American Teachers Should Revolt

Peter Heck, a guest columnist in today's edition of One News Now has written a clear and cogent argument for Christian teachers to immediately abandon the NEA. In fact,  he calls for any American teacher to abandon the NEA.

He quotes from another article he wrote about a year ago for the same publication, in which he describes the exact way I feel when I see the union dues taken out of my husband's paycheck.

Why conscientious, patriotic teachers continue sending their money to these Marxists is beyond comprehension.  As I wrote last year:

"Sure, there are excuses we can use to justify our capitulation and spineless allegiance to causes we know to be wrong.  We can accept the fear-mongering about how we'll all lose our jobs without the NEA.  We can delude ourselves into believing that when we check the box stating our dues can't be used for political purposes that we aren't still contributing to the very executive councils, legal offices, and management that is publicly acknowledging their hatred towards everything we stand for.  We can rationalize that it's impossible anymore to keep from spending our money on things we don't really support.  But we shouldn't do it any longer.  Our consciences shouldn't allow it." (Read the entire column from July 20, 2009)

New Jersey doesn't have right to work laws, and union membership is mandatory. Well, actually you don't have to be in the union. But if you choose that route, you can pay 85% of the dues for the privilege of NOT being in the union. In fact, if you have never seen this great short video (4:42) of New Jersey Governor Chris Christie talking about how he intends to deal with the bully teachers' unions in New Jersey, you owe it to yourself to watch him explain it far better than I could. I had the privilege of being invited to attend this Town Hall meeting in Robbinsville with my family, and we were spellbound for nearly two hours.  (That, however, is another article for another time.)

Governor Christie likened the union dues system as being "like the Hotel California, you know? You can check in any time you like, but you can never leave."





Although they don't want you to think so, there are alternatives to the NEA, or your state's NEA affiliate. As Gov. Christie says in the video, my argument is not with teachers, Christian or not. There are many fine teachers who are appalled by the way the union spends their dues, and who care deeply about the education of American children. But with New Jersey property taxes the highest in the nation, something has to be done about the stranglehold the NJEA has had on our legislature for decades.

Peter, I agree. Drying up the dues gravy train would be a good start.

For Minors in New Jersey, Abortion Easier than Giving Blood

Weekly Trenton Musings
NJ Family Policy Council
Posted May 8, 2009

Wednesday, Governor Corzine signed into law A3580 / S2513, which allows minors who are 16 years of age to donate blood with parental consent. Specifically, the bill states, “Any person of the age of 16 years may donate blood in any voluntary and noncompensatory blood program with the written consent of at least one parent or the person’s legal guardian or other legally responsible adult, as appropriate.” It passed the state legislature with overwhelming support.

Ironically, a 16-year old needs to get consent to donate blood, but in New Jersey, children 16, 15, 14, 13 … and younger … need no such permission to have an abortion. In fact, children don’t even need to tell their parents that they’re having a highly-invasive and potentially dangerous surgical procedure!

In 1999, the New Jersey state legislature passed parental notification legislation, which required a minor either to notify a parent before having an abortion or obtain a court order waiving the requirement that she do so. Note, this law didn’t require parental consent but merely parental notification. In response, the ACLU filed a lawsuit to prevent implementation of the new legislation.

Read more of this disturbing article here.

What does this have to do with homeschooling?

Everything. It is this kind of happy horse manure that responsible parents should be trying to protect their children from.

Homeschooling is a huge commitment, but the fate of one or more of your grandchildren may be decided by legislation like this.

Give blood, give life. Have an abortion, take life. Something is wrong with this picture.

Coming Soon to YOUR state - Children's Bill of Rights

As a homeschooler, one of my primary interests is how bills such as NJ's Childrens' Bill of Rights affect my choice to homeschool.

But this one is different - S.2334 it will affect ALL parents and ALL children and EVERY taxpayer in NJ.

I happened to mention to a friend that I was going to be blogging about the dangers of the proposed N.J. Children's Bill of Rights. With its patriotic name, and its noble goal of of guaranteeing that "the best interests of the child shall be of primary consideration", she could not grasp how something that sounded so good could be giving me a headache.

