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| Date: From: Subject: | 6/24/2011 3:52:06 PM Home School Legal Defense Association Rhode Island: Calls Needed to Stop Compulsory School Age Increase |
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====================================================================== From the HSLDA E-lert Service... ====================================================================== Rhode Island: Calls Needed to Stop Compulsory School Age Increase Dear Rhode Island HSLDA Members and Friends: The Rhode Island House of Representatives just voted 44-23 in favor of passage of HB 5061. The bill--which would raise the compulsory school attendance age from 16 to 18--now goes to the senate. The session is nearing its end, so things could happen very quickly. We cannot limit our action to the Senate Education Committee alone, where the bill was referred. We need to let the entire senate know this bill must be stopped! REQUESTED ACTION 1. Please call your senator right away. Use our Legislative Toolbox at http://www.hslda.org/elink.asp?id=11608 to find out who your senator is. Even senators who you think already oppose the bill need to hear from you. 2. Your message can be as simple as: "Please vote no on HB 5061, which would raise the age of compulsory school attendance from 16 to 18. Parents, not state officials, know whether their 16-year-old young adult should pursue formal education or some other preparation for life responsibilities. The 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. 3. Forward this email on to all of your friends, and ask them to contact their senator to oppose the bill as well. BACKGROUND Not all 16- and 17-year-olds belong in a formal school setting. Some would be better off in a work training program or apprenticeship, obtaining valuable work experience. 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. The Rhode Island Guild of Home Teachers and HSLDA are united in opposing this attack on freedom. For more information on compulsory attendance, please see our memorandum at http://www.hslda.org/elink.asp?id=11609 . Thank you for your calls on behalf of freedom in Rhode Island. Sincerely, Scott Woodruff HSLDA Senior Counsel ---------------------------------------------------------------------- -> Is customer service an art or a science? For us, good customer service is both an art and a science -it should appeal to our members and be effective. Consider what our members say about us: The freedom HSLDA allows me to have as I homeschool is wonderful! They handle the law and I get to dedicate the time to my daughter. - National City, CA HSLDA members since 1993, our membership is just as important to us as our children's curriculum. Thank you HSLDA for all you do on our behalf! - West Valley, NY More reasons to join HSLDA... http://www.hslda.org/elink.asp?id=1941 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- ====================================================================== The HSLDA E-lert Service is a service of: Home School Legal Defense Association P.O. 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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. ====================================================================== | |
