Alabama Homeschoolers

Comment

Comment by Molly underwood on February 1, 2012 at 11:23am

A heart felt "Welcome to Home schooling" to the newbies.  May you enjoy the gentle journey and make the most of your time with your family.

Comment by liz spears on January 30, 2012 at 9:36pm

Jessica  it is my first year as well, i am in Monroeville, Good Luck,

we are going to Montgomery in March if you want to come along !

Comment by teamof6 on January 30, 2012 at 8:44pm

Hello everyone! I am Jessica, mom to four children, and we are homeschooling in Fairhope, AL for the first time this year! Yay!!

Comment by liz spears on January 19, 2012 at 10:25pm

Molly you said it so much better than what i had written up and did not send because it just didn't sound constructive thank you

Comment by Molly underwood on January 18, 2012 at 10:52am

He did respond again, but after talking with HSLDA I've decided to just let it lie.  I think as home schoolers we need to begin addressing things more than just issues that affect home schooling.  It seems we've contracted a reputation of self centeredness.

Comment by Denise Knight on January 17, 2012 at 1:33am

I got the same email from John Merrill.  Your response was well worded.  I didn't respond back to him because I knew my wording would not be appropriate.  I was going to seek advise on my response first.

Comment by Molly underwood on December 16, 2011 at 7:27pm

Under the counsel of HSLDA here is my reply: Our original emails are further down.

Dear Representative Merrill,

 

I appreciate that you took the time to reply to my request previously.

 

I would however have to disagree with your logic on why you support this bill.

 

This is a freedom issue.  Do you support taking away a parent's freedom to decide what is best for their 6-year old child's development? This bill takes away an important parental freedom.  That's the bottom line.  You should desire to protect the freedom of the parent to decide what THEY know is best for their child. It's simply presumptive to claim that the government knows best how EVERY 6 year old's development should be arranged.  Some might need school.  Some might need to stay out of school and just play.  But that decision BELONGS TO THE PARENT, not the state.  The children of Alabama are not wards of the state.  It's not up to the state to decide what's best for them.  That decision belongs to the parent. Do you want to take away a parent's freedom to decide what is best for their 6-year old child’s development?  The exact same approach CAN'T be right for every child.  The state's wisdom is not infinite.  They can't know what's best for every single child.  But each parent can and should make his own decision.

 

HB 42 would make it illegal for a parent to choose not to send his or her 6 year old child to school.

 

This policy is not worded that if neglect has been found, then such and such.  All states, including Alabama, already have laws against child neglect----what we are discussing here is about whether parents who have not been found guilty of neglecting their children's education should have the choice to direct their children's education as they see fit, unbound by the rigors of a regimented, one-size-fits all, compulsory attendance laws.

 

I don’t believe that you have thoroughly thought through this bill and its message and its consequences.

 

I do not doubt your concern for Alabama’s education system. Increased state control is not the answer to the problem of uneducated children or to abused children. Interestingly, however, many teachers will tell you that the one factor that they have observed which has a direct correlation with educational success is not money, or regulation, but parental involvement. Does this bill help that problem?  No.

 

Sincerely,

Molly Underwood

 

 

---

From: john@tuscaloosagop.org [mailto:john@tuscaloosagop.org]
Sent: Thursday, December 08, 2011 10:12 PM
To: Molly Underwood
Subject: Re: attendance bill

 

Thanks for your interest in the future of Alabama. 

 

I am only interested in the opportunities for all children to learn and grow and not to restrict this privilege for those who can't speak for themselves.

 

House Bill 42 is not a parental choice bill.  This legislation deals with neglect and abuse of children and economic development for the state of Alabama.

 

This bill has been, is, and will continue to be supported by all education partners in the state as well as the Alabama Farmer's Federation and the Business Council of Alabama.

 

The only people that I have met or heard from that do not support the legislation are home school advocates.

 

This is not a home school bill.

 

I think that homeschooling options for families are wonderful and I would encourage all families interested in this choice to pursue it.

 

However, I have NEVER found a home school family that waited until their child was seven years old to begin the orientation or introduction to education for their child. 

 

If you show me one well-adjusted child that has never been to school before they were seven, that has never been read too, never been taken to church, never been to the Fair (let alone an amusement park), or a play, a concert, a park (natural - not theme), never played any organized athletics, never been to a day care, or Vacation Bible School, have never had any social interaction with other children, or had any exposure to any external educational stimulus until they were seven, I WILL WITHDRAW THE BILL. 

 

The children, according to the research, that will be affected by this bill (approximately fifty per year statewide), are all on public assistance, have never been able to take advantage of any of the aforementioned activates at that age. 

 

Most families (especially home school families) I know begin educating their children at birth or even pre-birth when they are talking or singing to their unborn child.  These families, and all families that are interesting in the welfare of their children, want them to have as many opportunities as possible.

 

Research shows that a child that cannot read on grade level by the third grade has almost no chance of catching up and being able to read on grade level EVER.  Most children that are seven years old are in the SECOND grade and have been reading at least two years.  Some seven year old homeschoolers are in the fourth grade.  Some seven year olds can read on a fifth grade level.

 

Show me one child that has never had any educational introduction or orientation before they were seven who was reading on grade level at age 8, 9, or 10 and I WILL WITHDRAW THE BILL.

 

If a student doesn't master the ability to read and comprehend information, he or she will never be employable and they will always be on public assistance and then we will ALWAYS BE SUPPORTING THEM.  THEY WILL CONTINUE TO BE A DRAIN ON THE WORKING PEOPLE AND WILL NOT BE TAXPAYING CITIZENS.

 

I am not willing to throw these fifty children away because their parents won't help them learn.

 

If these parents were physically beating these children everyday, and some of them are, there would be an uproar over the abuse and neglect.

 

This abuse and neglect of not being given the opportunity to learn is as bad or worse.  Physical wounds will heal but to borrow from an old commercial, a mind is a terrible thing to waste.

 

John H. Merrill

State House 62

----- Original Message -----

From: Molly Underwood

To: john@tuscaloosagop.org

Sent: Thursday, December 08, 2011 2:58 PM

Subject: attendance bill

 

Please withdraw House Bill 6 and House Bill 42, which would lower Alabama’s compulsory school attendance age from 7 to 6. Parents, not state officials, are best able to determine when their child is ready for formal education.

 

Sincerely,

Molly Underwood

Comment by Joy Reeves on December 12, 2011 at 3:51pm

Related to the AL attendance bills, we received a similar response. Interested to hear what HSLDA's advice is.

Comment by Molly underwood on December 12, 2011 at 9:44am

Just a note.  We contacted the reps for these attendance bills and rec'd a letter back that kind of had a hostile tone.  We didn't say we were home schoolers but the rep assumed that we were and basically said our opinion didn't count.  I have since sent a letter to HSLDA asking advice on what my returned reply should be.

Comment by Joy Reeves on December 10, 2011 at 7:24am

Action Requested from HSLDA: Compulsory Attendance Bills for 2012. Please read and consider contacting the sponsors, Representative John Merrill (R) and Senator Priscilla Dunn (D).

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