| From the HSLDA E-lert Service: |
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| Date: From: Subject: | 6/10/2010 12:07:31 PM Home School Legal Defense Association Rhode Island--Action Still Needed on Both Compulsory Attendance Bills! |
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====================================================================== From the HSLDA E-lert Service... ====================================================================== Rhode Island--Action Still Needed on Both Compulsory Attendance Bills! Dear HSLDA Members and Friends: Last night, the House of Representatives voted to pass HB 8067. Yesterday was expected to be the last day of the session, but the opportunity for bills to be considered and passed has been extended to include today. The only thing standing between this bill and passage is a hearing in the Senate Education Committee and a vote on the floor of the Senate. Also, less likely but still possible, the Senate Education Committee could still vote to pass SB2928, which could then move through both houses. Both bills would subject families to another two years of government regulation of their education. It would raise the upper limit of compulsory attendance age in Rhode Island from 16 to 18. Parents--not the government--know whether it's best for their 16- and 17-year-olds to stay in a formal education setting or follow some other path. This bill would increase government control over children and restrict parents' rights to direct the upbringing and education of their children. ACTION REQUESTED Please call your senator as soon as you can at their listed number available on the Rhode Island website: http://hslda.org/elink.asp?ID=8464 Your message can be as simple as: "Please oppose HB 8067. This expensive proposal will force unwilling, unmotivated older teens to remain in classrooms where they will cause disruption. Protect the right of parents to decide what educational or vocational paths their 16- and 17-year-olds should follow." If you don't reach your senator personally, please leave a message for them at the capitol by calling the office of the President of the Senate at (401) 222-6655. Since this message will probably be relayed by a third party, simply give your name, number, and ask your representative to oppose HB 8067. Ask your senator to oppose it should it pass the House tonight. Since this bill affects all Rhode Island families, you don't need to identify yourself as a homeschooler. BACKGROUND HB 8067 only has two exemptions. The first is for students accepted into an accredited college--but this provides no help to parents who believe their 16-year-old should follow a vocationally oriented path. An additional exception is so complex and full of red tape that it is of little to no value in protecting freedom--and it is subject to the whim of the school superintendent. SB 2928 has more exemptions, including a provision for graduation from a home instruction program. However, for most families, this bill would have the same effect: subjecting them to two more years of burdensome reporting requirements. Those in favor of raising the compulsory school attendance age believe 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. In fact, several states with the lowest compulsory school attendance ages have the highest graduation rates. These bills unnecessarily impose 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: More than 20 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. 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/elink.asp?ID=8268 Thank you for standing with us for freedom! Standing with you, Scott A. 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If this is an invalid email address or you have other problems, please reply to webmaster@hslda.org. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- DISCLAIMER: This is considered a private and confidential message from HSLDA to its bonafide HSLDA E-lert Service subscribers. HSLDA cannot attest to the authenticity of copies posted, forwarded, or sent by any party other than HSLDA. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- NOTE: Please do not reply or otherwise use this email address; hslda@hslda.org is for broadcast purposes only and is not intended to receive incoming messages. We cannot reply to any email sent to this address. If you have comments or questions, please send email to info@hslda.org or call HSLDA at 540-338-5600. HSLDA members can also email staff directly through the Members website at http://members.hslda.org/contact.asp. Thank you for your cooperation. ====================================================================== | |
