Posts Tagged ‘CHENH’
» posted on Monday, September 28th, 2009 at 4:29 pm by
HSLDA Runs Roughshod in NH
New Hampshire homeschooling parents formed an online group, called NH Homeschool Defense League, in December of 2008 in response to two very restrictive homeschooling proposals in the legislature, which required, among other things, evaluations by certified teachers. These proposals were eventually defeated.
This group worked together for nine months and recently submitted legislation to recognize that a parent’s duty to instruct his child supercedes the state’s duty. [See copy below.]
We have been open and shared our proposal with other homeschoolers and HSLDA. Mike Donnelly at HSLDA said he supported our efforts and our goals. However, at the last minute, without notifying our group, Mike Donnelly initiated opposing legislation, contacting only a few leaders of HSLDA’s member group in our state, CHENH, to gain support, without ever showing them a copy of our proposal. Rank-and-file NH members of HSLDA and CHENH were never consulted or informed that HSLDA had submitted legislation on their behalf.
HSLDA thinks our group “went too far” in recognizing a parent’s right to be the primary instructor of his own child. HSLDA would prefer state jurisdiction and oversight of parents. In order to maintain control over the NH legislative process, HSLDA initiated its own legislation.
It’s a conflict of interest for an out-of-state organization to introduce legislation which will directly protect its own livelihood. This is the first time in 20-years that HSLDA has initiated legislation in NH. The last time they did so was when they wrote the existing NH home education law back in 1990, which they have consistently termed “model legislation.” Apparently, that’s no longer the case. Their new legislation, though superficially an improvement, retains the state’s jurisdiction over home education and does not prevent state rule-making.
If anyone would like to help, please contact Rep. Bates and politely ask him to withdraw HSLDA’s bill. Let New Hampshire homeschoolers determine their own destiny.
Representative David Bates (R)
Email: rep.bates@live.com
Thanks,
Doris Hohensee,
New Hampshire
NH Homeschool Defense League
Here is a copy of our legislative proposal
Text added in CAPITALS; text removed struck out.
NH RSA 193:1 Duty of Parent; Compulsory Attendance by Pupil.
I. ALL PARENTS SHALL INSTRUCT THEIR CHILDREN OR CAUSE THEM TO BE INSTRUCTED. A parent of any child at least 6 years of age and under 18 years of age SHALL INSTRUCT HIS CHILD OR shall cause such child to attend the public school to which the child is assigned in the child’s resident district. Such child shall attend full time when such school is in session unless:
(a)THE CHILD IS OTHERWISE INSTRUCTED BY THE PARENT AND IS THEREFORE EXEMPT FROM THIS REQUIREMENT;
(a) (b) The child is attending a New Hampshire public school outside the district to which the child is assigned or an approved New Hampshire private school for the same time;
(b) The child is receiving home education pursuant to RSA 193-A and is therefore exempt from this requirement;
NH RSA 193-A: Home Education
The deadline to file the titles of House bills in NH was September 25, 2009. Bill numbers have not been allocated. The deadline for the submission of the text of a proposal is Nov. 1, 2009.
HSLDA’s proposal strips the current home education law of some regulations, leaving in place a notification procedure and the state’s right to oversee parents as if they were operating “public” home education programs.
CHENH leaders were told by Mike Donnelly that the NH Homeschool Defense League went “too far” on behalf of parents to place parent’s duty to instruct his child over the state’s duty in our proposal. HSLDA needed to initiate its own bill to maintain control over the NH legislative process.
HSLDA’s proposal with strike outs:
Proposed legislation to replace 193A
Delete all of 193-A:2, 3, 5 – 10
Section 193-A:4 is revised as follows:
I. Parents who provide home education under this chapter Instruction shall provide be deemed home education if it consists of instruction in science, mathematics, language, government, history, health, reading, writing, spelling, the history of the constitutions of New Hampshire and the United States, and an exposure to and appreciation of art and music. Home education shall be provided by the parent for his own child, or an adult designated by the parent. unless the provider is as otherwise agreed upon by the appropriate parties named in paragraph II.
II. Parents who elect to provide home education shall inform the superintendent of their resident school district, a non public school principal or the Department of Education by filing a notice of intent which shall include the following information: The department of education, resident district superintendent, or a nonpublic school shall work with parents upon request in meeting the requirements of this section.
(a) The child’s name;
(b) The child’s age;
(c) The current address of the child;
(d) The names, telephone numbers and addresses of the parent who has custody of the child and;
(e) That the parent will provide instruction in the subjects listed in this section commensurate with the child’s age and ability.
III. A notice of intent shall be filed within thirty days from the time the child begins home education and is not required thereafter unless home education is terminated and subsequently resumed. The parent of the child shall notify the person with whom the parent first filed the notice of intent within thirty days after termination of home education stating that the child is no longer being instructed at home. If home education is resumed, the parent shall file another notice of intent with the resident school superintendent, Department of Education or non-public school principal within thirty days.
Join NH Homeschool Defense League group to stay informed about legislative issues in New Hampshire.
Comments Off on HSLDA Runs Roughshod in NH | filed under freedom · homeschool · legislation | tags: CHENH, Department of Education, education, government, health, history, HSIL, HSLDA, New Hamphire, NH Homeschool Defense League, public school, Representative David Bates
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