MORE BAD ADVICE FROM NCHE
At least they’re consistent.
Dear fellow homeschoolers,
DNPE has instituted (revived) Community Record Review Meetings for homeschoolers. Currently DNPE is sending letters to second year homeschoolers in NC in various parts of the state requesting that homeschoolers participate in them.
Cumberland County homeschoolers have been requested to meet with a representative from DNPE on March 5-7 at the Headquarters Library. This is the first group in Region 9 that has been selected, but in all likelihood there will be more over the coming months.
I am listing facts for the purpose of allaying fear AND providing information so that each individual family can make an informed decision as to whether they participate and how they participate.
1. The meetings are voluntary.
2. The state has the right to inspect your homeschool records.
3. The state is free to seek another method of inspecting your records.
4. The state does not have the authority to inspect your children, your curriculum, or any of your school work.
5. These meetings have taken place before (many years ago) without any negative repercussions for homeschoolers.Please use your own judgment when deciding whether to attend or not. NCHE is officially asking people to participate but each family must consider all the facts and make an informed decision for themselves.
If a family decides to attend the meeting and wishes to have another person attend the meeting with you, I am willing to accompany you IF MY SCHEDULE PERMITS.
Anticipated FAQ: If my family were requested to participate in the Record Review meetings, I would probably return the letter saying that I would participate. I would then bring to the meeting only what is required by law: attendance and test records. I would also try to be pleasant to the government representative since as a Christian I am to respect those in authority over me.
If you have any other questions, concerns, or requests, please contact me by email, if at all possible. Address: region9@nche.com. Phone number (only if you cannot email): 910-xxx-xxxx.
Sandi Crosmun
NCHE Region 9 Director
And my emailed response:
Sandi,
This was forwarded to me. I understand what you’re trying to do– dispel confusion about the meetings– but I think you’ve actually contributed to the confusion in your third point. The state (i.e., DNPE) is “free to seek another method of inspecting your records” in the sense that Rod Helder is free to demand that we all bow down and worship DNPE. That doesn’t mean that we have to or should even give it a second thought. These meetings are extra-legal. Period. Why would we want to give DNPE that first inch?
Home educators are, of course, free to do what they want, even if it has potential negative consequences for all of our freedoms. But as for me and my house, Rod can pound sand.
Daryl Cobranchi, Curmudgeon-at-large
7 Responses to “MORE BAD ADVICE FROM NCHE”
 Comment by JJ Ross February 23rd, 2007 at 8:05 am |
The most confusion-contributing part I see is “respect in those in authority over me.” She and her group must belive they work for this government guy, not the other way around. |
 Comment by Daryl Cobranchi February 23rd, 2007 at 8:45 am |
It’s a conservative Christian thing. In one of Paul’s more authoritarian moments he wrote (in Romans 13):
Similar in thought is 1 Peter 2:13,14.
|
 Comment by Nance Confer February 23rd, 2007 at 10:07 am |
Whew! Not a Christian and I don’t live in your state. No need to kiss any bureaucratic tushy today! Nance |
 Comment by RavenChild February 23rd, 2007 at 12:35 pm |
Oh my. That explains ever so much. Somehow I bet they don’t hold to it so much themselves when they disagree with those elected into office. |
 Comment by Tami February 23rd, 2007 at 11:06 pm |
Dear Daryl The Curmudgeon-At-Large, Don’t you think the DNPE letter and NCHE letter are a little intimidating for homeschoolers who are relatively new to homeschooling? The letters are aimed at 2nd year homeschoolers, and most of the ones who got these letters are most likely in their second year of homeschooling ever. Someone like you or me who has homeschooled longer than 2 years is not as easily intimidated. I would not go to this invitation-only meeting. Tami PS I am writing a new blog that is of interest of homeschoolers, but in the interest of time and my lack of ability to use any other blogging platform, it’s at HSB. I would really like for you to read it. I linked to it with my reply signature. I hope you don’t mind. |
|
Comment by Daryl Cobranchi February 24th, 2007 at 5:08 am |
Yeah. Here’s the email I sent to HOME a week ago (before Sandi Crosmun’s letter came out). BTW, Sandi is a bigwig in HOME.
|
 Comment by Bonnie February 24th, 2007 at 5:28 am |
I don’t know what NCHE’s problem is. Wimps! I’m glad to read that HSLDA has better sense about the matter. State law does not authorize DNPE to conduct such meetings or require homeschooling families to participate in such meetings. Further, state law only authorizes DNPE to inspect standardized test records, not attendance and immunization records. Parents must maintain attendance and immunization records, but they are not subject to routine inspection. What does the law require you to do? Sections 115C-549 and 115C-557 of the General Statutes of North Carolina state that for one year after the standardized testing, the records must be made available for annual inspection at the principal office of the school at all reasonable times. This means that a DNPE official may come to your home, but not enter your home, to inspect the test results. Home School Legal Defense Association recommends that any such inspection be done on the front porch, not inside your home. |