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Newscomm June 17, 2003
We Stand for Homeschooling
Pomp and Circumstance for Grads
Rod Paige - Blurring the Lines
Homeschooling Makes News
Legal and Legislative -
Good News - California, Maine
Bad News - Oregon, Illinois, Massachusetts, and yes, New Zealand
Mixed - South Dakota
Charters and Hybrids
Homeschool Volunteers Help Needy Children
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We Stand for Homeschooling
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HEM's publishers are joining others who are taking a stand for homeschoolers.
Learn more.
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Pomp and Circumstance for Grads
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Ann: I spent last weekend at Washington state's homeschooling convention where 79 excited homeschooled students participated in graduation ceremonies. Such graduations take place all across the country -
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RENO GAZETTE-JOURNAL, by Geralda Miller, June 8
http://www.rgj.com
Headline: Home-schooled students graduate
Subhead: Nine students share in modest ceremony
"Like most high school graduates, nine home-schoolers shared in the exhilaration of their graduation day... family members and friends gathered Sunday at First Evangelical Free Church of Reno to celebrate the beginning of their next life stage."
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The Providence Journal, Rhode Island, BY BRYAN ROURKE, 06/14
http://www.projo.com
Headline: Home schoolers are divided on the need for graduation day
"Adam Stewart ... is a graduating class of one, a common occurence for home schoolers... Historically, most home schoolers haven't participated in large-scale graduation ceremonies. After all, these are independent people. 'We concentrate a lot on individuality,' Ryan says."
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Brazosport Facts, Texas, May 31
http://thefacts.com
"Lauren Wallace will graduate with six other home school students during a ceremony Saturday at Brazosport College. As they leave behind lives that may seem isolated and unconventional to some, school days at the Wallace household are filled with activities that create a family bond, promote learning and encourage social activity."
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Rod Paige - Blurring the Lines
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CNN Access, June 10
http://www.cnn.com
Paige: 'We think that we're on a roll'
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Education Secretary Rod Paige: "...I think we make too big an issue of the clear line between what is public and what is private. The deadline is much more blurred than it is clear. And what we're interested is in whatever delivery system provides the best education for our children. We realize that there will be multiple systems as we go forward. There'll be cyber schools, home schooling, private schools, what we refer to now as the public schooling."
Ann: "...too big an issue of the clear line between what is public and what is private?" I don't think so, Secretary Paige. I'd like to see those lines sharpened considerably - not to keep folks out, but so we can tell who is up to what.
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Homeschooling Makes News
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Medford Transcript, MA, By Robert Woo, June 11
http://www.townonline.com
Headline: New book teaches 'unschooling'
Medford resident updates old home education text
"When Medford resident Pat Farenga talks about "unschooling" children, he's not referring to the recent budget cuts in education. He's actually talking about homeschooling children in new and creative ways - the subject of his new book, "Teach Your Own: The John Holt Book of Homeschooling."
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The Arizona Republic, Phoenix, by Samuel Trommler Jr., June 11
http://www.azcentral.com
Headline: Book fair a haven for home-schoolers
Educational tools for sale at group's Glendale event
"'We're bursting at the seams,' said home-school mother Kristin Carnes, who ... expects more than 1,000 people to show up for the sale...'"
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The Salt Lake Tribune, Utah, By Jacob Santini, June 08
http://www.sltrib.com
Headline: For Conferees, Home Is Where the School Is
"The Salt Palace was home Saturday to an education association meeting like few others...The one-day conference drew an estimated 1,800 attendees, and offered information on topics from teaching techniques to parenting skills and the legal issues relating to keeping kids out of public schools. The latter include threats to home-schooling from legislation and court rulings."
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CNN.com, Judy Woodruff's Page Turners, June 11
http://www.cnn.com
Headline: Kyle Williams: Teen pundit
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Kyle Williams, a 14-year-old political pundit and writer, challenges the old saying that "children should be seen and not heard."
In his new book, "Seen and Heard: America's Youngest Pundit Tackles the Lies and Truths of Politics and Culture," Williams takes on such controversial issues as education and home schooling, gay rights, abortion, and separation of church and state."
