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| Date: From: Subject: | 4/21/2005 5:45:35 PM Home School Legal Defense Association Iowa--Calls Needed to Stop Anti-Parent Plan |
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====================================================================== From the HSLDA E-lert Service... ====================================================================== April 21st, 2005 Iowa--Calls Needed to Stop Anti-Parent Plan Dear HSLDA members and friends, On April 19, Iowa Representative Mary Mascher backed up her belief that all homeschool parents should be treated as child abuse suspects by formally requesting that the legislature launch a study committee to see if homeschooled children are "adequately protected" from abuse. Although her request is couched in terms of a review of the homeschool laws, it is really just the first step in a plan to treat all homeschool parents like child abuse suspects. Her plan would force each parent to allow someone to view every child to make sure their parents aren't abusing them. This is discriminatory and an insult to every homeschool parent. It is also illogical. There is absolutely no evidence that homeschool parents are worse parents than others. It dishonors our nation's tradition of treating every person as innocent unless there is evidence to the contrary. It dishonors the Supreme Court, which has said that all fit parents are presumed to act in the best interest of their children. The House of Representatives could vote on Mascher's plan at any time. ACTION REQUESTED 1. Please call your Iowa state representative and Mary Mascher immediately. Your message can be as simple as: "According the U.S. Supreme Court, all fit parents are entitled to a presumption that they act in their children's best interest. Do not insult homeschool parents by treating them like child abuse suspects. Please oppose Representative Mary Mascher's H.R. 46." Call the House switchboard at (515) 281-3221 to leave a message for your representative or Mary Mascher. Use our legislative toolbox to find your representative's name http://www.hslda.org/toolbox/ . 2. If you live near Rep. Mascher's area (Iowa City-University Heights) please call her or make a personal visit. Her home address is 40 Gryn Court, Iowa City, Iowa and her home number is 319-351-2826. Please be courteous in all your contacts. To email Mary Mascher please use Mary.Mascher@legis.state.ia.us BACKGROUND The United States Supreme Court said in Parham v. J.R (1979) that parents are entitled to a presumption that they are acting in the best interests of their children: "The law's concept of the family rests on a presumption that parents possess what a child lacks in maturity, experience, and capacity for judgment required for making life's difficult decisions. More important, historically it has recognized that natural bonds of affection lead parents to act in the best interests of their children." The Supreme Court made this statement in Troxel v. Granville (2000): "Accordingly, so long as a parent adequately cares for his or her children (i.e., is fit), there will normally be no reason for the State to inject itself into the private realm of the family to further question the ability of that parent to make the best decisions concerning the rearing of that parent's children." Mascher's request questions the ability of EVERY homeschool parent to make good decisions for their children. It must be stopped in order to defend our basic freedoms. Thank you for standing with us for liberty. Sincerely, Scott A. Woodruff, Esq. HSLDA Staff Attorney ---------------------------------------------------------------------- -> You can get a little latte or a lotta legal. With our new payment options, you can join HSLDA for as little as $8/month, less than the price of a cup of coffee a week. 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