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| Date: From: Subject: | 2/3/2003 4:28:37 PM Home School Legal Defense Association Michigan--Calls Needed to Defeat Bill Expanding Compulsory Attendance |
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---------------------------------------------------------------------- From the HSLDA E-lert Service... ---------------------------------------------------------------------- February 3, 2003 Dear HSLDA Members and Friends, Last year HSLDA members and Michigan homeschoolers were able to defeat several bills that would have expanded the compulsory school attendance age. We will be fighting this battle again this year as well. House Bill 4128 and Senate Bill 24 (companion bills) would increase the compulsory attendance age from 16 to 18 years of age, affecting all school age children in Michigan, including homeschoolers. We oppose all attempts to expand the compulsory attendance age since it would increase the years the state will have jurisdiction over our children. This bill would potentially give public school officials two more years to harass or investigate Michigan homeschools. Your calls are needed now to make sure that these bills die in committee. S.B. 24 was introduced and referred to the Senate Education Committee on January 21, 2003. H.B. 4128 was introduced and referred to the House Education Committee on January 30, 2003. REQUESTED ACTION Please call as many members of the Michigan Legislature's Education Committees (listed below) as possible with this message: "Please oppose S.B. 24 (H.B. 4128 if you are calling House representatives). Expanding compulsory attendance would only waste taxpayers' money, force unwilling, disruptive students into the classroom, and take away the right of parents to decide whether their 16 year old is ready for valuable work experience or college." You do not need to identify yourself as a homeschooler. Sponsor of S.B. 24 Senator Liz Brater, (517) 373-2406 Senate Education Committee Senator Wayne Kuipers, (Committee Chair), (517) 373-6920 Senator Nancy Cassis, (517) 373-1758 Senator Gerald VanWoerkom, (517) 373-1635 Senator Irma Clark Coleman, (517) 373-0990 Senator Burton Leland, (517) 373-0994 Sponsor of H.B. 4128 Representative Kenneth Daniels, (517) 373-0106 House Education Committee Members Representative Brian Palmer (R), (Committee Chair), (517) 373-0843 Representative Scott Hummel (R), (517) 373-1778 Representative Tom Meyer (R), (517) 373-0476 Representative Kenneth Bradstreet (R), (517) 373-0829 Representative Lauren Hager (R), (517) 373-1790 Representative Doug Hart (R), (517) 373-0218 Representative Ruth Johnson (R), (517) 373-1798 Representative Susan Tabor (R), (517) 373-0853 Representative Joanne Voorhees (R), (517) 373-2277 Representative Barb Vander Veen (R), (517) 373-0838 Representative Mike Nofs (R), (517) 373-0555 Representative John Stahl (R), (517) 373-1800 Representative Paul Gieleghem (D), (517) 373-0159 Representative Aldo Vagnozzi (D), (517) 373-1793 Representative Doug Spade (D), (517) 373-1706 Representative Virgil Smith (D), (517) 373-6404 Representative Hoon Yung Hopgood (D), (517) 373-0852 Representative Andy Meisner (D), (517) 373-0478 Representative Brenda Clack (D), (517) 373-8808 BACKGROUND: Here are several reasons for opposing the expansion of the compulsory attendance age: Raising the compulsory attendance age will not reduce the dropout rate. In fact, the two states with the highest high school completion rates (Maryland, 94.5% and North Dakota, 94.7%) compel attendance only to age 16, but the state with the lowest completion rate (Oregon, 75.4%) compels attendance to age 18. (Figures are three year averages, 1996 through 1998.) Most states (29) only require attendance to age 16. Older children unwilling to learn can cause classroom disruptions and even violence, making learning harder for their classmates who truly want to learn. When California raised the age of compulsory attendance, unwilling students were so disruptive that new schools had to be built just to handle them and their behavior problems, all at the expense of the taxpayer. Students who are forced back into the classroom are unlikely to benefit from an additional year of schooling. This bill would require home school families to submit to one more year of governmental red tape and threat of legal action or subpoena in the event of an alleged violation. It would restrict parents' freedom to decide if their 16 year old is ready for college or the workforce. (Some 16 year olds who are not academically inclined benefit more from valuable work experience than from being forced to sit in a classroom. You can view updates for S.B. 24 and H.B. 4128 on the HSLDA website at: http://www.hslda.org/Legislation/State/mi/2003/MIHB4128/default.asp and http://www.hslda.org/Legislation/State/mi/2003/MISB24/default.asp Thank you for standing with us against this encroachment on parental freedom. Sincerely, Christopher J. Klicka HSLDA Senior Counsel {{JoinAd}} ---------------------------------------------------------------------- The HSLDA E-lert Service is a service of: Home School Legal Defense Association P.O. 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