HSLDA’S REAL AGENDA
Taking care of HSLDA.
The following was posted by Scott Somerville on HSWatch. It appears to be an E-lert, but I have been unable to find it on HSLDA’s site. I’ve bolded the interesting bit:
Nebraska
Legislative Bill 1213: Allowing Single Parents to HomeschoolSponsors:
Senator Adrian Smith.Summary:
This bill eliminates the “s” from the requirement that “parents” notify the
Department of Education. This change would allow just one parent to sign the
notice of intent without being hassled or prevented from homeschooling by the
Department of Education.Status:
01/18/2006 Read first timeAction Requested:
Please call your Senator, and tell them, “Please allow single parents to
homeschool in this state. Vote for LB 1213!” You can find contact information
for your legislator by visiting HSLDA’s Legislative Toolbox.HSLDA’s Position:
Support. This bill would eliminate the difficulty HSLDA has had with the
Department of Education when it comes to single parents exercising their right
to homeschool. It will also reduce the reporting burden for every family by
allowing just one parent to sign the notarized form.
So, the reason to change NE’s homeschooling law is to make life easier for HSLDA’s attorneys. Good to know. It’s really too bad HSLDA doesn’t have some kind of ombudsman who could relay back to the powers that be how they look from the outside.
6 Responses to “HSLDA’S REAL AGENDA”
![]() Comment by COD January 21st, 2006 at 8:17 am |
//It’s really too bad HSLDA doesn’t have some kind of ombudsman who could relay back to the powers that be how they look from the outside.// I think you just did that. |
![]() Comment by Gary Petersen January 21st, 2006 at 12:33 pm |
While I think the phrase “single parent” is representative of one of the great tragedies of American society, that of divorce being so prevalent and accepted these days, I realize that there are single parents out there. The current legislation has been read to require both parents to sign paperwork before their children can be homeschooled by the parent who is responsible for their care (and education). I don’t have data, but I suspect most divorces end with some hard feelings remaining between the two parents and it doesn’t surprise me in the least that some of them are refusing to sign the paperwork. This bill takes away the requirement for both parents to sign. I’ve been reading your weblog for a year or two, but haven’t gone back to find out why you ahve the feelings for HSLDA that you do. It seems like those feelings are getting in the way of an objective look at this from a home schooling perspective. The reason this law needs to be changed isn’t to “make life easier for HSLDA’s attorneys”, as you state. The difficulty isn’t that HSLDA can’t do their job. They are representing parents just as they say they will do. The difficulty is in getting the Nebraska DOE to allow single parents to homeschool. The issue is between the Nebraska DOE and parents, not HSLDA. Don’t get me wrong here. We’re members of HSLDA, but we don’t agree with everything that they do, by any means. What they are trying to do here is make it easier (or even possible) for Nebraska families to homeschool. It seems like your dislike for HSLDA is making it harder for you to see and understand what is going on here. You’ve basically spoken out against a change in state laws that would make it easier to homeschool. In other words, you’ve basically spoken out against homeschooling. Is that what you really were trying to do? |
![]() Comment by Daryl January 21st, 2006 at 3:44 pm |
No, I haven’t spoken out against home education. In fact, on the HSWatch list, I along with several others worked WITH Scott Somerville on how to get this information out to NE homeschoolers. I’m not sure that I’m in favor of this bill; I think NE home educators ought to have taken the lead if they want this done. My point was that HSLDA’s public relations suck. They should have worded the paragraph like this:
There was absolutely no reason to mention HSLDA’s difficulties. As I wrote to Scott, “Who gives a ______ about HSLDA’s difficulties?” |
![]() Comment by Annette January 21st, 2006 at 4:44 pm |
Daryl, |
![]() Comment by Scott W. Somerville January 23rd, 2006 at 10:46 am |
OK, Daryl, point taken. I’ll talk to my highly trained legal assistant about writing our legislative updates to make sure they make HSLDA look good. (Not!) |
![]() Comment by Scott W. Somerville January 23rd, 2006 at 10:49 am |
Here’s how you can find the Nebraska update. Go to the main HSLDA page (www.HSLDA.org) and look at the map. Notice that Nebraska is RED. Click on the map, then click on Nebraska. Look over in the right column for “Legislative Bill 1213: Allowing Single Parents to Homeschool.” Or you can just click here: hslda....lt.asp |