Date: From: Subject:

3/5/2009 9:49:02 AM Home School Legal Defense Association Tennessee -- Calls Needed to Pass Diploma Bill

====================================================================== From the HSLDA E-lert Service... ====================================================================== March 5, 2009 Tennessee -- Calls Needed to Pass Diploma Bill Dear HSLDA Members and Friends: We need your help to stop discrimination against homeschool and church-related school graduates in Tennessee. State Representative Mike Bell is the sponsor of House Bill 431, which would require the state to recognize high school diplomas awarded by any legal form of education in Tennessee. This bill is scheduled to be heard by the House Education K-12 Subcommittee next week. In order to be most effective and efficient in this lobbying effort, Rep. Bell has requested that only people who live in a subcommittee member's district contact that member to express their support of H.B. 431. We want these legislators to know that their own constituents are behind this bill. Please contact your state representative on the subcommittee today! ACTION REQUESTED: 1. Please call and/or email your state representative on the House Education K-12 Subcommittee with this message: "Please vote for House Bill 431 to eliminate discrimination against homeschool and church-related school graduates. High school diplomas awarded by any legal form of education in Tennessee should be recognized by the state." The members of the House Education K-12 Subcommittee are as follows: Rep. Les Winningham, Chair, District 38 -- Clay, Jackson, Pickett, Scott and parts of Anderson Counties (615) 741-6852 rep.leslie.winningham@capitol.tn.gov Rep. Ron Lollar, Vice-Chair, District 99 -- Part of Shelby County (615) 741-7084 rep.ron.lollar@capitol.tn.gov Rep. Judy Barker, District 77 -- Obion, Lake and part of Dyer Counties (615) 741-0718 rep.judy.barker@capitol.tn.gov Rep. Tommie Brown, District 28 -- Part of Hamilton County (615) 741-4374 rep.tommie.brown@capitol.tn.gov Rep. Bill Dunn, District 16 -- Part of Knox County (615) 741-1721 rep.bill.dunn@capitol.tn.gov Rep. Beth Harwell, District 56 -- Part of Davidson County (615) 741-0709 rep.beth.harwell@capitol.tn.gov Rep. David Hawk, District 5 -- Unicoi and part of Greene Counties (615) 741-7482 rep.david.hawk@capitol.tn.gov Rep. Joey Hensley, District 70 -- Lawrence, Lewis and part of Wayne Counties (615) 741-7476 rep.joey.hensley@capitol.tn.gov Rep. Ulysses Jones, District 98 -- Part of Shelby County (615) 741-4575 rep.ulysses.jones@capitol.tn.gov Rep. Mark Maddox, District 76 -- Weakley and part of Carroll Counties (615) 741-7847 rep.mark.maddox@capitol.tn.gov Rep. Larry Turner, District 85 -- Part of Shelby County (615) 741-6954 rep.larry.turner@capitol.tn.gov Rep. Terri Lynn Weaver, District 40 -- DeKalb, Smith and Macon Counties (615) 741-2192 rep.terri.lynn.weaver@capitol.tn.gov 2. Please forward this email to every family you know who is not a member of HSLDA and urge them to contact their state representative on the subcommittee. BACKGROUND: College admission and both public and private employment are often conditioned upon the applicant's having a state-recognized high school diploma. In recent years in Tennessee, graduates of homeschools and church-related schools have been denied these opportunities because their diploma was not approved by the Tennessee Department of Education. H.B. 431 would eliminate this discrimination by requiring the state to recognize high school diplomas awarded by any legal form of education in Tennessee. To view the text of this bill, please go to http://www.capitol.tn.gov/Bills/106/Bill/HB0431.pdf Please call or email today! Sincerely, Dewitt T. Black, III HSLDA Senior Counsel ---------------------------------------------------------------------- -> Remember the last time you wrote a term paper? 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