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| Date: From: Subject: | 2/22/2010 4:37:27 PM Home School Legal Defense Association West Virginia--Calls Needed to Prevent Compulsory Attendance Age Increase! |
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====================================================================== From the HSLDA E-lert Service... ====================================================================== February 22, 2010 West Virginia--Calls Needed to Prevent Compulsory Attendance Age Increase! Dear HSLDA Members and Friends: The House Education Committee met last Friday to discuss the age of compulsory attendance and created a new bill, HB 4593, which would, among other things, increase the age of compulsory school attendance from 16 to 17. This bill would create many programs intended to help students, who might otherwise drop out of school, complete their education. However, HSLDA opposes this bill because it increases the compulsory school attendance age. We are asking you to contact your delegate and ask them to oppose increasing the compulsory attendance age. While the other programs help students, raising the compulsory attendance age will not. The full House will vote on HB 4593 this Wednesday, February 24. If it passes, it will move on to the Senate. For more information visit http://www.hslda.org/elink.asp?id=7713 . Or, view the CHEWV email alert at: http://www.hslda.org/elink.asp?id=7714 . ACTION REQUESTED Please call your delegate by Tuesday, February 23, and ask him or her to remove the language that would increase the age of compulsory school attendance. Because this legislation would affect all students, you should not identify yourself as a homeschooler. Use the following message in your own words: "Please remove language in HB 4593 that increases the compulsory attendance age to 17. I am aware that HB 4593 provides for many programs that may be helpful in increasing graduation rates. However, increasing the compulsory attendance age will neither increase graduation rates nor decrease dropout rates. It will, however, raise taxes and unnecessarily subject families to government control for an additional year. Parents should be the ones making decisions about when children should leave school -- not the government. Many children are ready to leave school at 16 and are able to do just fine by getting a GED or starting college early. This bill would interfere with parents' ability to make the decision that is best for each child based on their individual circumstances. Furthermore, I'm concerned that this bill will increase taxes and turn classrooms into jail cells, further eroding the quality of education provided in West Virginia's public schools. As a West Virginia taxpayer I oppose increasing the age of compulsory school attendance. Please amend HB 4593 or oppose it." To find your delegate visit: http://www.hslda.org/elink.asp?id=7715 . For a list of all West Virginia delegates visit: http://www.hslda.org/elink.asp?id=7716 . BACKGROUND Those in favor of raising the compulsory school attendance age feel that it will help graduation rates and reduce the number of dropouts. However, statistics and studies show that raising the compulsory school attendance age does not accomplish this result. In fact, several states with the lowest compulsory school attendance ages have the highest graduation rates. This bill unnecessarily imposes government regulation on the authority of parents to make decisions about what is in the best interest of their children. To learn more you can read the following article "Raise the Bar, Not the Age" at http://www.hslda.org/elink.asp?id=7717 . Additional reasons to oppose increasing the compulsory school attendance age: Children who are compelled to stay in school against their will cause classroom disruptions and even violence, making learning harder for their classmates who truly want to learn. This bill restricts parents' ability to decide if their 16-year-old is ready for college or the workforce. Many 16-year-olds who are not academically inclined benefit more from valuable work experience than from being forced to sit in a classroom. Another significant impact of expanding the compulsory attendance age would be an inevitable tax increase to pay for more classroom space and teachers to accommodate the additional students compelled to attend public schools. When California raised the upper age limit of compulsory attendance, unwilling students were so disruptive that new schools had to be built just to handle them and their behavior problems, all at the expense of the taxpayer. For additional information, visit our website at: http://www.hslda.org/elink.asp?id=7718 . HSLDA continues to work closely with CHEWV to oppose this legislation. We are standing with you to defend your freedom! Sincerely, Michael P. Donnelly, Esq. Staff Attorney ---------------------------------------------------------------------- -> What do you look like when you get out of bed? 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Thank you for your cooperation. ====================================================================== | |
