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From the HSLDA E-lert Service...
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February 2, 2005
Hawaii--Urgent! More Calls Needed: To Stop Five-Year-Olds Being
Required to Attend School
Dear HSLDA members and friends:
House Bill 61, a bill which would lower the compulsory attendance age
from six to five and make kindergarten mandatory in Hawaii, is going
to be heard in the House Education Committee today. We need your calls
to the Committee members to help defeat this bill!
We have spoken with Christian Homeschoolers of Hawaii about the
information they were given by the sponsors of this bill. Homeschool
families are not automatically exempt from this bill. While homeschool
families are and will continue to be exempt from sending their
children to public or private school, this bill would require
homeschoolers to submit a notice of intent and complete a progress
report at the end of the year for their 5-year-old children.
Please call now and throughout the day! If you can attend the
Committee hearing at the State Capitol Building, it will be held in
conference room 309 at 2:30 p.m. today.
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."
Do not 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 come to the Capitol and be present for the House Education
Committee hearing on the bill. For a map of the Capitol Building see
http://www.hslda.org/elink.asp?ID=2066 . For driving directions the
Capitol Building address is: 415 S Beretania Street, Honolulu, HI
96813.
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 should not 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.
- The bill 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 school.
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
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