Carolee Adams, the president of Eagle Forum in New Jersey, has formed an advocacy group on Facebook called "STOP S.2334 - THE NEW JERSEY CHILDREN's BILL OF RIGHTS!" In her recent post she states:

This Bill represents another unfunded mandate of the already bankrupt State of New Jersey,and a Bill that will undermine the sacred role of parental rights to direct the upbringing and education of their children. Under S2334, those parental rights will then be transferred to the State which will then have the unequivocal authority to decide what is in the best interests of the child in matters concerning health, safety, well-being, and physical and mental development. This intrusive Bill expands the role of the State into the privacy of the family structure in countless ways -- and at a time when the State cannot even take care of its own imperatives. Corruption, financial mismanagement, and encroaching, inept governance in New Jersey are notoriously known throughtout the country. Certainly, New Jersey's children are safer and more wisely cared for by parents than by the State which will only use this new role to create jobs and further empty the pockets of the already beleaguered New Jersey taxpayer! S2234 must be opposed by every taxpayer and family in New Jersey! Stop S2334 NOW!

In June of 2006, I posted an article here by homeschooling mom Alexandra Cohen about how her husband, the editor of the Brussels Journal was threatened with prosecution by Belgian authorities because they felt he had not adequately educated his children, and hence, neglected his duties as a parent, which is a criminal offense in Belgium.

This criminal offense is a function of Belgium's status as a signatory nation on the totalitarian power grab known as the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, the same treaty that the sponsors of S.2334 are using as the basis for this dangerous New Jersey bill.

Michael Farris pointed out that in 1995 “the United Kingdom was deemed out of compliance” with the Convention “because it allowed parents to remove their children from public school sex-education classes without consulting the child.” The HSLDA chairman said that, “by the same reasoning, parents would be denied the ability to homeschool their children unless the government first talked with their children and the government decided what was best. Moreover, parents would no longer have the right to bring up their children according to their own philosophical or religious beliefs, as the government, following the guidelines of a UN “committee of experts” would determine what religious teaching, if any, served the child’s best interest.”

Under President Obama, we are likely to see the ratification of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, CEDAW, and other UN treaties that have never been ratified brought up for another vote, sweeping us farther away from constitutional law. Obama has openly promised to "embrace the rule of international law."

New Jersey, always proud to line up behind anything that will further tax or regulate its beleagured citizens, is only the first of many states that will be willing to pass similar bills.

Utterly Off Topic Wednesday - New Jersey School Boots Boy Over Jesus Costume

Every year, New Jersey schools come up with new ways to show their intolerance for Christian themes.

This year the principal of West Brook Middle School in Paramus decided that Alex Woinski's Halloween costume depicting Jesus Christ is more disruptive than costumes depicting ghouls and demons.

Or John McCain.

You can read about this tempest in a teapot at AOL's news page.
Photo credit: Woinski Family photo

GOOD NEWS In New Jersey for Homeschoolers

One of the benefits of the recent battle in NJ is that I have become familiar with some of the players who have been our co-laborers, working behind the scenes and on the front lines to secure and defend homeschooling freedom in our state.

Carolee Adams of Eagle Forum of New Jersey has been a tireless advocate and consensus builder in our state for homeschool freedom, and one of the things she spearheaded for this most recent fight was a Facebook group called "SAVE HOMESCHOOL FREEDOM IN NEW JERSEY."

Eagle Forum, and the other united members of the New Jersey Home School task force kept us informed of the status of A3123 through this group, and recommended particular UNITED actions.

This unity has paid off, as you will see in this message to our Facebook group today.

Carolee Adams sent a message to the members of SAVE HOME SCHOOL FREEDOM IN NEW JERSEY!

--------------------
(no subject)

Dear Home Educators of New Jersey,

We now have the opportunity to share good news!

A little over three weeks ago, you first read about a new threat to New Jersey homeschooling freedoms in the form of Assembly Bill A3123. A task force consisting of Catholic Homeschoolers of New Jersey (CHNJ), Eagle Forum of New Jersey, Education Network of Christian Homeschoolers of NJ (ENOCH), Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA), New Jersey Homeschool Association (NJHA), and the Unschoolers Network worked to unite all NJ homeschoolers by apprising you of the threat and recommending united and focused actions.

Due to our recent conversations with key legislators in the State of New Jersey, we believe all of our exemplary calls, personal conversations, and meetings with lawmakers regarding principled reasons to oppose A3123 have been respected. For now, and in the foreseeable future, there is little likelihood that A3123, or any amended part of it, will be introduced at a hearing in the Assembly Education Committee. Although the Bill has not been officially withdrawn, that is not unusual in the State of New Jersey. Countless bills die in Committee and are not re-introduced in a new term. And, many legislators will continue to stand with us to protect our freedom to home educate. Importantly, we will, as always, remain vigilant. Thus, no further contact with your legislators about A3123 is advised at this time.

