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| Date: From: Subject: | 2/18/2005 1:59:06 PM Home School Legal Defense Association Montana--Victory for Homeschool Freedom |
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====================================================================== From the HSLDA E-lert Service... ====================================================================== February 18, 2005 Montana--Victory for Homeschool Freedom Dear HSLDA members and friends: God gave us a tremendous victory in Helena on Monday of this week when the Senate Education Committee voted 10-1 to table Senate Bill 291. At the conclusion of the testimony of witnesses for and against the bill, Senator Jim Elliot, a Democrat, moved to table the bill. This was a surprise for two reasons. First, the normal procedure for the Committee is to wait until a later meeting before a vote is taken on a bill. Second, it is very unusual for a member of the sponsor's own party to move to table a bill, especially when the sponsor is also the Chairman of the Committee. Your calls, emails, letters, and the incredible level of attendance at the hearing were responsible for defeating Senate Bill 291, the worst homeschool bill in Montana history! This victory is particularly significant considering the extremely negative political climate in the State Legislature. The news reports underestimated the number of people in attendance at the Capitol for the hearing. The largest estimate reported in the newspapers was 1,200, but the Montana Coalition of Home Educators ran out of the 1,200 stickers they handed out to homeschoolers in attendance by 2:00 p.m., an hour before the hearing. One homeschool leader estimated the crowd in the Capitol at 2,000. In the more than 14 years I have served at HSLDA, I have never seen a larger crowd of homeschoolers attend a legislative hearing. In fact, never in the history of legislative hearings in Montana have there been so many people in attendance at the Capitol. We want to especially thank Steve White, the Legislative Liaison for the Montana Coalition of Home Educators, for organizing the homeschoolers' response to this dangerous legislation and coordinating the testimony presented in opposition to the bill. Without his efforts, the homeschoolers of Montana would not have been nearly as prepared as they were to participate effectively in this legislative process. As a result of the defeat of Senate Bill 291, I know that all of you have gained a deeper appreciation of the freedoms you currently enjoy under Montana's homeschool law. We must remain ever vigilant to respond to any future threats to take away these freedoms. May God bless and protect every homeschooling family in Montana. Sincerely, Dewitt T. Black, III HSLDA Senior Counsel ---------------------------------------------------------------------- -> Who's knocking on your door? When a social service worker arrives at your door, tension can run high. 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