| From the HSLDA E-lert Service: |
< BACK TO ARCHIVE |
| Date: From: Subject: | 9/21/2006 4:47:34 PM Home School Legal Defense Association Puerto Rico--Urgent Action Needed to Stop Homeschool Bill P.C. 2754 |
|
====================================================================== From the HSLDA E-lert Service... ====================================================================== September 21, 2006 Puerto Rico--Urgent Action Needed to Stop Homeschool Bill P.C. 2754 Dear HSLDA members and friends: Puerto Rico House Bill P.C. 2754 could be voted on at any moment before the House of Representatives. The President of the Education & Culture Commission, Sra. Rivera Ramirez, has informed the press that the bill will be reported to the full House soon, despite opposition by the homeschool community. What is not certain at this point is when and what will actually be contained in the bill's language To have any chance to defeat this bill, we will need an all-out effort from every homeschooler in Puerto Rico to voice their opposition to this step back from the freedom homeschoolers presently have in Puerto Rico to teach their children at home. ACTION REQUESTED: Contact your Representative and four others (see the list below) by telephone, informing them that you are a homeschoolers, and ask them to oppose P.C. 2754 when the bill reaches the House of Representatives. You will need to inform your Representative that P.C. 2754 will significantly reduce the freedom to homeschool. You may use any or all of the following to explain your opposition: > This bill is not needed because homeschoolers are operating as "non-governmental entity" private schools thereby exercising the fundamental right to direct the upbringing and education of our children without undue governmental interference > This bill is unwarranted governmental interference in that homeschoolers would be required to disclose private information to the government, which would be a fundamental violation of their right to privacy. Parents that are not relying upon the state to provide education for their children should not have to disclose private information about them to the government. > The government will have a right to evaluate each family's homeschool program based upon a review of a portfolio without any objective guidelines as to what constitutes an appropriate program. This violates each family's fundamental right to due process and fairness. > Under current language in the proposed bill, each family would have to pay $125 at the time they provide the notice of intent to homeschool and all the private information. This clearly discriminates against families who will not be able to afford the $125; therefore, this bill would prohibit them from homeschooling, violating their parental right to direct the education of their children. > The constitutionality of this bill will be challenged in court causing the waste of taxpayers' money through the government's defense of an unconstitutional act of the legislature. BACKGROUND: 1. P.C. 2754 would require homeschoolers in Puerto Rico to notify the General Education Board (GEB) of their intent to homeschool and provide intrusive information about their family such as the name, birth date, age, address, telephone, grade, Social Security number and other information regarding the education of their children to the GEB. 2. The families will have to pay $125 at the time they provide all of this information to the GEB. 3. Parents are required to establish the education mission and philosophy, and provide the information to the GEB. 4. Parents will be required to keep a portfolio of each child's