With sincere appreciation, our 40-years of home school success in New Jersey continues unabated because of all of you who continue to home educate with extraordinary love, wisdom, and dedication; who are committed to defend your right to home educate with respect and fortitude; and who quickly unite as one voice for such a noble cause as proven in the last few weeks.

Congratulations! It has always been this parent’s joy and blessing to home educate; an honor to be part of the esteemed home school community; and a privilege to continue to support the freedom to home educate in New Jersey and in the USA with you!

Faithfully,
Carolee Adams, State President
Eagle Forum of New Jersey

Addendum: Representative of many conversations with legislators and their staffs we enjoyed, I share one in particular. A chief of staff happily reported that she went home “chipper” the night before after taking many of your wonderful calls herself. (In fact, while we spoke at 5 pm, the phone was still ringing.) After working in legislative offices for over a decade, she expressed that she had never experienced such a high quality of calls with each of your! Then, she rendered this heartwarming compliment: “Because of the tenor of those calls, now I know why home education is so successful!”

Home educators of New Jersey – you rock!!!

New Jersey - NEW BILL A.375 - CALLS NEEDED NOW

Never a dull moment in the People's Republic of New Jersey.

Our faithful legislators neither slumber nor sleep in their quest to regulate our children's education - what they learn, when they learn it, and for how long they have to learn it.

Now they are revisiting compulsory attendance. A.375 isn't actually a new bill - they have been batting it around all year. It seems like just the other day (actually, it was in May or June) I was on the phone with Joe Malone's office (R-Burlington) about this bill concerning compulsory attendance, stating that older students who would rather be anywhere else only cause disruption and mayhem in a classroom. It can be difficult enough for students learn without some unmotivated 18 year olds (who would probably rather be working or in vo-tech) creating a disturbance.

At the time, they were saying that it wouldn't affect homeschooling. But HSLDA has a different take on it, and is asking for calls right away to stop this latest attempt to encroach upon our parental rights and expand government control over our children.

This bill is sset for hearing in the Assembly Appropriations Committee THIS THURSDAY, OCTOBER 23.

From the HSLDA E-lert Service...

New Jersey: Calls Needed Immediately to Stop Expansion
of Government Control Over Homeschoolers

Dear HSLDA Members and Friends:

Your calls are needed immediately to defend parental freedom against a bill set for hearing in the Assembly Appropriations Committee this Thursday, October 23. A. 375 aims to expand state control over young people by expanding the compulsory school attendance age from 16 to 18.

Parents alone know whether it's best for their 16- and 17-year-olds to
stay in a formal education setting or follow some other path. The
government cannot know the needs of individual students. One size does
not fit all when it comes to school attendance.

And the price of this experiment will include higher taxes for New Jersey residents.

ACTION REQUESTED:

Please contact the members of the Assembly Appropriations Committee
before Thursday and express your opposition to these bills. Your
message can be as simple as:

"Please oppose Assembly Bill 375. This costly bill will force
unwilling, unmotivated older teens to remain in classrooms where they
will cause disruption. Protect the right of parents to
decide what educational or vocational path their 16- and 17-year-olds
should follow."

It is not necessary to identify yourself as a homeschooling family, since this bill undermines the rights of all parents. If your name
begins with A-G, call group 1. If it begins with H-M, call group 2.
If O-S, call group 3. T-Z call group 4. Also, call your own
assemblyman, if he is listed below, regardless of what group he is in.
(Use our Legislative Toolbox if you don't know the name of your
assemblyman: http://www.hslda.org/toolbox ).

