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| Date: From: Subject: | 2/8/2007 4:01:15 PM Home School Legal Defense Association New Mexico: Calls Still Needed to Stop Expanded State Control Over Homeschools |
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====================================================================== From the HSLDA E-lert Service... ====================================================================== New Mexico: Calls Still Needed to Stop Expanded State Control Over Homeschools February 8, 2007 Dear New Mexico members and friends, Unfortunately, the compulsory attendance Senate bill that we asked you to oppose, passed and is now on its way to be voted on in the House. In addition, House Bill 584 is scheduled for a committee hearing tomorrow. As a reminder, these two companion bills would raise the compulsory attendance age from 17 years to 18 years. If these bills pass, you would be required to notify the state of your homeschooling and have your homeschooled child under the state's jurisdiction an extra year. These bills must be stopped! We are now asking that you call your own senator and representative as soon as possible to voice your opposition. REQUESTED ACTION Please call your senator and representative and give them this message: "Please oppose any effort to raise the age of compulsory school attendance. It only serves as a waste of taxpayer's money; it would force unwilling, disruptive students into the classroom." You do not need to mention that you homeschool. How to find your Senator/Representative: Go to http://legis.state.nm.us/lcs/legislatorsearch.asp, and type in your ZIP code, or call the New Mexico Legislature's main switchboard at (505) 986-4300 and ask for your senator or representative. BACKGROUND Reasons for opposing higher compulsory attendance age: > Raising the compulsory attendance age will not reduce the dropout rate. In fact, the two states with the highest high school completion rates (Maryland, 94.5%, and North Dakota, 94.7%) compel attendance only to age 16, but the state with the lowest completion rate (Oregon, 75.4%) compels attendance to age 18. (These figures are three-year averages, 1996 through 1998.) > Most states (28) only require attendance to age 16. Older children who do not want to learn cause classroom discipline problems, disruptions, and violence, making learning harder for those who truly want to learn. > When California raised the age of compulsory attendance, the disruption caused by unwilling students was so significant that new schools had to be set up just to handle these students and their behavior problems, all at the expense of the taxpayer. Unwilling students who are forced back into the classroom are unlikely to benefit from one year of additional schooling. > It would require homeschool families to submit to one more year of governmental red tape, and be exposed to one more year of the threat of legal action or subpoena in the event of an accusation of a violation. > It would take away the parental freedom to decide if a 17-year-old is ready for college or the workforce. Some 17-year-olds who are not academically inclined benefit more from valuable work experience than being forced to sit in a classroom. For more information on compulsory attendance, please see our memorandum at http://www.hslda.org/docs/nche/Issues/E/Early_Education.asp Sincerely, Christopher J. Klicka, Esq. Senior Counsel ---------------------------------------------------------------------- -> You can only do so much... No one can be everywhere at once. And you can't be at home, teaching your children, while monitoring your state's legislature. Through electronic legislative services, HSLDA is monitoring state legislation for you -- watching and listening carefully for any proposed laws that could erode your right to homeschool. Join HSLDA today-we'll watch out for your future. 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Thank you for your cooperation. ====================================================================== | |
