| From the HSLDA E-lert Service: |
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| Date: From: Subject: | 1/25/2006 1:57:23 PM Home School Legal Defense Association South Dakota--Calls Needed to Protect Homeschool Freedom |
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====================================================================== From the HSLDA E-lert Service... ====================================================================== Dear HSLDA members and friends: Calls are needed immediately to stop Senate Bill 110, which would give school officials a powerful new tool to force children to stay in public school systems that are failing them. If a school official merely files a truancy petition, the family's right to homeschool disappears--without a trial, and without an opportunity to defend themselves. They can homeschool only with the permission of the judge, and he can deny permission for any reason at all. Homeschooling instantly changes from a God-given right to a privilege that hangs on the mood of a judge. Senate Bill 110 is scheduled for a committee hearing tomorrow, January 26, at 7:45 a.m., before the Senate Education Committee. Action Requested: 1. If you are represented by any of the senators listed below who are on the Senate Education Committee please call them immediately and ask them to oppose Senate Bill 110. Your message can be based on the points in the "Background" section, or as simple as: "Please vote against S.B. 110. It is unconstitutional because it allows a judge to take away a parent's right to homeschool before a fair trial." 2. Please inform other homeschool families of the danger of this bill. Senators: Sen. Ed Olson (Chair) Home: 605-996-9009 Capitol: 605-224-6877 Sen. Eric Bogue (Vice-Chair) Home: 605-739-3201 Business: 605-967-2529 Fax: 605-967-2527 Sen. Jay Duenwald Home: 605-948-2182 Capitol: 605-224-6877 Fax: 605-948-2182 Sen. Dave Knudsen Home: 605-338-9431 Business: 605-357-1222 Fax: 605-335-3639 Sen. Clarence Kooistra Home: 605-594-3833 Capitol: 605-224-5951 Sen. Ben Nesselhuf Home: 605-624-6178 Business: 605-624-3392 Use our legislative toolbox at http://capwiz.com/hslda/home/ to determine if one of these is your state senator. Background: By forcing an unhappy child to stay in the system that is failing them, S.B. 110 heartlessly maximizes the likelihood of punishment but minimizes the opportunity for a student to get a second chance. Children with bad attendance records may be the children who need homeschooling the most. Below are three reasons to oppose S.B. 110: 1. S.B. 110 does not treat all families accused of truancy equally. If two accused parents decide to take their children out of a public school that is failing their children and put them in another educational setting, the parent who wants to put his child in a private school has an unfettered right. The parent who wants to provide alternative instruction does not. The judge is not allowed to substitute his own opinion for the parent's in the first case, but he would be in the second case. Therefore, S.B. 110 is discriminatory. 2. When a child misses many school days, there is always a reason. It may be prolonged illness, threats by bullies, intimidation, humiliation by a teacher, ostracism by fellow students, unmet needs, or chronic feelings of failure or helplessness. These children may feel they are being forced into an education that simply does not fit them. With homeschooling, the education can be tailor-made to fit the child perfectly. It is heartless to give a judge power to prevent a student from homeschooling when the parents know it is his very best hope for a successful education. 3. Some families decide to homeschool after conflicts with school administrators who often help parents conclude that the public system is not best for their child. These conflicts sometimes bring threats of truancy charges. All these families might lose their right to homeschool under S.B. 110. Thank you for standing with us for freedom. Sincerely, Scott A. Woodruff HSLDA Staff Attorney ---------------------------------------------------------------------- -> How many of your friends would pay your legal fees? As a member of HSLDA, you have 80,000 families standing with you to protect and advance homeschool freedoms in the United States and foreign countries. More reasons to join HSLDA... http://www.hslda.org/elink.asp?id=1106 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- ====================================================================== The HSLDA E-lert Service is a service of: Home School Legal Defense Association P.O. 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If this is an invalid email address or you have other problems, please reply to webmaster@hslda.org. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- DISCLAIMER: This is considered a private and confidential message from HSLDA to its bonafide HSLDA E-lert Service subscribers. HSLDA cannot attest to the authenticity of copies posted, forwarded, or sent by any party other than HSLDA. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- NOTE: Please do not reply or otherwise use this email address; hslda@hslda.org is for broadcast purposes only and is not intended to receive incoming messages. We cannot reply to any email sent to this address. If you have comments or questions, please send email to info@hslda.org or call HSLDA at 540-338-5600. HSLDA members can also email staff directly through the Members website at http://members.hslda.org/contact.asp. Thank you for your cooperation. ====================================================================== | |
