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| Date: From: Subject: | 2/20/2009 4:09:59 PM Home School Legal Defense Association Arizona--Urgent Calls Needed to Stop Government Control Over Homeschoolers |
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====================================================================== From the HSLDA E-lert Service... ====================================================================== February 20, 2009 Arizona--Urgent Calls Needed to Stop Government Control Over Homeschoolers Dear HSLDA Members and Friends: Late last month, House Bill 2292 was introduced in the Arizona Legislature. This bill would raise the compulsory school attendance age in Arizona from 16 to 18. While parents who teach their children at home in Arizona are only required to notify the local county school superintendent once, this bill would restrict the freedom parents have in deciding when their child should finish school. Additionally, any parent moving into the state or beginning to homeschool for the first time would have to report under this bill unless their child is 18. We have been closely monitoring this bill and had received assurances that it would not be heard in committee. However, House Bill 2292 has been scheduled to be heard this coming Monday, February 23 at 2:00 p.m. in the House Education Committee. Arizona Families for Home Education will have their legislative liaison at the hearing to testify against the bill. We need your calls now to help us stop this bill. Please contact the Committee members listed below and urge them to oppose this bill. For the updated status on this bill please go to http://www.hslda.org/elink.asp?id=6147 . REQUESTED ACTION: Please call and email the House Education Committee members listed below to give them this message in your own words: "Please oppose House Bill 2292. Raising the compulsory school attendance age from 16 to 18 will force many students who don't want to be there back into the school system and create a disruptive environment. This bill also takes away the right of parents to decide whether their children should remain in school or get valuable experience in the workplace. House bill 2292 would only waste taxpayers' money. Please oppose House 2292." Do not identify yourself as a homeschooler; instead you can identify yourself as a concerned parent and taxpayer. If you last name begins with A-M please call the first group. If you last name beings with N-Z please call the second group. House Education Committee Members Group One Chairman Representative Rich Crandall Phone: (602) 926-3020 Email: rcrandall@azleg.gov Representative Nancy K. Barto Phone: (602) 926-5766 Email: nbarto@azleg.gov Representative Steve Court Phone: (602) 926-4467 Email: scourt@azleg.gov Representative Laurin Hendrix Phone: (602) 926-5735 Email: lhendrix@azleg.gov Representative Eric Meyer Phone: (602) 926-3037 Email: emeyer@azleg.gov Group Two Vice-Chairman Representative Doris Goodale Phone: (602) 926-5408 Email: dgoodale@azleg.gov Representative David Schapira Phone: (602) 926-3028 Email: dschapira@azleg.gov Representative Rae Waters Phone: (602) 926-5550 Email: rwaters@azleg.gov Representative Vic Williams Phone: (602) 926-5839 Email: vwilliams@azleg.gov Representative Nancy Young Wright Phone: (602) 926-3398 Email: nyoungwright@azleg.gov 2) Please contact your own representative and give him or her this message in your own words: "Please oppose House Bill 2292. Raising the compulsory school attendance age from 16 to 18 will force many student who don't want to be there back into the school system and create a disruptive environment. This bill also takes away the right of parents to decide whether their children should remain in school or get valuable experience in the work place. House bill 2292 would only waste taxpayers' money. Please oppose House 2292." Do not identify yourself as a homeschooler; instead you can identify yourself as a concerned parent and taxpayer. To find the contact information for your representative please go to HSLDA's legislative toolbox at http://www.hslda.org/toolbox . BACKGROUND Raising the compulsory attendance age will not reduce the dropout rate. In fact, the two states with the highest high school completion rates, Maryland at 94.5% and North Dakota at 94.7%, compel attendance only to age 16. The state with the lowest completion rate (Oregon: 75.4%) compels attendance to age 18. (Figures are three-year averages, 1996 through 1998.) Twenty-seven states only require attendance to age 16. Older children unwilling to learn can cause classroom disruptions and even violence, making learning harder for their classmates who truly want to learn. It would restrict parents' freedom to decide if their 16-year-old is ready for college or the work force. Some 16-year-olds who are not academically inclined will benefit more from valuable work experience than from being forced to sit in a classroom. For more information on compulsory school attendance, please see our memorandum at http://www.hslda.org/elink.asp?id=6131 If you are not yet a member of HSLDA and would like to help us fight for greater homeschool freedom in Arizona please visit http://www.hslda.org/elink.asp?id=6148 . 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=6149 . Thank you for your part in fighting for freedom in Arizona! Sincerely, Thomas J. Schmidt HSLDA Staff Attorney ---------------------------------------------------------------------- -> For as little as 27 cents a day... There's not much you can get for 27 cents a day. Why not put your money toward peace of mind for yourself, your family, and their future? More reasons to join HSLDA... http://www.hslda.org/elink.asp?id=1110 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- ====================================================================== 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. ====================================================================== | |
