======================================================================
From the HSLDA E-lert Service...
======================================================================
January 26, 2005
Hawaii--Calls Needed: To Stop Five-Year-Olds Being Required to Attend
School
Dear HSLDA members and friends:
Your calls are needed to prevent harmful legislation from becoming law
in Hawaii! Two identical bills have been introduced, one in the House
and one in the Senate, which would lower the compulsory attendance age
from six to five and make kindergarten mandatory.
House Bill 61 and Senate Bill 488 would expand the jurisdiction and
control of the public school authorities over your five year olds and
erode the right of parents to determine when a child is ready for
formal education. Home educators would also be subject to the
reporting and evaluation requirements of the homeschool laws one year
earlier.
We need your calls now to help stop these bills in their tracks.
ACTION REQUESTED
1. Please call the House Education Committee members listed below and
give them this message:
"Please oppose HB 61. Lowering the compulsory attendance age and
mandating kindergarten would only waste taxpayers' money and prevent
parents from deciding whether their children are ready for school."
You do not need to identify yourself as a homeschooler.
Committee Chairman:
Representative Roy M. Takumi
Phone 808-586-6170
E-mail reptakumi@Capitol.hawaii.gov
Vice Chairman:
Representative Lyla Berg, PH.D.
Phone 808-586-6510
E-mail repberg@Capitol.hawaii.gov
Representative Dennis A. Arakaki
Phone 808-586-6050
E-mail reparakaki@Capitol.hawaii.gov
Representative Rida T.R. Cabanilla
Phone 808-586-6080
E-mail repcabanilla@Capitol.hawaii.gov
Representative Jerry L. Chang
Phone 808-586-6120
From the Big Island,
toll free 974-4000 + 66120
e-mail repchang@Capitol.hawaii.gov
Representative Josh Green, M.D.
Phone 808-586-9605
From the Big Island,
toll free 974-4000 + 69605
E-mail repgreen@Capitol.hawaii.gov
Representative Helene H. Hale
Phone 808-586-6530
From the Big Island,
toll free 974-4000 + 66530
E-mail rephale@Capitol.hawaii.gov
Representative Michael Puamamo Kahikina
Phone 808-586-8465; fax 808-586-8469
E-mail repkahikina@Capitol.hawaii.gov
Representative Maile S. L. Shimabukuro
Phone 808-586-8460
E-mail repshimabukuro@Capitol.hawaii.gov
Representative Tommy Waters
Phone 808-586-9450
E-mail repwaters@Capitol.hawaii.gov
Representative Corinne W.L. Ching
Phone 808-586-9415
E-mail repching@Capitol.hawaii.gov
Representative Lynn Finnegan
Honolulu, HI 96813
Phone 808-586-9470
E-mail repfinnegan@Capitol.hawaii.gov
2. Please call the sponsors of Senate Bill 488 listed below and give
them this message:
"Please withdraw your support for SB 488. Lowering the compulsory
attendance age and mandating kindergarten would only waste taxpayers'
money and prevent parents from deciding whether their children are
ready for school."
Again, you do not need to identify yourself as a homeschooler.
Senator Suzanne Chun Oakland
Phone 808-586-6130
E-mail senchunoakland@Capitol.hawaii.gov
Senator Lorraine R. Inouye
Phone 808-586-7335
From the Big Island,
toll free 974-4000 + 6335
Email seninouye@Capitol.hawaii.gov
Senator Brian Kanno
Phone 808-586-6830
E-mail senkanno@Capitol.hawaii.gov
BACKGROUND
- Lowering the compulsory attendance age from six to five would
subject Hawaii home educators to the requirements of the homeschool
laws one year earlier. (You do not need to share this reason with your
legislators.)
- Many education experts have concluded that beginning a child's
formal education too early may actually result in burnout and poor
scholastic performance later.
- Lowering the compulsory attendance age erodes the authority of
parents who are in the best position to determine when their child's
formal education should begin.
- It would restrict parents' freedom to decide if their children are
ready for school.
- Another significant impact of expanding the compulsory attendance
age would be an inevitable tax increase to pay for more classroom
space and teachers to accommodate the additional students compelled to
attend public schools.
For more information on compulsory attendance, please see our
memorandum at http://www.hslda.org/elink.asp?ID=2051 .
Sincerely,
Thomas Schmidt
HSLDA Staff Attorney
----------------------------------------------------------------------
-> What's the shortest distance between two homeschoolers?
HSLDA's elert service! When threats to homeschool freedoms arise,
you want to be able to respond. We make it possible.
More reasons to join HSLDA...
http://www.hslda.org/elink.asp?id=1101
----------------------------------------------------------------------
======================================================================
The HSLDA E-lert Service is a service of:
Home School Legal Defense Association
P.O. Box 3000
Purcellville, Virginia 20134
Phone: (540) 338-5600
Fax: (540) 338-2733
Email: info@hslda.org
Web: http://www.hslda.org
----------------------------------------------------------------------
How To Subscribe:
- Subscribe to the HSLDA E-lert Service at our website:
https://secure.hslda.org/hslda/elert/account.asp?Process=Subscribe
- Or send an email with name and complete mailing address to:
subscribe@hslda.org
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Subscription Information:
- You subscribed to the HSLDA E-lert Service as:
{{Email}}
- To unsubscribe from the HSLDA E-lert Service send an email from
the email address you want to unsubscribe to:
unsubscribe@hslda.org
- To change your email address or make other changes to your
subscription, visit the HSLDA E-lert Service account web page at:
https://secure.hslda.org/hslda/elert/account.asp
----------------------------------------------------------------------
POSTMASTERS: This message is being sent to the most recent address we
have for our subscribers. If this is an invalid email address or you
have other problems, please reply to webmaster@hslda.org.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
DISCLAIMER: This is considered a private and confidential message
from HSLDA to its bonafide HSLDA E-lert Service subscribers.
HSLDA cannot attest to the authenticity of copies posted, forwarded,
or sent by any party other than HSLDA.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
NOTE: Please do not reply or otherwise use this email address;
hslda@hslda.org is for broadcast purposes only and is not intended to
receive incoming messages. We cannot reply to any email sent to this
address. If you have comments or questions, please send email to
info@hslda.org or call HSLDA at 540-338-5600. HSLDA members can also
email staff directly through the Members website at
http://members.hslda.org/contact.asp. Thank you for your cooperation.
======================================================================
|
Printer Friendly Version
