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From the HSLDA E-lert Service...
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July 1, 2008
District of Columbia--Calls Needed to Ask Tom Davis to Sign
Letter to D.C. Government to Oppose Burdensome Regulations
Dear HSLDA Members and Friends:
We are asking you to call Congressman Tom Davis today to ask him to
sign a letter drafted by HSLDA. This letter is needed to help the
small homeschooling community in the District of Columbia fight to
remain free of unreasonable governmental regulations.
Congressman Davis is a member of the Committee on Oversight and
Government Reform, which oversees the District of Columbia. And we
need his signature on this letter this week.
We are asking for your help, because if these regulations go into
effect and severely restrict homeschool freedom for District
homeschoolers, it may set a potentially damaging precedent.
Unfortunately, District education officials have not been willing to
include small but important changes to the proposed regulations and
are poised to enact restrictive homeschool regulations.
ACTION REQUESTED:
Please call Congressman Davis and give him this message in your own
words:
"Please sign the letter written by HSLDA asking District of Columbia
officials to work with HSLDA on the proposed regulations. The current
draft does not respect the rights of parents and places too much power
in the hands of unelected bureaucrats to restrict and potentially
terminate -- without proper due process -- parents' decision to
homeschool their children. The OSSE should make the suggestions made
by HSLDA in their letter to Superintendant Deborah Gist, including
removing the high school diploma requirement, increasing assessment
options (if indeed any are needed), and providing for real due process
in the event of a dispute between homeschoolers and education
officials."
Congressman Tom Davis:
Washington D.C. Office:
Phone: (202) 225-1492
Fax: (202) 225-3071
Annandale District Office
Phone: (703) 916-9610
Fax: (703) 916-9617
Prince William District Office
Phone: (703) 590-4599
For an analysis of the proposed D.C. regulations, see
http://www.hslda.org/elink.asp?id=5273
BACKGROUND:
1. Responding to the Banita Jacks case, the District of Columbia
embarked on a crackdown of homeschoolers. D.C. Mayor Adrian M. Fenty
publicly promised to regulate homeschooling. See
http://www.hslda.org/elink.asp?id=5274 .
2. The Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE) has
authority to propose regulations and did work with HSLDA and other
D.C. homeschoolers. They agreed to include certain language and
provisions. However, the published regulations fail to deliver on
assurances and promises that were given to D.C. homeschoolers.
3. Numerous homeschool families have testified before the State Board
of Education (SBOE) and received high praise from Board members. The
State Board has authority to approve the proposed regulations. In its
hearing, the State Board was interested and seemed receptive to
finding a solution that dealt fairly with homeschoolers. We want them
to direct the OSSE to go back and work with homeschoolers to improve
the regulations further.
4. Current D.C. regulations call for parents to simply notify the
District that they are homeschooling. We support this approach as an
excellent way to solve the current impasse.
Thank you for standing with us for homeschooling freedom!
Sincerely,
Michael P. Donnelly, Esq.
HSLDA Staff Attorney
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More reasons to join HSLDA...
http://www.hslda.org/elink.asp?id=1107
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Phone: (540) 338-5600
Fax: (540) 338-2733
Email: info@hslda.org
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