Group 1

Nellie Pou, Chair
(973) 247-1555
aswpou@njleg.org

Valerie Huttle, Vice-Chair
(201) 541-1118 (Englewood)
(201) 928-0100 (Teaneck)
aswhuttle@njleg.org

Dawn Marie Addiego
(609) 654-1498
aswaddiego@njleg.org

Group 2

Peter Barnes
(732) 548-1406
asmbarnes@njleg.org

Herb Conaway
(856) 461-3997
asmconaway@njleg.org

Michael Doherty
(908) 835-0552
asmdoherty@njleg.org

Group 3

Louis Greenwald
(856) 435-1247
asmgreenwald@njleg.org

Reed Gusciora
(609) 292-0500
asmcusciora@njleg.org

Richard Merkt
(973) 895-9100
asmmerkt@njleg.org

Group 4

Ruben Ramos
(201) 714-4960
asmramos@njleg.org

Samuel Thompson
(732) 583-5558
asmthompson@njleg.org

John Wisniewski
(732) 316-1885
asmwisniewski@njleg.org


BACKGROUND

> >You may be told this legislation does not affect homeschooling. It does. It would subject homeschool families to two additional years of government mandates with respect to family education.

> >You may be told homeschool students who graduate are exempt. This is not correct. The bill only exempts those who have graduated "from high school." Under New Jersey law, homeschooling is considered an education "elsewhere than at school." Since the bill's graduation
language only clearly exempts those who have graduated from "high
school" , i.e., public and private school students, it is possible--or
even likely--that a judge interpreting the language would decide the
exemption does not apply to those who receive instruction elsewhere
than at school.

> >Expanding the compulsory attendance age would inevitably cause tax increases to pay for more classroom space and teachers to accommodate the additional students compelled to attend public school.

> > Raising the compulsory attendance age will not reduce the dropout
rate. Some of states with the lowest completion rates compel
attendance to age 18.

> > Twenty-eight states only require attendance to age 16. Older children unwilling to learn can cause classroom disruptions and even violence, making learning harder for their classmates who truly want
to learn.

> > Mandating attendance until age 18 would restrict parents' freedom to
decide if their 16 or 17-year-old is ready for college or the work
force. Some 16- or 17-year-olds who are not academically
inclined benefit more from valuable work experience than from being
forced to sit in a classroom.

For more information on compulsory attendance, please see our
memorandum at http://www.hslda.org/elink.asp?id=3623 .

Thank you for standing with us for freedom.

Sincerely Yours,

Scott Woodruff
HSLDA Staff Attorney


================================
The HSLDA E-lert Service is a service of:

Home School Legal Defense Association
P.O. Box 3000
Purcellville, Virginia 20134
Phone: (540) 338-5600
Fax: (540) 338-2733
Email: info@hslda.org
Web: http://www.hslda.org

From ENOCH of NJ: Latest Update on NJ A.3123 Homeschool Bill

ENOCH of NJ Legislative Alert!

Date: October 10, 2008

From: Mark August, Legislative Liaison

Re: New Jersey Assembly Bill 3123 (Update #5)

Phase I of our mission to oppose A3123 is complete! Thank you for responding to the charge to call and email the sponsors of A3123 and members of the Assembly Education Committee. There is no doubt that our message has been heard. Here is a report of what has been reported to us at this point:

1. Chairman Joseph Cryan of the Education Committee's office has confirmed that Mr. Cryan is not supportive of the bill. While we still do not know the strength or scope of his opposition, we can confirm that he is NOT planning some fast-tracking of this bill (as some rumors have suggested).
2. Assemblyman Diegnan of the Education Committee has voiced his opposition to the bill.
3. Assemblyman Ramos of the Education Committee has written: "Thank you for your correspondence regarding bill A3123. You make valid points which I will consider as this bill is discussed in the legislature. The decision to home school has become popular. I will bear your sentiments in mind."
4. Assemblyman Rumana's office (of the Education Committee) states he is against these regulations specifically stated in this bill. One of his staffers mentioned that there is already a law regulating home schoolers.

Now is the time to stop the coordinated phone and email campaign. It has accomplished the goals of making our position known, helping the Education Committee and the bill sponsors understand our passion for this issue and our ability to unite in defense of our freedom.

The task force has also received many good reports from the Assembly offices staff members that your calls, while clear and firm, were gracious and winsome. Thank you. Your calls have not alienated any potential friend in Trenton and may actually have opened the door to form some new friendship.

We now know that the Assembly Education Committee hearing, scheduled for October 16th, has been canceled. The next possible hearing date would be November 13. This gives us time for the next phase of action.

The task force met late this afternoon by conference call, and agreed that we can stop making calls at this time. We believe the next step will be for the task force to be joining a few of you in face-to-face meetings with Mr. Cryan and as many of the Education Committee members as possible. We will also be pursuing meetings with the bill's two sponsors.

