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From the HSLDA E-lert Service...
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February 18, 2005
Alabama--Calls Needed: Legislation Would Lower Compulsory Attendance
Age from Seven to Five
Dear HSLDA members and friends:
Alabama House Bill 50, a bill which would gradually lower the
compulsory school attendance age from seven to five, passed the House
Education Finance and Appropriations Committee yesterday. It is now
going to the full House of Representatives for a vote. We need your
calls to your state representatives today to help defeat this bill!
HSLDA opposes any legislation lowering the compulsory attendance age
because it further reduces parental rights in making decisions which
affect the educational preparedness of their children. This bill would
expand the jurisdiction of the state over your children and would
require each homeschooling family to comply with the church school or
private tutor law a full two years earlier than the law currently
demands.
House Bill 50 has the strong support of Alabama Education Association,
a powerful lobbying force which advocates expanded authority for
public education officials. Your involvement is necessary to convince
legislators that this dangerous bill is not in the best interests of
parents or children.
Please call, write, or email your state representative now!
ACTION REQUESTED
Please contact your state representative and urge him to vote against
House Bill 50 by giving him this message:
"Please vote against House Bill 50. This bill restricts a parent's
right to choose when a child is ready for formal education. This bill
will also waste taxpayer dollars, since there is nothing to indicate
that early schooling results in any educational advantage for the
child."
To find the name of your state representative, use HSLDA's Legislative
Toolbox at http://www.hslda.org/elink.asp?ID=2122 .
A letter is the most effective means of influencing legislators. If
you choose not to write, please call and email the state
representatives. They need to hear from every church schooling family
in Alabama!
BACKGROUND
The current compulsory attendance age in Alabama is seven through 16
years of age. House Bill 50 provides that during the 2006-2007 and
2007-2008 school years, the compulsory attendance age would be lowered
to the age of six through 16 years old. During the 2008-2009 school
year, the compulsory attendance age would be lowered to the age of
five through 16 years of age.
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,
Dewitt T. Black, III
HSLDA Senior Counsel
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-> There may be no such thing as a free lunch...
If you pass on a legacy of freedom, your children and their
...but there is a way to get a free membership! Through our
Three-for-Free program, you can get a free one-year renewal for
simply referring three of your homeschooling friends into
membership with HSLDA.
More reasons to join HSLDA...
http://www.hslda.org/elink.asp?id=2078
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Home School Legal Defense Association
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