Date:   From:   Subject:

5/2/01 4:40:21 PM J. Michael Smith, Esq., President of HSLDA URGENT: CALLS NEEDED TO END FEDERAL CONTROL OF HOME SCHOOLS

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From the HSLDA@Capitol Hill E-lert Service...
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May 2, 2001

HOME SCHOOLERS HAVE A CHANCE TO END FURTHER FEDERAL CONTROL

CALLS NEEDED TODAY AND TOMORROW

Dear HSLDA members and friends,

We need your calls now. You are receiving this e-lert because your
congressman serves on the House Education and Workforce Committee,
which is scheduled to vote today or tomorrow (May 2 or 3) on H.R. 1,
the "No Child Left Behind Act of 2001." The committee will also be
voting on two very important and good amendments, offered by
Congressman Pete Hoekstra, that will directly impact home schoolers.

One amendment will completely end all federal control over home
schoolers by ANY law administered by the U.S. Department of
Education.

The other amendment will prohibit any state from requiring home
school students to take the state's federally mandated public school
assessment.

REQUESTED ACTION

IMMEDIATELY call your congressman (listed below on the House
Education and Workforce Committee) and give him or her this message:

"Please vote for Congressmen Hoekstra's two HOME SCHOOL amendments.
One will protect home schoolers from federal control and the other
will prevent states from using federal funds to require home
schoolers to take state assessments. Home schoolers have earned the
right to be left alone."

The vote on the two Hoekstra amendments will likely be tomorrow, May
3, so the committee members must hear from you today and tomorrow.
Feel free to call and leave a message if the office is closed. (NOTE:
We are ONLY targeting Republican members of the House Education and
Workforce Committee at this time.)

REPUBLICAN MEMBERS OF THE HOUSE EDUCATION AND WORKFORCE COMMITTEE

John Boehner, Ohio (Chairman) (202) 225-6205
Thomas E. Petri, Wisconsin (Vice Chairman) (202) 225-2476
Marge Roukema, New Jersey (202) 225-4465
Cass Ballenger, North Carolina (202) 225-2576
Peter Hoekstra, Michigan (202) 225-4401
Howard "Buck" McKeon, California (202) 225-1956
Michael N. Castle, Delaware (202) 225-4165
Sam Johnson, Texas (202) 225-4201
James C. Greenwood, Pennsylvania (202) 225-4276
Lindsey O. Graham, South Carolina (202) 225-5301
Mark E. Souder, Indiana (202) 225-4436
Charlie Norwood, Georgia (202) 225-4101
Bob Schaffer, Colorado (202) 225-4676
Fred Upton, Michigan (202) 225-3761
Van Hilleary, Tennessee (202) 225-6831
Vernon J. Ehlers, Michigan (202) 225-3831
Thomas G. Tancredo, Colorado (202) 225-7882
Ernie Fletcher, Kentucky (202) 225-4706
Jim DeMint, South Carolina (202) 225-6030
Johnny Isakson, Georgia (202) 225-4501
Bob Goodlatte, Virginia (202) 225-5431
Judy Biggert, Illinois (202) 225-3515
Todd Russell Platts, Pennsylvania (202) 225-5836
Patrick J. Tiberi, Ohio (202) 225-5355
Ric Keller, Florida (202) 225-2176
Tom Osborne, Nebraska (202) 225-6435
John Abney Culberson, Texas (202) 225-2571


BACKGROUND

Last year, HSLDA successfully submitted similar home school
protections to the education bill that subsequently passed the
Education and Workforce Committee. However, the bill did not go
further because of the stalemate with former President Clinton.

HSLDA, however, resubmitted the same language this year:

"Nothing in this Act or any other Act administered by the Department
shall be construed to permit, allow, encourage, or authorize any
Federal control over any aspect of any private, religious, or home
school, whether or not a home school is treated as a private school
or home school under state law."

Unfortunately, at this time, this year's education bill---H.R. 1---
does not include all of our language. It does not contain the phrase
"or any other Act administered by the Department." This limits the
broad and complete protection of home schoolers from all education
acts of Congress. Rep. Hoekstra's first amendment will reinsert "or
any other Act administered by the Department."

The second Hoekstra amendment (suggested by HSLDA) will prohibit any
state from requiring home school students to take the federally
mandated state assessment. The specific language of this amendment is
as follows:

"Nothing in this act shall be construed to affect home schools,
whether or not a home school is treated as a home school or a private
school under state law, nor shall any home school student be required
to participate in any state assessment if the state or local
educational agency receives funds under this Act."

Just within the last four months, several states attempted to pass
laws forcing home schoolers to take the states' content-based
assessments, but a vociferous outcry from the home schooling
community defeated these measures. This Hoekstra amendment would
prevent these kinds of bills from even being introduced.

Please stand with us and make a call now. If the committee adopts
these two amendments to H.R. 1, it will be a giant step forward for
home school freedoms.

Sincerely,

J. Michael Smith
President

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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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Other Resources

More information on H.R. 1