senate floor when the legislature ran out of time. It is clear that Wyoming homeschoolers will do what it takes to protect their liberties from legislators. Kathryn Sessions may want to change her plans for next year!
— by Scott W. Somerville
Printer Friendly Version