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Fox 7, WTVW, Evansville, Indiana, June 1
http://www.wtvw.com
Headline: More Hoosiers home-schooling kids
Indiana June 1 -- Home schooling is an increasingly popular option for Indiana parents, with the number of home-schooled children nearly tripling from 1998 to last year.
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Legal and Legislative -
Good News - California, Maine
Bad News - Oregon, Illinois, Massachusetts, and yes, New Zealand
Mixed - South Dakota
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Californians Sigh With Relief
Ann: California Department of Education's new Superintendent Jack O'Connell made a policy reversal last month, removing the controversial language expressing that homeschooling is illegal in California. The ripple of relief spreading across the state is expressed in many stories such as the following.
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The Press Enterprise, Inland Southern California, By TANYA SIERRA, June 11
http://www.pe.com
Headline: Climate changes for home schools
POLICY: The state's education chief softens his department's previous position on the practice.
Parents who have been teaching their children at the kitchen table have more support from the state now that state schools chief Jack O'Connell has relaxed his department's stance on home schooling.
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Ventura County Star, California, By David Montero, June 12
http://www.insidevc.com
Headline: State eases its rhetoric over home schools
Parents praise O'Connell action
"...Michael Hershner, deputy general counsel with the Department of Education, said state Superintendent of Schools Jack O'Connell intended the shift to put home schoolers more at ease. 'We are being more deferential to home-schooling and not wanting to appear so hostile,' Hershner said. 'We believe this is in deference to the fact that a child will possibly get a high quality education in a home-school environment.'"
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The Modesto Bee, California, By SUSAN HERENDEEN, June 13
http://www.modbee.com
Headline: Rules on home schools relaxed
"It will be up to school districts to decide if students are truant.
'Our interpretation of the law really hasn't changed; we're just being more quiet about it,' said Michael Hersher, deputy general counsel for the Department of Education... Independent home schoolers for years have filed... affidavits to declare themselves private schools. They believe the paperwork protects their children from truancy charges."
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Illinois
The Southern Illinoisan, BY KEN SEEBER, June 10
http://www.southernillinoisan.com
Headline: PROPOSED DAY CURFEW FOR STUDENTS QUESTIONED
"At its very roots, a daytime curfew, because it automatically assumes a person is guilty essentially until they're proven innocent, is an unconstitutional approach," said Phil Bankester of Carbondale, a director of Jackson County Home Educators, a home-schooling advocacy group. Bankester said families who home school worry that police will have to detain every child found in public until a parent can be contacted to prove they aren't in violation of the curfew."
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Maine
Headline: A better homeschooling law in Maine
From Kathi Kearney at HEM-PoliticalAction: "We finally have a better homeschooling law... Maine was The last four "approval" states for homeschooling. "Approval states" are those states where it is written into statute that either the state Commissioner of Education (or Superintendent of Public Instruction, in some states) and/or the local school board, must "approve" a homeschooling program before it is legal to homeschool. (The three approval states left are MA, UT, and RI)...
"The new law is a simple "notice of intent" law. Approval is gone." Read the new legislation at http://www.mainelegislature.org
Watch for updates at Maine Home Education Association's website http://www.geocities.com/mainehomeed/ and Homeschool Support Network at
http://www.homeeducator.com/HSN/hsnme.htm
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Massachusetts
Ann: The issues of the Bryant case are complex. As I understand it, the parents and children have defied certain requests from the local school district - from their principled stand and at great personal sacrifice. The district appears to be intent on winning at any cost. Here is the latest development.
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Milford Daily News, Massachusetts, By Melissa Beecher, June 16
http://www.milforddailynews.com
Headline: Waltham parents' hearing benched: Homeschooled kids stay put
"WALTHAM -- A court hearing that will most likely determine whether two homeschooled children will stay in the custody of their parents has been postponed indefinitely. The hearing in Framingham Juvenile Court, which was a certainty according to DSS officials Thursday, was postponed Thursday night, the children's mother, Kim Bryant... DSS officials arrived at the Bryants' Gale Street home at 7:45 a.m. and demanded the children come to a Waltham hotel and take a test to determine their educational level. The children refused to go with DSS workers. After obtaining a court order, the children were driven to the hotel by their parents but again refused to take the test."
