| From the HSLDA E-lert Service: |
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| Date: From: Subject: | 3/20/2002 7:16:01 PM Scott A. Woodruff, Esq., Staff Attorney of HSLDA Oklahoma--Dangerous Legislation Stopped By Home Schoolers |
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---------------------------------------------------------------------- From the HSLDA E-lert Service... ---------------------------------------------------------------------- March 20, 2002 Dear Oklahoma Members and Friends, In response to a general outcry from the home school community, Chairman Larry Roberts of the House Common Education Committee has given his assurances that Senate Bill 1251 will not be given a hearing. Without a hearing this bill will die when the session ends in May. S.B. 1251 would have clouded parents' right to issue a diploma and invited state regulation of home schools. S.B. 1251 would authorize the Oklahoma State Board of Education to issue a "certificate of high school equivalency" (GED) to students who received "other means of education" (i.e. home schooling), who took the American College Test (ACT), and who received a composite score of average or higher. The student's parent would be required to sign an affidavit that the student "met the curricular requirements necessary for high school graduation." The bill would give the state board power to adopt rules to implement the provisions. ACTION Phone calls and email voicing opposition to S.B. 1251 are no longer needed. Please consider thanking Chairman Roberts for his leadership. He can be contacted at House Common Education Committee, State of Oklahoma, 415 State Capitol Oklahoma City, OK 73105-4808 or 405-557-7399 or robertsla@lsb.state.ok.us. BACKGROUND On March 18, HSLDA faxed a letter to all members of the House Common Education Committee outlining the reasons S.B. 1251 should not become law. The same day, Oklahoma Central Home Educators Consociation (OCHEC) sent a legislative alert to its members. Christian Home Educators Fellowship also opposed the bill. By late March 19, many home schoolers had contacted their lawmakers and there were reports the bill was dead. This morning Chairman Roberts gave his assurance that he would not give the bill a hearing. This effectively puts an end to S.B. 1251, since under ordinary circumstances, legislation cannot move forward without a committee hearing. To read HSLDA's reasons for opposing S.B. 1251 go to: http://www.hslda.org/legislation/state/OK/2002/OKSB1251/default.asp To read HSLDA's letter to members of the House Common Education Committee go to: http://www.hslda.org/legislation/state/OK/2002/OKSB1251/200203200.asp No student needs a GED if he already has a high school diploma. A law creating a special GED path for home school graduates sends the dangerous and inaccurate message that home schoolers cannot earn diplomas. It is inaccurate because home schooling families can issue diplomas to their own children who finish their high school education at home. It is dangerous because casting doubt on the right to issue a diploma could encourage other lawmakers to mount further attacks on parents' right to home school. S.B. 1251 could destroy the academic independence of the home school family. The bill requires parents who want their child to receive a GED, to sign a statement that the student met the "curricular requirements necessary for high school graduation." Since the bill gives the Oklahoma Board of Education power to adopt rules for implementation, it would almost certainly adopt rules as to what curricular requirements must be met in order to graduate and earn a GED. This could destroy the academic independence of the home school family seeking a GED. It could encourage attempts to force all home schoolers to conform to a state-approved curriculum before graduation would be allowed. Section 5 of Article 13 of the Oklahoma Constitution gives the State Board of Education power to govern only public schools-not private or home schools. Yet this bill gives the board power to adopt regulations controlling which home school graduates will receive the special GED. Once the board adopts regulations to determine exactly who qualifies there will be tremendous pressure for those regulations to be applied to all home schooling families--not merely the families who are seeking a GED for their child. Customarily, when a student graduates, he receives a diploma. S.B. 1251 requires that home schoolers meet the curricular requirements for high school graduation, but fails to acknowledge that this home schooler is now entitled to a diploma. Instead, he is granted a poor substitute for a diploma-a GED. When applying for college, a job, or a promotion, a person with a GED will often be at a disadvantage compared to someone with a diploma. This makes no sense. Any student who has met all requirements for graduation has earned a diploma. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT We thank Rick Williamson of OCHEC who supplied us with information in this e-lert from the capitol this morning, Representative Bill Graves of the House Common Education Committee who brought home schoolers' attention to this bill, every home school organization and group that helped spread the message, and every home school parent who made a phone call or sent an email opposing this bill. Your voice was heard! Very truly yours, Scott A. Woodruff, Esq. {{JoinAd}} ---------------------------------------------------------------------- The HSLDA E-lert Service is a service of: Home School Legal Defense Association P.O. 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