During this phase, while the task force may not be asking all of you to participate in any particular political action, I am asking you to continue to pray and stay vigilant. The political climate can change quickly, and another call to action could come at any time.

The task force has received copies of emails circulating a call for a Rally in Trenton next week. The task force has not organized such a rally and we do not endorse a rally for the issue of opposing A3123 at this time. If you wish to attend a rally for any other purpose, then we encourage you to do so. However, if the stated purpose of the rally is to oppose A3123, then we ask that you refrain until such time as a statewide effort has been initiated by the task force. We had a great success four years ago with our rally, and much of that success came from our unity across the state.

To conclude: We are not out of the woods yet, as the sponsors have not actually withdrawn the bill. We remain confident however that A3123 will never make it into law. By uniting in the past, we have been able to maintain our status in New Jersey as having one of the best, most homeschool-friendly laws in the nation. It is clear in how quickly we have united this past week that we are on the same road to success this time.

Faithfully and gratefully,

Mark August
ENOCH of NJ

Reporting for the task force opposing A3123:
Kevin Kiernan, Catholic Homeschoolers of New Jersey (CHNJ); Carolee Adams, Eagle Forum of New Jersey; Mark August, Education Network Of Christian Homeschoolers (ENOCH) of New Jersey; Scott Woodruff, Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA); Nan McVicker, New Jersey Homeschool Association (NJHA); Nancy Plent, Unschoolers Network

Many thanks to Carolee Adams of Eagle Forum and the Facebook Group "SAVE HOME SCHOOL FREEDOM IN NEW JERSEY" for leading the charge in keeping us informed. If you are on Facebook, you should consider joining this group to stay abreast of future developments.

NEW JERSEY - Calls Needed IMMEDIATELY to Block Restrictive Homeschool Bill

==============================
From the HSLDA E-lert Service...
==============================


New Jersey--Calls Needed Immediately
to Block Restrictive Homeschool Bill

Dear HSLDA Members and Friends,

Now is the time to speak with one voice and tell New Jersey lawmakers that the homeschool restriction bill, A. 3123, must be stopped.

This bill would rob you of your freedom, tangle you in red tape, and let bureaucrats force you to stop homeschooling. Bureaucrats could mandate subjects and control course content. The bill demands that you keep mountains of records and interferes with your medical privacy.

New Jersey residents have already paid enough for expensive public school disappointments. A. 3123 will increase taxes yet again for New Jersey families because more bureaucrats will need to be hired and paid to enforce it. Also, millions of dollars in added taxes will be necessary, if even only a small percentage of homeschoolers put their children in public school rather than endure the crushing new weight of paperwork and the threats of school superintendents. And state revenues will be lost if homeschool families avoid living in New Jersey.

ACTION REQUESTED

1. If either bill sponsor, Sheila Oliver (District 34, East Orange, Clifton, Glen Ridge, Montclair, West Patterson) or Harvey Smith (District 31, Bayonne City, Jersey City) is your assembly person, call them and courteously ask them to withdraw this bill. Your message can be as simple as, "Please withdraw A. 3123. We don't need our taxes raised to pay for something as pointless as regulation that helps no one. Studies show that children in states with high homeschool regulation do no better than those in states with low homeschool regulation."

2. Call all the members of the assembly Education Committee (listed
below) and courteously convey your message. It can be as simple as, "Please stop A. 3123, the homeschool restriction bill. I don't want my taxes raised to pay for something as pointless as regulation that helps no one. Studies show that heavier homeschool regulation does not help children. The law already requires that homeschooled children get instruction equivalent to public school instruction. That is enough." Keep calling until you get through.

3. While telephone calls and personal visits have the most impact, e-mails, faxes and letters can also have an effect.

4. Contact other homeschool families and ask them to help.

CONTACT INFORMATION

Sponsors

Sheila Oliver
15-33 Halsted Street
Suite 202
East Orange, NJ 07018
Phone: (973) 395-1166
Fax: (973) 395-1724
aswoliver@njleg.org

L. Harvey Smith
485-7 Martin Luther King Jr. Dr.
Jersey City, NJ 07304-2305
Phone: (201) 536-7851
Fax: (201) 536-7854
asmsmith@njleg.org

Education Committee

Joseph Cryan, Chair
985 Stuyvesant Ave.
Union, NJ 07083
Phone: (908) 624-0880
asmcryan@njleg.org
Fax: (908) 624-0587 (Note: fax machine not working right now)

