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From the HSLDA E-lert Service...
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January 4, 2008
North Dakota--Announcing Homeschool Day at the Capitol!
Dear HSLDA Members and Friends:
The North Dakota Home School Association (NDHSA) invites all
home-educating families to Homeschool Day at the Capitol in Bismarck
from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, January 16, 2008. The goal
of NDHSA for Homeschool Day is to make 2009 a year of freedom for
homeschoolers in North Dakota, replacing the burdensome homeschool law
(one of America's worst) with a law providing parents more freedom to
teach their children. Homeschool Day will be an opportunity for
homeschooling families from across the state to meet with state
officials and learn how to effectively lobby for greater homeschool
freedom in North Dakota.
We at HSLDA believe it is very important for as many homeschool
families as possible to attend this event. You may recall that, as
recently as the 2007 session of the General Assembly, North Dakotans
witnessed a flurry of legislative activity that would affect their
homeschool rights. Senate Bill 2371, which started off as a good bill,
then was amended by the Senate Education Committee to become a bad
bill, then amended again to become a good bill as it passed the full
Senate, became a bad bill again and was finally voted down in the
House of Representatives on March 16, 2007 after homeschoolers
convinced legislators to oppose the bill. This bill began as simply a
proposal to permit grandparents and foster parents to homeschool and
clarify some standardized testing provisions of the law. It turned
into an effort by unfriendly legislators to add even more restrictions
to North Dakota's already burdensome homeschool law. Unless
homeschoolers make a concerted effort to influence their legislators,
our voices will not be heard and it will be impossible to advance
homeschooling freedom in North Dakota.
NDHSA has arranged a day filled with informative speakers and powerful
state officials, including:
> Governor John Hoeven;
> North Dakota Supreme Court Justice Daniel J. Crothers;
> The Honorable Rae Ann Kelsch, Chairman of the House Education
Committee;
> Dr. Wayne Sanstead, Superintendent of the Department of Public
Instruction;
> Greg Gallagher, Director of Standards and Achievement for the
Department of Public Instruction;
> Anita Thomas, Legal Counsel for the North Dakota Legislative
Counsel;
> Tom Freier of the North Dakota Family Alliance;
> Dr. Jim Bartlett of the North Dakota Home School Association.
In my 17 years at HSLDA I have seen how effective capitol lobby days
are in preventing bad legislation. A face-to-face meeting between a
state official and a homeschooling family gives the official the
opportunity to see firsthand the positive benefits of homeschooling.
Informed homeschooling constituents who meet with and demonstrate
interest in their legislator's activities provide that legislator with
reasons to vote in favor of maintaining homeschool freedom. If a
legislator never meets a homeschooler, he may have no reason to
support parental freedom to homeschool and may vote against
homeschooling if presented with the issue.
In addition to protecting your freedom, the Homeschool Day provides a
great opportunity to your children for a field trip to learn about
state government and how laws are made in North Dakota.
Take advantage of this opportunity. Don't miss this year's great
event!
Below are MORE reasons to attend the NDHSA Homeschool Day at the
Capitol:
> Mr. Greg Gallagher of the North Dakota Department of Public
Instruction will be speaking on the philosophy and theory of
achievement testing;
> Mr. Tom Freier of the North Dakota Family Alliance will be sharing
lobbying strategies and how the Family Alliance seeks to support
homeschooling in during the 2009 legislative session;
> NDHSA will offer instruction to homeschoolers on how to effectively
communicate its 2009 legislative goals to local legislators.
> NDHSA will provide attendees with literature about homeschooling to
share with their legislators.
> Homeschool students will be sharing their speech talents;
> Tables will be provided for vendors and homeschoolers to showcase
projects and products.
For more information, go to the NDHSA website at
http://www.ndhsa.org/.
Sincerely,
Dewitt T. Black, III
HSLDA Senior Counsel
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-> How many news articles did you read this morning over your
oatmeal?
We live in a world where concise information presented at the
right time can make a big difference in the outcome of important
legislative efforts. Yet it's tough to keep up with all the
issues that affect you. HSLDA does this for you in the areas that
affect your homeschool. Our emails and website enable you to
take quick, decisive action. Please consider becoming a part of
this team.
More reasons to join HSLDA...
http://www.hslda.org/elink.asp?id=1923
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