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| Date: From: Subject: | 1/13/2009 4:29:39 PM Home School Legal Defense Association Oklahoma: Action Needed--Homeschool Freedom Threatened by Two Bad Bills! |
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====================================================================== From the HSLDA E-lert Service... ====================================================================== January 13, 2009 Oklahoma: Action Needed--Homeschool Freedom Threatened by Two Bad Bills! Dear HSLDA Members and Friends: Even before the Oklahoma 2009 Legislative Session has officially started, two bills have come to our attention, and we need your help. These bills, Senate Bill 308 and Senate Bill 472, threaten the foundation of home education freedom that parents have in Oklahoma. Both bills are scheduled to be officially introduced on February 2. Senate Bill 472 would require every parent or guardian who is providing "other means of education" (i.e. home education) to their child to notify their local school district of this fact. If this bill is passed, every parent would have to submit a notice of their intent before the first day of each school year or within 10 days from beginning their home education program. Senate Bill 472 would also require parents to submit a report of each of their children's academic progress at the end of each semester. Every parent would be required to submit two reports a year to their local public school officials for each child to demonstrate how that child was doing in their home education program. Senate Bill 308 and Senate Bill 472 would allow local police or certain public school officials to take temporary custody of any child who was taught at home. Under both S.B. 308 and S.B. 472 whenever a child is away from their home without an adult present, a police officer or school official could pick them up and temporarily detain them. Currently under Oklahoma law, children who are taught at home cannot be picked up and detained; they are exempt. We need your calls and emails to both sponsors of these bills to persuade them to remove their bills. We would also like you to contact the Senate Education Committee to let them know that you oppose these bills as well. We have provided a suggested message to give, but your own personal message about this bill will be the most effective way to let the legislature understand that these bills are not needed and would damage the freedom of "other means of education" that Oklahoma has recognized for over 100 years. REQUESTED ACTION: 1. Please call and email Senator Mary Easley, the sponsor of Senate Bill 472, and give her this message in your own words: "Please remove Senate Bill 472 from consideration by the legislature immediately. Under the Oklahoma Constitution a parent may provide for 'other means of education' to their children. Study after study has shown that children taught at home (on average) do above average academically. This bill is an unacceptable infringement of parents' rights to direct their child's education." When calling Senator Easley's office understand that they will probably be receiving a lot of calls. Please be courteous but firm in your opposition to Senate Bill 472. Please let her office know if you live in her district and are one of her constituents (District 18). Senator Easley is also on the Senate Education Committee. Senator Mary Easley Capitol Address 2300 North Lincoln Blvd., Room 429 Oklahoma City, OK 73105 Phone: (405) 521-5590 Email: easley@oksenate.gov District Address: 106 S. Cherokee Lane Grand Lake Towne, OK 74349 2. Please call and email Senator Jim Wilson, the sponsor of Senate Bill 308, and give him this message in your own words: "Please remove Senate Bill 308 from consideration by the legislature immediately. Under the Oklahoma Constitution a parent may provide for 'other means of education' to their children. This bill is an unacceptable infringement of parents' rights to direct their child's education and determine what is in their best interest. Children who are not in violation of the law should be exempt from being picked up by local officials simply because they are taught at home." When calling Senator Wilson's office understand that they will probably be receiving a lot of calls. Please be courteous but firm in your opposition to Senate Bill 308. Please let his office know if you live in his district and are one of his constituents (District 3). Senator Jim Wilson Capitol Address: 2300 North Lincoln Blvd., Room 533C Oklahoma City, OK 73105 Phone: (405) 