work subject to the evaluation of the GEB every four years. The portfolio must be kept for six years after the child has finished homeschooling. Why a few homeschoolers are supporting the bill: They insist that homeschoolers will be better off, that even though we're giving up our freedoms, we will be able to participate in the public school's extracurricular activities and special education programs, if eligible. Also, if we want to terminate homeschooling, our children will be able to be admitted in the local public school. The fact is that homeschoolers are already receiving these benefits so there is no need to give up freedom. Doing so would be a mistake and would be the first situation since HSLDA has been in existence where a state or territory has actually lost ground as it relates to our freedoms. Should this bill pass, Puerto Rico would change from having one of the best homeschool situations, to one of the more regulated. This is a battle for freedom and every homeschooler in Puerto Rico should be in the battle to protect homeschool freedoms in Puerto Rico. Very truly yours, Michael Smith HSLDA President REPRESENTANTES POR DISTRITO: Hon. Francisco Gonzalez Rodriguez San Juan 01 787-721-4039 787-622-4486 Hon. Luis R. Torres Cruz San Juan 02 787-723-1816 787-723-8424 Hon. Albita Rivera Ramirez San Juan 03 787-722-2254 787-723-8489 Hon. Liza Fernandez Rodriguez San Juan 04 787-723-3605 787-725-5595 Hon. Jorge Navarro Suarez San Juan 05, Guaynabo 6 787-724-4464 787-724-5960 Hon. Angel A. Perez Otero Guaynabo 7, Catano 8, Bayamon 9 787-723-6380 787-723-9816 Hon. Luis Perez Ortiz Bayamon 10 787-724-6262 787-723--9754 Hon. Antonio Silva Delgado Bayamon 11 787-721-3894 787-723-1920 Hon. Nelson E. Del Valle Colon Bayamon 12, Toa Alta 13 787-725-7197 787-725-8189 Hon. Bernardo Marquez Garcia Toa Baja 14 787-721-5007 787-723-5840 Hon. Jose Javier Garcia Caban Dorado 15, Vega Alta 16, Vega Jaja 18 787-721-5722 787-721-5724 Hon. Hector A. Torres Calderon Vega Baja 19, Vega Alta 17, Morovis 20, Manati 21 787-723-6250 787-725-2661 Hon. Gabriel Rodriguez Aguilo Manati 22, Ciales 23, Florida 24, Barceloneta 25, Arecibo 26 787-723-0070 787-723-3772 Hon. Carlos Molina Rodriugez Arecibo 27, Hatillo 28 787-723-2212 787-723-2161 Hon. Jose E. Concepcion Hernandez Hatillo 29, Camuy 30, Quebradillas 31 787-722-4290 Hon. Sergio Ortiz Quinones Isabela 32, San Sebstian 33, Las Marias 34 787-725-2771 787-725-2727 Hon. Jose L. Rivera Guerra Aguadilla 35, Moca 36 787-723-8706 787-723-3120 Hon. Julio C. Roman Gonzalez Moca 37, Aguada 38, Rincon 39, Anasco 40, Mayaguez 41 787-721-6040 ext 2271, 2025, 2053, 2015 Hon. Carlos M. Hernandez Lopez Mayaguez 42, San German 43 787-724-7297 787-724-7298 Hon. Norman Ramirez Rivera San German 44, Hormigueros 45, Cabo Rojo 46 787-724-0007 787-724-0313 Hon. Lydia Mendez Silva Lajas 47, Guanica 48, Sabana Grande 49, Maricao 50, Yauco 51 787-722-0801 Hon. Javier A. Rivera Aquino Lares 53, Utuado 54, Adjuntas 55, Jayuya 56 787-724-4676 787-724-0459 Hon. Rafael A. Garcia Colon Yauco 52, Guayanilla 58, Penuelas 59, Ponce 60 787-725-3928 Hon. Roberto Cruz Rodriguez Ponce 61 787-721-8740 787-622-2346 Hon. Ramon A. Reyes Oppenheimer Ponce 62, Jayuya 57 787-721-7520 787-725-2698 Hon. Jose L. Jimenez Negron Villalba 65, Orocovis 66, Juana Diaz 63 787-722-4044 787-725-1069 Hon. Carmen I. Gonzalez Gonzalez Juana Diaz 64, Santa Isabel 67, Coamo 68, Aibonito 69, Barranquitas 70 787-622-4881 787-622-4883 Hon. Rafael Rivera Ortega Barranquitas 71, Corozal 72, Naranjito 73, Comerio 74 787-977-2417 787-977-2418 Hon. Pedro I. Cintron Rodriguez Comerio 75, Cidra 76, Cayey 77 787-725-5115 