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Hopkins County Kentucky - Glass is "Half Full"

Some people see a glass half full. Others see it half empty. Congressman Dick Armey (a longtime hero of homeschooling) used to say, "The difference between half full and half empty depends on whether you're pouring or drinking." In Hopkins County, Kentucky, the glass is definitely half full.

The last statement in the 13-point homeschool guidelines booklet, issued by the Hopkins County Board of Education has earned much notoriety. This statement, known as "Requirement 13," reads as follows, "The Home School will certify at the end of each nine weeks grading period that the student(s) is still being instructed per the guidelines outlined." On Monday, November 3, 2003, Hopkins County addressed this unlawful and unenforceable requirement. They decided to require homeschoolers to report twice a year instead of four.

Outside Hopkins County, this change is somewhat amusing. The county has never effectively tried to enforce its demands. Homeschoolers in Hopkins County routinely ignore this requirement and school officials know they have no legal power to force homeschoolers to report. But instead of admitting that the policy is wrong, they have decided not to enforce it half as often.