521-5574 Email: wilson@oksenate.gov District Address: 708 W. Shawnee Tahlequah, OK 74464 3. Please call and email the Senate Education Committee members listed below and give the following message in your own words: "Please oppose Senate Bill 472 and Senate Bill 308. Under the Oklahoma Constitution a parent may provide for 'other means of education' to their children. Study after study has shown that children taught at home (on average) do above average academically. These bills are an unacceptable infringement of parents' rights to direct their child's education. Senate Bill 472 will create unnecessary paperwork for public school officials and parents, wasting time and money. Both Senate Bill 308 and 472 would also violate the child's fundamental Fourth Amendment rights. Many children 16 and older who are taught at home attend educational activities outside of the home with the consent and under the direction of their parent." If you find that your state senator is on the Senate Education Committee please let him or her know that you are a constituent. You can find a list of the Senate organized by district here: http://www.hslda.org/elink.asp?id=5979 . Senate Education Committee Members Senator John W. Ford (R)- Chair Phone: (405) 521-5634 Email: fordj@oksenate.gov Senator Clark Jolley (R)- Vice Chair Phone: (405) 521-5622 Email: jolley@oksenate.gov Senator Cliff Branan (R) Phone: (405) 521-5543 Email: branan@oksenate.gov Senator Bill Brown (R) Phone: (405) 521-5602 Email: brownb@oksenate.gov Senator Kenneth Corn (D) Phone: (405) 521-5576 Email: cochran@oksenate.gov Senator Mary Easley (D) Phone: (405) 521-5590 Email: easley@oksenate.gov Senator Judy Eason McIntyre (D) Phone: (405) 521-5598 Email: easonmcintyre@oksenate.gov Senator Jay Paul Gumm (D) Phone: (405) 521-5586 and local (580) 924-4717 Email: gumm@oksenate.gov Senator Jim Halligan (R) Phone: (405) 521-5572 Email: halligan@oksenate.gov Senator Richard C. Lerblance (D) Phone: (405) 521-5604 and local (918) 297-2501 Email: lerblance@oksenate.gov Senator Mike Mazzei (R) Phone: (405) 521-5675 Email: mazzei@oksenate.gov Senator Susan Paddack (D) Phone: (405) 521-5541 Email: paddack@oksenate.gov Senator Jim Reynolds (R) Phone: (405) 521-5522 Email: reynolds@oksenate.gov Senator John Sparks (D) Phone: (405) 521-5553 Email: sparks@oksenate.gov Senator Gary Stanislawski (R) Phone: (405) 521-5624 Email: stanislawski@oksenate.gov 4. Pray that these bills are defeated and plan on attending the Oklahoma Home Educators' Capitol Day on February 10. This will provide you with a great opportunity to impact these bills, to get to meet your legislators and to create a positive impression for home education. For more information on the upcoming Capitol Day go to: http://www.hslda.org/elink.asp?id=5980 . BACKGROUND Some of you may remember that in the 2007 legislative session Senator Jim Wilson introduced a bill that was virtually identical to current Senate Bill 472. That bill, Senate Bill 375, was successfully defeated by the prayers and hard work of families all across Oklahoma. By those efforts again we pray that we will again be able to defeat these attempts to restrict the freedom of home education in Oklahoma. If you are not yet a member of HSLDA and would like to help us fight for greater parental rights and homeschool freedom in Oklahoma please visit http://www.hslda.org/elink.asp?id=5981 . If you would like to be put on our email list to receive vital e-lerts you may sign up at http://www.hslda.org/elink.asp?id=5982 . Thank you for your part in fighting for freedom in Oklahoma! Feel free to send this to others who are supportive of home education freedom. Sincerely, Thomas Schmidt HSLDA Staff Attorney ---------------------------------------------------------------------- -> How long are you in for? Some families are facing what seems like a lifelong commitment to homeschooling, with children at both ends of the spectrum -- some graduating and some just reaching school age. If you're going to be "in" for a while, consider a lifetime membership with HSLDA. It's a good deal for families with more than 10 years of homeschooling ahead. More reasons to join HSLDA... http://www.hslda.org/elink.asp?id=1936 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- ====================================================================== The HSLDA E-lert Service is a service of: Home School Legal Defense Association P.O. 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Thank you for your cooperation. ====================================================================== | |