Joan Voss, Vice-Chair
520 Main Street
Fort Lee, NJ 07024
Phone: (201) 346-6400
Fax: (201) 346-5385 (Note: home line)
aswvoss@njleg.org

Patrick Diegnan
908 Oak Tree Ave.
Unit P
South Plainfield, NJ 07080
Phone: (908) 757-1677
Fax: (908) 757-6841
asmdiegnan@njleg.org

Amy Handlin
890 Main St.
Belford, NJ 07718
Phone: (732) 787-1170
Fax: (732) 787-0356
aswhandlin@njleg.org

Mila Jasey
15 Village Plaza
Suite 1B
South Orange, NJ 07079
Phone: (973) 762-1886
Fax: (973) 762-6118
aswjasey@njleg.org

Joseph Malone
311 Farnsworth Avenue
Bordentown, NJ 08505
Phone: (609) 298-6250
Fax: (609) 298-6359
asmmalone@njleg.org

Paul Moriarty
129 Johnson Road
Suite 1
Turnersville, NJ 08012
Phone: (856) 232-6700
Fax: (856) 401-3076
asmmoriarty@njleg.org

Nellie Pou
100 Hamilton Plaza
Suite 1403-05
Paterson, NJ 07505
Phone: (973) 247-1555
Fax: (973) 247-1550
aswpou@njleg.org

Ruben Ramos
70 Hudson St.
7th Floor
Hoboken, NJ 07030
Phone: (201) 714-4960
Fax: (201) 714-4963
asmramos@njleg.org

Scott Rumana
155 Route 46 West
Suite 108
Wayne, NJ 07470
Phone: (973) 237-1362
Fax: (973) 237-1364
asmrumana@njleg.org

Joseph Vas
276 Hobart St.
Perth Amboy, NJ 08861
Phone: (732) 324-5955
Fax: (732) 324-1879
asmvas@njleg.org

David Wolfe
852 Highway 70
Brick, NJ 08724
Phone: (732) 840-9028
Fax: (732) 840-9757
asmwolfe@njleg.org

BACKGROUND

Here is a summary of what A. 3123 would do:

1. Give the superintendent and school board power to force a family to stop homeschooling if they believe the child is not getting an "appropriate education." This means whatever the superintendent and school board say it means because it is not defined. A bureaucrat would have power make a life or death decision over your homeschool program.

2. Give the Commissioner of Education power to mandate courses and
course content ("objectives"). Families would no longer be free to
decide what to teach.

3. Require parents to list objectives in every mandatory subject. Any family whose list does not satisfy the superintendent will be in trouble.

4. Require parents to send a notarized letter and register every homeschooled child annually.

5. Require parents to prove that the children have received all medical services and immunizations the law requires.

6. Require parents to certify that adults in the home have not committed certain crimes.

7. Require that parents provide 180 days of instruction and turn in these records annually (and also as often as the superintendent requests, if he has "reason to believe" the student is not getting "an appropriate education"):
> list of reading materials
> writing samples
> worksheets
> workbooks
> creative materials
> standardized testing in grades 3, 5 and 8 (with parents being
prohibited from administering the test)
> an annual evaluation by a person other than the parent, after an
interview and review of materials. The evaluator must certify the student is receiving an "appropriate education". The evaluator must be a: (a) licensed psychologist, or (b) certified school psychologist, or (c) New Jersey public or private school teacher, or (d) New Jersey public or private school administrator.

The organizations of the New Jersey homeschool task force are united in opposing this bill: HSLDA, Catholic Homeschoolers of New Jersey (Kevin Kiernan), Eagle Forum of New Jersey (Carolee Adams), Education Network Of Christian Homeschoolers of New Jersey (Mark August), New Jersey Homeschool Association (Nan McVicker), and Unschoolers Network (Nancy Plent).

Thank you for standing with us for freedom.

Sincerely yours,

Scott Woodruff
HSLDA Staff Attorney


=====================================
The HSLDA E-lert Service is a service of:

Home School Legal Defense Association
P.O. Box 3000
Purcellville, Virginia 20134
Phone: (540) 338-5600
Fax: (540) 338-2733
Email: info@hslda.org
Web: http://www.hslda.org

UPDATE Restrictive New Jersey Homeschool Bill

=====================================
From the HSLDA E-lert Service...
=====================================


New Jersey--Prepare To Oppose Restrictive
Homeschool Bill

Dear HSLDA Members and Friends,

On September 22, New Jersey Assemblywoman
Sheila Oliver and Assemblyman Harvey Smith
filed a bill that would cause a catastrophic
destruction of homeschool freedom in New Jersey.