Hon. Jorge L. Ramos Pena Salinas 78, Guayama 79, Arroyo 80 787-723-5973 787-725-2535 Hon. Sylivia Rodriguez Aponte Aguas Buenas 81, Gurabo 84, Caguas 82 787-725-2508 787-723-8305 Hon. Jose M. Varela Fernandez Caguas 83 787-722-2494 787-723-8175 Hon. Angel R. Pena Rosa Gurabo 85, Juncos 88, Las Piedras 89, San Lorenzo 86 787-722-7780 787-725-1435 Hon. Cristobal Colon Ruiz San Lorenzo 87, Patillas 91, Maunabo 92, Yabucoa 93 787-723-2910 787-725-9890 Hon. Joel Rosario Hernandez Las Piedras 90, Jumacao 94, Naguabo 95 787-721-5018 787-722-0826 Hon. Carlos "Johnny" Mendez Nunez Vieques 96, Culebras 97, Ceiba 98, Fajardo 99, Luquillo 100, Rio Grande 101 787-721-4099 787-722-4096 Hon. Angel Bulerin Ramos Rio Grande 102, Loiza 102, Canovanas 104 787-723-6035 787-722-0260 Hon. Pedro A. Rodriguez Gonzalez Canovanas 105, Carolina 106, Trujillo Alto 109 787-723-4253 787-724-0209 Hon. Roberto Rivera ruiz de Porras Trujillo alto 110, Carolina 107 787-622-4894 787-622-4895 Hon. Epifanio Jimenez Cruz Carolina 108 787-724-2001 787-723-0109 REPRESENTANTES POR ACUMULACION: Hon. Jose F. Aponte Hernandez 2do Piso, Capitolio 787-722-0458 787-722-0471 Hon. Iris M. Ruiz Class 2do Piso, Capitolio 787-722-1490 787-723-8025 Hon. Maria de Lourdes Ramos Rivera 1er Piso, Capitolio 787-725-4431 787-725-4737 Hon. Jenniffer A. Gonzalez Colon 1er Piso, Capitolio 787-721-8011 787-722-3539 Hon. Jose Chico Vega Sotano, Capitolio 787-977-2456 787-977-2494 Hon. Rolando Crespo Arroyo 3er Piso, Capitolio 787-723-2625 787-725-9189 Hon. Hector Ferrer Rios 2do Piso, Anexo Ernesto Ramos Antonini 787-725-7859 787-723-5758 Hon. Jorge Colberg Toro 1er Piso, Anexo Ernesto Ramos Antonini 787-977-0273 787-977-0323 Hon. Ferdinand Perez Roman 1er Piso, Anexo Ernesto Ramos Antonini 787-622-4887 787-622-4888 Hon. Luis R. Vega Ramos 1er Piso, Anexo Ernesto Ramos Antonini 787-721-6040 Hon. Victor Garcia San Inocencio 2do Piso, Anexo Ernesto Ramos Antonini 787-725-4942 787-725-4969 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- -> Will your friends stand by you in trouble? They will if you're an HSLDA member and your homeschool is threatened. HSLDA is ready to stand by your side along with 80,000 other homeschool families. More reasons to join HSLDA... http://www.hslda.org/elink.asp?id=1105 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- ====================================================================== The HSLDA E-lert Service is a service of: Home School Legal Defense Association P.O. Box 3000 Purcellville, Virginia 20134 Phone: (540) 338-5600 Fax: (540) 338-2733 Email: info@hslda.org Web: http://www.hslda.org ---------------------------------------------------------------------- How To Subscribe: - Subscribe to the HSLDA E-lert Service at our website: https://secure.hslda.org/hslda/elert/account.asp?Process=Subscribe - Or send an email with name and complete mailing address to: subscribe@hslda.org ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Subscription Information: - You subscribed to the HSLDA E-lert Service as: ##ToAddress## - To unsubscribe from the HSLDA E-lert Service send an email from the email address you want to unsubscribe to: unsubscribe@hslda.org - To change your email address or make other changes to your subscription, visit the HSLDA E-lert Service account web page at: https://secure.hslda.org/hslda/elert/account.asp ---------------------------------------------------------------------- POSTMASTERS: This message is being sent to the most recent address we have for our subscribers. 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. ====================================================================== | |
