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| Date: From: Subject: | 3/15/2005 2:57:20 PM Home School Legal Defense Association Pennsylvania--Calls Needed: Legislation Would Lower Compulsory Attendance Age from Eight to Six |
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====================================================================== From the HSLDA E-lert Service... ====================================================================== March 15, 2005 Pennsylvania--Calls Needed: Legislation Would Lower Compulsory Attendance Age from Eight to Six Dear HSLDA members and friends: Your calls are needed to defeat a bill which would lower the compulsory attendance age in Pennsylvania from eight to six for school districts of the first class. Tomorrow, March 16, 2005, the House Education Committee will meet to discuss this bill. We need your help to stop this bill in its tracks before it gains any momentum. Since Philadelphia is the only school district of the first class in Pennsylvania at this time, it is the only school district that would be affected by this legislation. However, we are concerned that the next step the General Assembly will take is expanding this compulsory attendance requirement to all school districts in Pennsylvania. There is a qualified exemption in the bill for homeschooling parents whose children are between age six and eight, in that they would not have to comply with the home education statute until their children reach the current compulsory attendance age of eight. However, these parents would still have to notify the local school district that they intend to provide their child's education between ages six and eight. How the state would determine that a parent is providing this education is yet to be determined. HSLDA opposes any legislation lowering the compulsory attendance age because it further erodes parental rights in making decisions which affect the educational preparedness of their children. ACTION REQUESTED 1. Please contact as many members of the House Education Committee as possible and your own state representative with this message: "Please vote against House Bill 377. 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." Members of the Committee are as follows: Majority: Stairs, Jess M., Chairman (717) 783-9311 Fax: (717) 787-0859 Quigley, Thomas J., Secretary (717) 772-9963 Fax: (717) 772-2434 Rohrer, Samuel E., Subcommittee Chairman on Basic Education (717) 787-8550 Fax: (717) 783-7862 Stevenson, Thomas L., Subcommittee Chairman on Higher Education (717) 787-2047 Fax: (717) 772-2468 Bastian, Bob (717) 783-8756 Fax: (717) 783-3899 Browne, Patrick M. (717) 787-6572 Fax: (717) 705-1998 Clymer, Paul I. (717) 783-3154 Fax: (717) 705-1854 Creighton, Thomas C. (717) 772-5290 Fax: (717) 772-9869 Diven, Michael (717) 787-4652 Fax: (717) 772-9994 Fleagle, Patrick Elvin (717) 783-5218 Fax: (717) 772-2955 Flick, Robert J. (717) 787-8579 Fax: (717) 787-5713 Herman, Lynn B. (717) 787-8594 Fax: (717) 783-0143 Mackereth, Beverly (717) 783-2655 Fax: (717) 772-9869 Metcalfe, Daryl D. (717) 783-1707 Fax: (717) 787-4771 Miller, Ronald E. (717) 783-8389 Fax: (717) 772-9869 O'Neill, Bernard T. (717) 705-7170 Fax: (717) 783-3278 Minority: Roebuck, Jr., James R., Chairman (717) 783-1000 Fax: (717) 783-1665 Yudichak, John T., Secretary (717) 787-1751 Fax: (717) 783-3180 Curry, Lawrence H., Subcommittee Chairman on Higher Education (717) 783-1079 Fax: (717) 787-2713 Kirkland, Thaddeus , Subcommittee Chairman on Basic Education (717) 787-5881 Fax: (717) 787-9074 Bishop, Louise Williams (717) 783-2192 Fax: (717) 787-2960 Grucela, Richard T. (717) 705-1878 Fax: (717) 783-3180 Leach, Daylin (717) 783-9114 Fax: (717) 787-0861 Mundy, Phyllis (717) 783-1614 Fax: (717) 787-0861 Pallone, John E. (717) 783-1819 Fax: (717) 772-9984 Shaner, James E. (717) 772-5771 Fax: (717) 787-0861 Sturla, P. Michael (717) 787-3555 Fax: (717) 787-0861 Surra, Dan A. (717) 787-7226 Fax: (717) 772-9999 You can find the name and telephone number of your state representative by using HSLDA's Legislative Toolbox at http://www.hslda.org/elink.asp?ID=2182 2. Please forward this email to every family you know who is not a member of HSLDA and urge them to contact members of the Committee and their own state representative with this same message. BACKGROUND 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 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- -> How many acorns can a chipmunk hold in its cheeks? We don't know! But we do know that gathering little by little enables ordinary folks to prepare for hard times. That principle is behind HSLDA's payment plan: by paying a month at a time, families can receive an annual HSLDA membership. Meanwhile, they can feel secure as they homeschool and focus on other priorities -their children. Don't go nuts trying to pay for membership all at once. Choose one of our convenient payment plans. 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Thank you for your cooperation. ====================================================================== | |