For decades, homeschooling in New Jersey has
thrived, producing astonishingly good results
at no taxpayer expense even while public schools
serve up one expensive disappointment after
another. There is no justification to cripple
the most successful form of education in New
Jersey with increased regulation. Studies show
that children do no better in states with heavy
regulatory burdens.

The organizations of the homeschool task force
are united in opposing this bill, A. 3123, and
are developing a unified response. No benefit,
great or small, can possibly compensate for the
loss of freedom. The task force opposes this bill
in every detail. There is no compromise position.
The bill must be defeated.

ACTION REQUESTED

The time for action will be very soon, but not yet.
Please wait, but be prepared to take action when
HSLDA recommends it. 

BACKGROUND

These organizations form the homeschool task force:
HSLDA, Catholic Homeschoolers of New Jersey (Kevin
Kiernan), Eagle Forum of New Jersey (Carolee Adams),
Education Network Of Christian Homeschoolers of New
Jersey (Mark August), New Jersey Homeschool Association
(Nan McVicker), and Unschoolers Network (Nancy Plent).
These same organizations unified to help stop the
infamous A.B. 4033 in 2004.

A 3123 would do the following:

1. Require an annual notarized letter of intent to
register every homeschooled child.

2. Require parents to list objectives in every
mandatory subject.

3. Require evidence of immunization.

4. Require proof that the children have received
all medical services the law requires.

5. Require a certification that adults in the
home have not committed certain crimes.

6. Require 180 days of instruction.

7. Empower the Commissioner of Education to
decide what subjects are mandatory.

8. Empower the Commissioner of Education to
determine course content "guidelines" starting
in kindergarten.

9. Require that parents keep the following records
and submit them annually to the school district,
and also as often as the superintendent requests,
if he has "reason to believe" the student is not
getting "an appropriate education":

> list of reading materials
> writing samples
> worksheets
> workbooks
> creative materials
> standardized testing in grades 3, 5 and 8
with parents being prohibited from administering
the test)
> an annual evaluation by a person other than
the parent, after an interview and review of
materials. The evaluator must certify the student
is receiving an "appropriate education." The
evaluator must be a: (a) licensed psychologist,
or (b) certified school psychologist, or
c) New Jersey public or private school teacher,
or (d) New Jersey public or private school
administrator.

10. Empower the superintendent to ask the school
board to terminate homeschooling if he believes
the records (above) show the homeschool program
is "unsatisfactory in providing an adequate education."

11. "Adequate education" is not defined, so the
superintendent and school board have wide latitude
to decide what they think it means.

A. 3123 would turn New Jersey into one of the worst
homeschool states in the country. The bill is very
similar to Pennsylvania's homeschool law, which is
generally recognized as the second worst in the nation,
surpassed only by New York's. A. 3123, however,
includes features that make it even worse than
Pennsylvania's. 

Some families have stayed in New Jersey and endured
high tax burdens because the homeschool law is
favorable. If A. 3123 passes, some families will
leave the state, reducing the tax base without any
corresponding savings from reduced state or local
education expense. At the same time, the mountain
of paperwork it will create for superintendents
will raise expenses that will ultimately be footed
by the already put-upon taxpayer.

Sincerely Yours,

Scott A. Woodruff
HSLDA Staff Attorney

Restrictive new bill threatens New Jersey Home Schoolers

It was bound to happen sooner or later.

I have been sounding the alarm all summer about possible restrictions on homeschooling freedoms here on this blog, and it is coming home to roost.

A new bill has been introduced in the New Jersey legislature (A. 3123) that threatens homeschooling freedoms in New Jersey. I was alerted by ENOCH of New Jersey today of this bill, introduced September 22, 2008.

It's a doozy, as my dad used to say. Let's let the bill speak for itself.

This bill requires a parent or guardian seeking to educate his child at home to register with the resident school district prior to the establishment of the home education program. The bill provides that the registration must include: certain descriptive information about the child, his home education supervisor, and the program; a statement that the child will be provided instruction in such subjects as required by law; evidence that the child has been properly immunized and has received necessary health and medical services; and a certification that the supervisor, all adults living in the home, and persons having legal custody of a child in a home education program have not been convicted of certain criminal offenses.

