| From the HSLDA E-lert Service: |
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| Date: From: Subject: | 3/10/2010 6:03:31 PM Home School Legal Defense Association West Virginia: Call IMMEDIATELY to Stop Compulsory Attendance Age Increase! |
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====================================================================== From the HSLDA E-lert Service... ====================================================================== March 9, 2010 West Virginia--Calls Needed IMMEDIATELY to Prevent Compulsory Attendance Age Increase! Dear HSLDA Members and Friends: The Senate Finance Committee is poised to pass HB 4593, which would increase the age of compulsory school attendance from 16 to 17, imposing an additional year of government control over your homeschool. While the bill would create a number of programs intended to help students who might otherwise drop out of school, there is no reason to increase the compulsory school attendance age. Increasing the age of compulsory school attendance is a bad idea and the Finance Committee needs to hear from you. HSLDA has provided draft language for the committee to consider that would exempt home educators from this increase. However, because this legislation would affect all students, you need not identify yourself as a homeschooler. ACTION REQUESTED Please call and email members of the Senate Finance Committee tomorrow before 3:00 PM and ask them to leave the compulsory attendance age alone. Use the following message in your own words: "Please keep the compulsory school age at 16. 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 parent's ability to make the decision that is best for each child based on their individual circumstances. I am aware that HB 4593 provides for other programs that may be helpful. However as a West Virginia taxpayer I oppose increasing the age of compulsory school attendance. Please amend HB 4593 or oppose it." If your last name begins with A-I please contact your senator and 1-6; if your names begins with J-Q contact your senator and 7-12; if your name begins with R-Z Contact your Senator and numbers 13-17. 1. Walt Helmick (D - Pocahontas) (304) 357-7980 walt.helmick@wvsenate.gov 2. Brooks McCabe (D - Kanawha) (304) 357-7990 brooks.mccabe@wvsenate.gov 3. Edwin Bowman (304) 357-7918 jason.wazelle@wvsenate.gov 4. H. Truman Chafin 304) 357-7808 truman.chafin@wvsenate.gov 5. Larry J. Edgell (304) 357-7827 larry.edgell@wvsenate.gov 6. Douglas E. Facemire (304) 357-7845 douglas.facemire@wvsenate.gov 7. John Pat Fanning (304) 357-7867 john.fanning@wvsenate.gov 8. Mike Green (304) 357-7831 mike.green@wvsenate.gov 9. Robert H. Plymale (304) 357-7937 robert.plymale@wvsenate.gov 10. Roman Prezioso (304) 357-7961 roman.prezioso@wvsenate.gov 11. John Unger II (304) 357-7933 john.unger@wvsenate.gov 12. Erik Wells (304) 357-7841 erik.wells@wvsenate.gov 13. Randy White (304) 357-7906 randy.white@wvsenate.gov 14. Donna J. Boley (304) 357-7905 donnaboley@suddenlink.net 15. Karen L. Facemyer (304) 357-7855 karen.facemyer@wvsenate.gov 16. Jesse O. Guills (304) 357-7959 jesse.guills@wvsenate.gov 17. Dave Sypolt (304) 357-7914 davesypolt@wvsenate.gov 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" ( http://hslda.org/elink.asp?ID=7609 ). 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://hslda.org/docs/nche/Issues/E/Early_Education.asp HSLDA continues to work closely with CHEWV to oppose this legislation. We are standing with you to defend your freedom! Standing with you, Michael P. Donnelly, Esq. Staff Attorney ---------------------------------------------------------------------- -> "I saved my entire membership fee with one discount" "We've been a Liberty Mutual customer for over 12 years. We called and asked about our HSLDA member discount and they lowered our premium by approx $95 per year...coincidentally the same amount as our HSLDA annual membership fee. Thought you'd want to know!!'" 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Thank you for your cooperation. ====================================================================== | |