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Oregon
Ann: On Thursday, May 29, the Oregon House of Representatives voted 34 to 25
in favor of the Homeschool Freedom Bill, placing it on the Governor's desk last week.
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Oregonian, Portland, Oregon, by DAVE HOGAN, June 17
http://www.oregonlive.com
Headline: Governor vetos home-school bill
SALEM -- Gov. Ted Kulongoski vetoed legislation Monday that would have removed home-schooled children from state regulation.
From Amy Grant, President, Oregon Home Education Network http://www.ohen.org/
"Gov. Kulongoski is vetoing S.B. 761...it was a great campaign by the homeschooling community -- we achieved more than we expected, we educated a lot of legislators, and we primed the pump for the next go-round (2005)."
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South Dakota
Ann: South Dakota's interscholastic law allows each district to decide whether or not to allow homeschool students to participate.
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Rapid City Journal, South Dakota, June 11
http://www.rapidcityjournal.com
Headline: District shuts out home-schoolers
YANKTON (AP) - "The Yankton School Board has decided not to let home-schooled students participate in South Dakota High School Activities Association events in the district."
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Rapid City Journal, South Dakota, June 08
http://www.rapidcityjournal.com
Headline: School tackles home-school student policy
ABERDEEN (AP) - Aberdeen school officials are working out concerns over a new law that lets home-schooled students participate in extracurricular activities. Gene Brownell, athletic director for Aberdeen public schools, says home-schooled students and public-school students follow different sets of rules in attendance and academics... Brownell said he is not opposed to home-school participation and intends to develop a policy proposal that would overcome the fairness issues.
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Australia
Northland Age, New Zealand, by Amanda Peart, June 11
http://www.mytown.co.nz
Headline: Exam row hits home
Subhead: Complications in the controversial new NCEA system could force home schoolers back to the classroom.
"And there are rumblings of an uproar from about 9000 home schooled pupils nationwide - many of whom live on the Shore - if this happens. Home school parents say they don't like the controversial National Certificate of Educational Achievement introduced last year and say it's going to be nearly impossible to implement as much of it is internally marked by schools."
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Charters and Hybrids
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Peninsula Daily News, Washington, by JAN RODAK, June 11
http://www.peninsuladailynews.com
Headline: SEQUIM: HOME-SCHOOLING IMPROVMENTS SOUGHT
SEQUIM - "Home-schooling parents who are unhappy with the support they receive from the Sequim School District... Rose Marschall said that while officials from the Sequim district mean well, they may be caving to pressures prompted by new federal regulations which require a more rigorous set of standards -- standards that too closely resemble the public school structure that home-schooling parents have sought to avoid in the first place."
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NY Times, By BONNIE ROTHMAN MORRIS, May 29
http://www.nytimes.com
Headline: Home Schooling in Cyberspace
"MADELINE NELSON of Steubenville, Ohio, has been in the third grade since last fall but has met her teacher only a few times. She has plenty of schoolwork to do, including book reports and her favorite, art projects. She gets her assignments online through the Ohio Virtual Academy..."
Ann: What a misleading headline! Except for the headline, the story is precise. The child is enrolled in public school - a cyberschool - and the mother is glad for the oversight. Good for them.
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Homeschool Volunteers Help Needy Children
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Oregonian, Portland, Oregon June 12
http://www.oregonlive.com
Headline: Bottoms top priority for venture called PU
"...When she talked to the children in her five-family home-school cooperative, they got excited about collecting underwear for needy children...On Friday, May 16, the 10 children in Project Underwear (PU for short) ...and collected more than $450 worth of new, freshly bought children's underwear."
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Final Words
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Keep me in mind as you find and make the news. Hugs and hearty handshakes go out to those who have contributed to this and past issues.
Ann Lahrson Fisher
News and Commentary Email
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