| From the HSLDA E-lert Service: |
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| Date: From: Subject: | 4/25/2011 5:28:48 PM Home School Legal Defense Association Rhode Island: Call by Wednesday to Stop Compulsory School Age Expansion to 18 |
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====================================================================== From the HSLDA E-lert Service... ====================================================================== Rhode Island: Call by Wednesday to Stop Compulsory School Age Expansion to 18 Dear HSLDA Members and Friends: Your calls are needed by mid-day Wednesday to stop a bill that would raise the age of compulsory school attendance in Rhode Island from 16 to 18. SB 46 would take away from parents the freedom to decide which path is best for their 16- and 17-year-olds to follow. And it would result in higher taxes as unwilling older students are forced to stay in schools. REQUESTED ACTION: 1. If your senator is on the Senate Education Committee (see list below), Please call him or her to let them know you oppose SB 46. Use our Legislative Toolbox at http://www.hslda.org/toolbox to find out who your senator is. 2. If your senator is not on the Senate Education Committee, please call the chairperson, secretary or vice chairperson. 3. Your message can be as simple as: "Please vote NO on SB 46. Parents, not state officials, know whether their 16-year-old young adult should pursue formal education or some other preparation for life responsibilities. The extra cost of forcing unwilling young adults into a formal school setting should not be added to our tax burden." This bill would undermine the freedom of all parents. It is not necessary for you to identify yourself as a homeschooler. 4. Please pass this message on to all your friends. This bill will negatively impact almost everyone in Rhode Island--children, parents, and taxpayers. CONTACT INFORMATION--SENATE EDUCATION COMMITTEE Senator Frank A. DeVall, Jr. sen-devall@rilin.state.ri.us (401) 433-4353 Senator Louis P. DiPalma sen-dipalma@rilin.state.ri.us (401) 847-8540 Senator Hanna M. Gallo, Chairperson sen-gallo@rilin.state.ri.us (401) 942-8566 Senator Beatrice A. Lanzi, Secretary sen-lanzi@rilin.state.ri.us (401) 946-7125 Senator Harold M. Metts, Vice Chairperson sen-metts@rilin.state.ri.us (401) 272-0112 Senator Edward J. O'Neill sen-eoneill@rilin.state.ri.us (401) 728-3295 Senator Glenford J. Shibley sen-shibley@rilin.state.ri.us (401) 222-2708 BACKGROUND You may be told there is a "homeschool exception." SB 46 would allow a child to withdraw from school if he has "documented completion of a home school program at the high school level by submitting a certificate or letter to the department of education." But this is vague and too subject to bureaucratic interpretation to offer families any meaningful hope. The department might take a parental letter of completion at face value. Or it might decide to create state standards for what constitutes "completion" and what is necessary to "document" it. Or it might establish state standards for what a high school level homeschool program must contain. In the end, many families might find the new burdens more onerous than merely continuing to file annual paperwork with their town until their child turns 18. Not all 16 and 17-year-olds belong in a formal school setting. Some would be better off in a work training program, apprenticeship, obtaining valuable work experience, etc. This decision belongs to parents, not state officials. Pushing unwilling older students into the classroom will disrupt the other students who truly want to learn. Since many 17-year-olds have the size and strength of adults, classrooms could become even more violent. Raising the compulsory age does not help young people. Some of the states with the highest graduation rates have the lowest compulsory attendance cut-off age. Most states have a compulsory attendance cut-off age of 16 or less. Taxes would inevitably rise to pay for more classroom space and teachers. When California raised the upper age limit of compulsory attendance, taxpayers were forced to pay for the building of new schools just to handle the older, unwilling students and their behavior problems. For more information on compulsory attendance, please see our memorandum at http://www.hslda.org/elink.asp?id=7918 Thank you for your calls on behalf of freedom in Rhode Island. Sincerely, Scott Woodruff HSLDA Senior Counsel ---------------------------------------------------------------------- -> Who's knocking on your door? When a social service worker arrives at your door, tension can run high. Wouldn't it be nice to get your lawyer on the phone, providing you with immediate step-by-step guidance? 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Thank you for your cooperation. ====================================================================== | |
