Date:   From:   Subject:

7/24/01 1:58:01 PM Christopher J. Klicka, Esq., Senior Counsel of HSLDA Military's Attempt to Regulate Home Schoolers is Slowed

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From the HSLDA@Capitol Hill E-lert Service...
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July 24, 2001

Dear HSLDA members in the military overseas,

We are pleased to report significant progress in slowing the
military's attempt to regulate home schoolers.

In recent months, we have been working with the White House, the
House Armed Services Committee, the Department of Defense Education
Activity (DoDEA), and individual home schoolers attending Home School
Focus Groups to slow the military's "steam roller" toward regulating
home schoolers.

We recently talked with our DoDEA contact who verified that Michael
Perez (Director of Education at the USAREUR was not authorized to
pursue these "Home School Focus Groups" in an attempt to regulate
home schoolers. Furthermore, Perez has been ordered "to cease and
desist" his efforts to organize Home School Focus Groups and collect
data on home schoolers. Also, the September "Home School Task Force"
meeting, which would have advanced these regulatory efforts, has been
cancelled.

DoDEA Director Joseph Tafoya, issued this statement:

"At this time there are no plans for the Department of Defense
Education Activity (DoDEA) to hold a Home School Task Force meeting.
On June 7, 2001, the Dependents' Education Council (DEC) members
tabled proposed plans to look into the possible revision of our home
school policy. It is unfortunate that remarks were made prematurely
in Heidelberg about a possible task force."

The DoDEA admitted that it has felt pressure from Congress, the White
House, and home schoolers to abandon its investigation.

In April, we saw God provide a special connection with White House
officials on this matter. While my wife, Tracy, was at an amusement
park with our seven children, she met President Bush's senior policy
advisor. He introduced himself because he had noticed the children
wearing t-shirts that supported the president. He invited my family
to visit the White House and briefly meet the president and his wife.
In a later meeting with Home School Legal Defense Association General
Counsel Michael Farris and other leaders, President Bush said he
"wanted to do more for home schoolers" because his senior policy
advisor had met home schoolers at an amusement park who wore t-shirts
supporting the president. This comment and contact provided HSLDA a
unique opportunity to highlight the problem of military regulation of
home schoolers and gain the help of the White House. God works in
mysterious ways!

Although the halting of the Home School Focus Groups is a major
breakthrough, the battle has not yet been won. One of the assistant
secretaries of defense is holding a closed meeting with select DoDEA
officials to go back to the "drawing board" on this issue. He will
determine if there is any need to alter the military policy regarding
home schooling. We have already communicated to the assistant
secretary our opposition to any change, and upon our request, a key
member of the House Armed Services Committee interceded with a letter
to the secretary. We also have two White House staff members
continuing to work with us on the issue. In addition, members of
congress have assured us that no amendment to the federal code to
regulate home schoolers will pass committee.

Please continue to pray that this attempt to regulate home schoolers
in the military will finally be brought to an end.

HSLDA appreciates your support of our efforts and your e-mails to
update our office on developments at your base. The information has
been very helpful.

Thank you for standing together with us for liberty.

Christopher Klicka
Senior Counsel

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Home School Legal Defense Association
P.O. Box 3000
Purcellville, Virginia 20134
540-338-5600
www.hslda.org
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