Under the bill, a home education program must provide instruction for a minimum of 180 days each year and must include courses in such areas as determined by the Commissioner of Education. The bill directs the Commissioner of Education to develop guidelines for home education programs that provide for a sequential course of study for each grade, K-12. The bill directs the resident school district to lend the parent or guardian of a home schooled child copies of the school district’s planned curriculum, textbooks, and other instructional materials, as requested. The bill also provides that the resident school district must permit a student registered in a home education program to participate in the district’s extracurricular activities, including interscholastic athletics, provided that certain conditions are met. Under the bill, the district must provide the student with access to a medical or physical examination, if one is required as a condition of participation in the activity and if the school district offers the medical or physical examination to its enrolled students. The bill requires the supervisor of a home education program to maintain a portfolio of records and materials demonstrating the student’s work and progress, including the results of standardized tests and an independent evaluation of the student’s educational progress. The bill provides a process for reviewing the adequacy of home education programs. The bill also provides a process for the termination of a home education program determined to be inadequate.

Some of you who are reading may not find this any more burdensome than laws in your state, but to put it in perspective, the only thing is included in this bill that we are required to do right now is the part about 180 days.

So this is like making your car go from zero to sixty in 10 seconds.

I am hopeful that nobody will get sucked into this because of the provision that allows homeschoolers to participate in district sports. To me, that is SO not worth having them sticking their nose in my business.

I will continue to keep you informed of the threat this bill represents, so that you can become informed and make sure channels of communication are open for any call to action in the next days and weeks. New Jersey homeschoolers covet your prayers at this time.

Homeschooling Causes Measles!

Well, that is what the people who wrote this Courier-Post article want you to think.

Can you imagine? Implicating homeschooling because "The CDC's review found that a number of cases involved home-schooled children not required to have the vaccines."

Right. We are talking 131 cases in all, and it's all those pesky homeschoolers' fault.

I think the real problem is with New Jersey's draconian schedule of required vaccinations - 60 doses before the age of 6.

New Jersey already has the highest autism rate in the country, in part because there are some remarkable services here for the autism community, so more families fitting this profile are moving into the state. But there are still plenty of questions about whether there is a link between vaccines and autism.

Or, more specifically, whether there is a link between New Jersey's 60-doses-by-6 and our high autism rates.

What there are no questions about is that the ingredients of vaccines should not be put into the bodies of small children. If you check the package inserts of vaccines, which are written by the vaccine manufacturers, you will find aluminum, mercury, formaldehyde, latex rubber and a variety of potentially cancer-causing chemicals.

These package inserts also warn of serious side affects, such as encephalitis, myelitis, seizure, Guillain-Barre syndrome, multiple sclerosis, even sudden death.

MS? Sudden death? How could those be better than measles, mumps, rubella, or chicken pox? I had all of those when I was young, and they conferred lifetime immunity. The vaccines do not confer lifetime immunity, which is why they have to have boosters every few years.

The medical establishment, and the big pharmaceutical companies that call a lot of the political shots in what is arguably the most corrupt state in the nation, will tell you there is no proof that vaccines cause autism. And why would they say otherwise? Autism is big money.

But for those parents whose child just happened to develop autism after a vaccine, no amount of explanations from the drug companies will convince them otherwise.

The New Jersey Public Health Council mandated two new shots for students entering sixth grade. Effective today, each New Jersey child entering sixth grade must have a meningitis vaccination and a DPT (diptheria/pertussis/tetanus) booster shot. They will not be permitted to attend school without proof of these two vaccinations. Children must also have proof of the hepatitus B vaccination, required for students entering sixth grade since 2001. The NJ Public Health Council has also now required hepatitis B vaccination for students in grades 9 through 12.

Parents do have the right to opt out of the new requirements based on religious convictions or medical necessity. In order to get a medical waiver, your child's doctor must certify in writing that the immunizations would harm your child. But don't be surprised if your doctor's explanation does not satisfy the vaccine nazis.

To obtain a religious waiver, you must certify in writing that the vaccination will "conflict with the pupil's exercise of bona fide religious tenets or practices." You cannot avoid the vaccinations based only on philosophical or moral grounds.