| From the HSLDA E-lert Service: |
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| Date: From: Subject: | 2/8/2013 10:15:44 AM Scott Woodruff--HSLDA Iowa: Calls Needed to Support Bill Protecting Children of Divorce |
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====================================================================== From the HSLDA E-lert Service... ====================================================================== Iowa: Calls Needed to Support Bill Protecting Children of Divorce Dear Iowa Members and Friends: If you live in the district of Representative Beth Wessel-Kroeschell, we need your help in support of House File (HF) 109, an important bill that HSLDA and the Network of Iowa Home Educators are advancing. We are sending this e-lert just to ZIP codes that cover at least part of her district--roughly the southern half of Ames and the rural area south to about 280th Street, East to about I-35, and West to the Boone County line. HF 109 will prevent a judge from ordering a homeschooled child into public school just because a spouse who leaves in the midst of a divorce demands it--unless there is good reason. There will be an important subcommittee hearing on the bill this coming Wednesday, February 13. ACTION REQUESTED If she is your representative, please call her before Wednesday, February 13 and ask her to support HF 109. Your message can be as simple as, "Please support HF 109. Hurting kids should not be hurt more by being jerked out of the educational setting that is normal for them just because of a divorce." Please call her at (515) 451-4307. Or you may call and leave a message at (515) 281-3221. Go online at http://www.hslda.org/elink.asp?id=17137 to find out if she is your representative. BACKGROUND No one wants his family torn apart by divorce. But when it happens, the hurt is often compounded when a misguided judge suddenly yanks the children out of the educational setting that is normal for them and orders them into a setting that is strange and unsettling. The kids are under too much stress already. They should be spared the additional distress of being jerked out of their familiar schooling. Keeping their education "as is" can be an oasis of stability when they feel like the rest of their world is spinning out of control. If a family has homeschooled their kids for years, but then the father moves out, files for divorce, and asks the judge to order that homeschooling be prohibited, right now the judge has "blank check" authority to forbid homeschooling. He can yank the kids out of homeschooling for virtually no reason except that the unfaithful spouse wants it. The same tragedy can happen if kids have been attending a church school for years and their Dad violates his marriage vow and suddenly decides he's against Christian education. House File (HF) 109 helps protect hurting kids from being hurt more by giving guidance to judges. The bill tells judges that they must lean toward keeping the kids in whatever educational setting that is familiar to them. In legal terms, the bill creates a "rebuttable presumption" that it is in the children's best interest to stay in their familiar educational setting. "Rebuttable presumption" does not mean that the judge is obligated to keep the kids in the same setting--but there must be actual evidence if he is going to order that their education be changed. The judge's own personal opinion, or prejudice, or philosophical or political opposition--which are often the real reason a change is ordered--will no longer suffice. The sad fact is that some judges are simply hostile to homeschooling and Christian education and will never change their minds. This bill will protect hurting kids from being hurt more by those judges. In a very few cases, this bill may prevent a parent from switching from public or private schooling to homeschooling in the middle of a divorce. However, we believe this happens quite rarely. And in any event it's a very small price to pay for the protection it will give the vast majority of children in this situation. The bill has broad support--even the Iowa Department of Education is in favor. HSLDA and Network of Iowa Christian Home Educators are united in supporting this bill. Thank you for standing with us for freedom! 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=17138 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- -> How long are you in for? Some families are facing what seems like a lifelong commitment to homeschooling, with children at both ends of the spectrum -- some graduating and some just reaching school age. If you're going to be "in" for a while, consider a lifetime membership with HSLDA. It's a good deal for families with more than 10 years of homeschooling ahead. More reasons to join HSLDA... http://www.hslda.org/elink.asp?id=1936 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- ====================================================================== 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. ====================================================================== | |
