| From the HSLDA E-lert Service: |
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| Date: From: Subject: | 4/15/2002 2:05:48 PM Scott A. Woodruff, Esq., Staff Attorney of HSLDA Vermont--Crucial Hearing Tomorrow Night, Your Presence Vital |
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---------------------------------------------------------------------- From the HSLDA E-lert Service... ---------------------------------------------------------------------- April 15, 2002 Dear HSLDA Members and Friends, Tomorrow, April 16, the House Education Committee will hold a crucial public hearing on H.B. 703, a bill that would change Vermont 's home school law so a family would be considered "enrolled" immediately upon filing their notice. This would be a tremendous step forward. Currently, the Commissioner of Education can delay a child's enrollment up to 85 days. Many of you have received letters threatening truancy because the Commissioner delayed your child's enrollment, exposing you to the possibility of civil and criminal penalties. H.B. 703 would also put the burden of proof back on the Commissioner to show a family has not satisfied the requirements for enrollment. Currently, the burden is on the family to show they have satisfied the requirements. The bill was tabled on April 4. The outcome of the hearing tomorrow night will determine whether it dies or moves on for further action. Tomorrow night is possibly our last opportunity to get this excellent bill out of committee and moving toward consideration in the Vermont house and senate. ACTION REQUESTED It is vitally important that home schoolers turn out in force to attend the hearing. Nothing is so impressive to a legislator as when he sees that a citizen cares enough about a bill to actually attend a hearing. Your presence may help persuade the Committee to do the right thing for Vermont home schoolers. The hearing is scheduled to begin at 7:00 PM in room 11 in the Statehouse in Montpelier. I plan to be present and testify. Also, please call (802) 828-2228 and leave a message for one or more members of the House Education Committee listed below, especially if one is your representative. Your message may be as simple as, "Please vote in favor of draft 1 of H.B. 703. It gives needed protection to home school families." Please pass this message on to others. BACKGROUND The Commissioner of Education and his staff are working hard to defeat or water down this bill. They do not want home schoolers to have the freedom H.B. 703 would bring. They also are trying to force the creation of a Home Study Advisory Commission (HSAC), which they know home schoolers do not want. They have produced their own draft of H.B. 703, known as draft 3, which would establish the unwanted HSAC, and weakens H.B. 703 in other ways. The draft that provides the greatest freedom for home schoolers is known as draft 1. HOUSE EDUCATION COMMITTEE MEMBERS Representative Howard Crawford, Chair (R-19) Phone: 802-626-8226 Fax: 802-748-5463 7 Main Street Johnsbury, VT 05819 Representative Jason Barney, Vice Chair (R-47) Phone: 802-868-3657 RFD 2, Box 192 Swanton, VT 05488 Representative Erron Carey (R-104) Phone: 802-875-2807 145 River St. Chester, VT 05143 Representative Virginia Duffy (R-74) Phone: 802-773-8943 Fax: 802-773-5742 5 Newton St. Rutland, VT 05701 Representative Kathy LaVoie (R-54) Phone: 802-868-4807 99 Beebe Rd. Swanton, VT 05488 Representative Neil Randall (R-62) Phone: 802-222-5952 RR 1, Box 2450 Bradford, VT 05033 Representative Jack Anderson (D-101) Phone: 802-457-2398 Fax: 802-457-1689 RR 2, Box 164 Woodstock, VT 05091 Representative George Cross (D-23) Phone: 802-655-4611 82 Dufresne Drive Winooski, VT 05404 Representative Alice Miller (D-12) Phone: 802-442-9825 Fax: 802-442-3769 RFD #1, Box 371, Horton Hill Rd. Shaftsbury, VT 05262 Representative Donny Osman (D-82) Phone: 802-479-0819 Fax: 802-229-5268 3132 Lower Rd. Barre, VT 05641 Representative Susan Wheeler (D-41) Phone: 802-864-6776 462 S. Willard St. Burlington, VT 05401 Please take a stand for freedom with us by attending this hearing Tuesday night. Very truly yours, Scott A. Woodruff, Esq. HSLDA Staff Attorney {{JoinAd}} ---------------------------------------------------------------------- The HSLDA E-lert Service is a service of: Home School Legal Defense Association P.O. 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Thank you for your cooperation. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- | |
