| From the HSLDA E-lert Service: |
< BACK TO ARCHIVE |
| Date: From: Subject: | 2/7/2013 4:17:59 PM Scott Woodruff--HSLDA Maine--Call Now to Restore Fair Access to College and Special Education Programs |
|
====================================================================== From the HSLDA E-lert Service... ====================================================================== Maine--Call Now to Restore Fair Access to College and Special Education Programs Dear Maine HSLDA Members and Friends: A bill to restore fair access to low-cost college classes and special education programs for homeschool families needs your help! Government bureaucrats abruptly blocked your ability to participate in these programs in 2010. Before then, homeschool families enjoyed fair access to low-cost college classes (for high school students) through the Aspirations Program (sometimes called the Post-Secondary Enrollment Option or the Senior Year Plus Program). They also enjoyed fair access to special education services (for example, occupational therapy and speech therapy). Representative Ellie Espling has filed a bill, LD 61, to right these wrongs, but she needs your help--there is a crucial hearing this coming Wednesday! ACTION REQUESTED 1. If you were a victim of rejection from either of these programs, the legislature needs to hear about it! Come to the hearing this Wednesday, February 13, and tell your story, plain and simple. (Ed Green is working to coordinate this--you may email him at homeschl@midcoast.com ) Your testimony could swing sentiment in favor of the bill. 2. Even if you were not rejected, please help restore fair access! Come to the hearing as a show of support. It will be at 1:00 p.m. in Room 202 of the Cross Building, 111 Sewall St., Augusta, Maine. 3. Also please make three phone calls before Wednesday. If your senator or representative is on the committee, first call them. To find who your state senator and representatives are visit this webpage at http://www.hslda.org/elink.asp?id=17130. Then call two more people listed below corresponding to the first letter of your last name. 4. If no senator or representative of yours is on the committee, call three of the people listed below corresponding to the first letter of your last name. 5. You can find phone or email information for committee members at http://www.hslda.org/elink.asp?id=17131 , or leave a message for representatives at (800) 423-2900, or senators at (800) 423-6900 (both are toll-free in state) 6. Your message can be as simple as, ""Please vote yes on LD 61. Homeschooled children have the same needs and hopes as others, and deserve the same access to special education services and state-assisted college classes." Add "I am a constituent of yours" if you're calling your own senator or representative. 7. Pass this on to your friends! Talk to your friends about it this weekend and urge them to help out. CONTACT INFORMATION--IF YOUR LAST NAME BEGINS WITH A THROUGH F, CALL: Senator Rebecca J. Millett (D-Cumberland), Chair Senator Christopher K. Johnson (D-Lincoln) Senator Brian D. Langley (R-Hancock) IF YOUR LAST NAME BEGINS WITH G THROUGH L, CALL: Representative W. Bruce MacDonald (D-Boothbay), Chair Representative Mary Pennell Nelson (D-Falmouth) Representative Helen Rankin (D-Hiram) Representative Matthea Elisabeth Larsen Daughtry (D-Brunswick) IF YOUR LAST NAME BEGINS WITH M THROUGH R, CALL: Representative Brian L. Hubbell (D-Bar Harbor) Representative Victoria P. Kornfield (D-Bangor) Representative Peter B. Johnson (R-Greenville) IF YOUR LAST NAME BEGINS WITH S THROUGH Z, CALL: Representative Joyce A. Maker (R-Calais) Representative Michael D. McClellan (R-Raymond) Representative Matthew G. Pouliot (R-Augusta) Representative Madonna M. Soctomah (Passamaquoddy Tribe) BACKGROUND When the bureaucrats blocked access to these two programs, they offered that homeschoolers could participate if they took one public school class. However, you should not have your arm twisted into entrusting your child to the public school system. You should not be forced to give up what you know is the best education for your child to get access to programs your tax dollars are already paying for. You should not be penalized for your convictions. The hearing will take place before the Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs. Because passage of the bill would require the state to spend a little more money than it has been spending on those programs since 2010, we must make the case for LD 61 powerfully. Thank you for standing with us for freedom! HSLDA and Homeschoolers of Maine are united in supporting this bill. Sincerely, Scott A. Woodruff Senior Counsel Home School Legal Defense Association P.S.: We greatly value you and your support--it is a privilege to serve you! If you or someone you know is not a member of HSLDA, will you consider taking a moment today to join or to recommend us as we defend the rights of homeschooling families? Join now: http://www.hslda.org/elink.asp?id=17132 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- -> "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!!'" More reasons to join HSLDA... http://www.hslda.org/elink.asp?id=1107 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- ====================================================================== The HSLDA E-lert Service is a service of: Home School Legal Defense Association P.O. Box 3000 Purcellville, Virginia 20134 Phone: (540) 338-5600 Fax: (540) 338-2733 Email: info@hslda.org Web: http://www.hslda.org ---------------------------------------------------------------------- How To Subscribe: - Subscribe to the HSLDA E-lert Service at our website: https://secure.hslda.org/hslda/elert/account.asp?Process=Subscribe - Or send an email with name and complete mailing address to: subscribe@hslda.org ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Subscription Information: - You subscribed to the HSLDA E-lert Service as: ##ToAddress## - To unsubscribe from the HSLDA E-lert Service send an email from the email address you want to unsubscribe to: unsubscribe@hslda.org - To change your email address or make other changes to your subscription, visit the HSLDA E-lert Service account web page at: https://secure.hslda.org/hslda/elert/account.asp ---------------------------------------------------------------------- POSTMASTERS: This message is being sent to the most recent address we have for our subscribers. 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. ====================================================================== | |
