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Homeschooling
in Ohio: Educate Yourself |
| Law & Process | Troubleshooting: Educate Yourself | Legislative | DCFS | People |
| Educate Yourself | Teaching Civics? | Homeschooling is Political | New to Homeschooling in Ohio? |
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News is only as good as its source. Words are important. In the homeschool community, as in all other facets of our Society we are bombarded with all kinds of messages and news regarding homeschooling issues. These issues come to us from National, Statewide, local sources, other homeschoolers. Sometimes the messages really are about homeschooling issues, sometimes the messages are masquerading as homeschooling issues. Where you end up on a topic really is up to you. You can be passive and allow someone to educate you and potentially end up with an undesirable result in your life or you can educate yourself. You empower yourself and your family when you are knowledgeable about issues that can affect you as homeschoolers. This
page presents ideas and resources to help you sift through the issues
for yourself. Disclaimer: The ideas contained on this page are not intended to be used as legal advice, but as an informative starting point. It is essential that you verify any information that is pertinent to decisions you make for yourself or your family. Consult an attorney if you have unanswered questions. The links on this page are only as accurate as their destinations. If you find an error, please contact us. |
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The
Power of the Individual
It can't be said enough times. In order to be protected by our laws, you must know what they are and how not to stray too far from them. By being well read on what human rights are, what the U.S. Constitution really says, and what your State and local statutes have to say, you retain a lot of your own civic power and help to ensure your personal freedoms.
As our world becomes more complicated, is becomes ever more difficult to fine tune our focus on all the issues that can affect us as homeschoolers. We need to learn how to sift through the information and issues presented for ourselves instead of allowing someone else do it for us. It is when we allow others to decide for us what are the issues that affect us as homeschoolers that we give up our power as individual homeschoolers. By the very nature of what we do every day, because it is out of the "ordinary", each of us possess a potentially powerful "say" in issues that can revolve around schooling, family and children but in particular about homeschooling. By permitting others to have "our say" in these kinds of issues we give our right to use that particular brand of "Magic" we possess to say "as a homeschooler of 10 years here's what I think..."
Fear Breeds Ignorance
Without
proper information we are uninformed, ignorant and susceptible to lies
and propaganda that we cannot see through. One of the most effective vehicles
used to deliver messages about "issues" masquerading as homeschooling
issues is fear. Fear is a powerful emotion that once it has taken hold,
generates paranoia. Once you have an audience that is fearful and paranoid
they will potentially listen to whatever is said without question. If
you have become aware of, or become subject of an issue that has been
brought to you using a message intended to make you fearful, react first
by getting to the heart of issue by educating yourself. Then respond appropriately.
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The
Change Has Already Occurred |
What
Can I Do When the District Harasses Me
You sent your notification and you haven't received
your excusal because the district wants something else. The first thing
to remember is that the district has a 14 day window in which to make
any further requests. If they do within that timeframe, then the ball
is in your court to react. How you react can affect what happens with
other homeschoolers, or what happens with you the next time you notify.
That's an important idea to remember.
The Paper Trail
Another important idea to remember that even though phone contact is more
personal and serves that immediate gratification thing we all have these
days, a paper trail is far more useful and will serve YOU better. Writing
does not have a tone or an attitude - unless you want it to, putting it
on paper assures you don't hit the send button prematurely, paper also
allows you to set it down and to come back when you have cooled off -
if that is the case. The best thing you can do is generate a PAPER TRAIL
and send all correspondences certified mail with signature verification
- a hassle, but nonetheless, a useful technique.
The district has any number of goodies in their bag that they can use to intimidate. We would like to think that the district is not intentionally intimidating just to scare, but to issue a concern in order to clarify that all parties are in compliance with Ohio regulations. The fact is, many new as well as seasoned administrators really are not as knowledgeable about the homeschool regulations as they should be and often the additional requests are exceeding the authority they have. This is why, it pays to educate yourself in these matters.
The district may attempt to "clarify" compliance in these areas:
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They
want some kind of "proof"
Homeschoolers are not required to prove residency, that they
have custody of their kids, that they have a high school diploma, that
they have"schooled" their children for 900 hours. This is not
specified in our code and if you have a superintendent asking for proof,
you simply tell them that you are not required by law to prove anything
to them. Be sure you understand why you don't have to prove anything so
that you can tell them why.
This issue is addressed in the memo: "QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS REGARDING HOME EDUCATION from the Ohio State Board of Education".
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They want more information
To repeat one more time: In order to be
protected by our laws, you must know what they are and how not to stray
too far from them. By being well read on what human rights are,
what the U.S. Constitution really says, and what your State and local
statutes have to say, you retain a lot of your own civic power and help
to ensure your personal freedoms.
It is a very difficult thing to react calmly to an institutional authority that has police power like truant officers and juvenile court officers. But instead of immediate confrontation, take a look at your particular situation before you stomp your feet and get online and on the phone with people you hope will give you the answer. Think for a minute how empowering it is to be able to tell a government institution you know what the laws are and what they can and cannot do regarding your family and your personal freedoms by educating them in an intellectual way.
They want more information. It is up to you to decide if their request is within what they have the power to do, or if they are overstepping their bounds. Again, remember a paper trail is best.
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If you determine the district is exceeding authority, write a letter and explain why you feel their request is not in compliance with what State regulations outline. Send along the memo: "QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS REGARDING HOME EDUCATION from the Ohio State Board of Education", if it applies to your situation. Send along a copy of the regulations if that applies. This website probably has all the documentation you'll need, poke around and educate yourself. Once you have handled this situation, should it come up in the future, or another issue like it, you'll already have a knowledge base to start with.
They threaten to mark your student truant
Many times when a school representative threatens to mark a homeschooled
student truant, they are overstepping boundaries because they are uninformaed
about what state police authorities have the power to do. By educating
yourself on this important issue, you can address this issue before
it gets out of hand.
They claim you are neglecting or abusing your chil(dren).
There are very specific rules regarding who can report abuse
and neglect in our state. Misinformed
officials are out there. Often this threat is used
to invoke fear to get you to do something over and above what is required
for homeschoolers in our state. By educating yourself on this important
issue, you can address this issue before it gets out of hand.
Is
It Really a Homeschooling Issue?
There are groups within our community who sometimes can make even the most mundane or incredibly politically divisive issues into "homeschooling" issues, when in reality they are not issues that pertain to homeschooling at all. The detrimental effect to this is that it attracts attention to our community, sometimes unnecessarily. As of 2006, according to widely-repeated estimates, as many as two million American children are schooled at home. If a group can make this many homeschoolers fearful about a politically divisive issue, or pose to represent this many people, they could potentially have some heavy duty power with legislators at the State and Federal levels. Learning how to filter what is and is not a real homeschooling issue will help you learn to recognize what real threats are to our rights to homeschool. It will also enable our community as a whole to react more effectively to threats to real homeschooling issues. Homeschooling is legal in all 50 states, and all 50 states already have regulations regarding the procedures required to have your children excused from public schooling. True homeschooling issues revolve around protecting existing rights to keep your children out of the public school system and your right to keep the influence of the public school system out of your family and home; nothing more or less than that simple idea. Often issues in alerts come from groups that are outside the borders of our State, Cities, and districts. In filtering, remember that it is you that has to deal with whatever the outcome is, not a group who is outside your State, City, district. Remember that through the tenth amendment to our U.S. Constitution, each of our our fifty states retains its sovereignty, freedom, and independence, meaning that the federal government is limited only to the powers granted in the Constitution for the National government and that the individual states have the power locally.This is why it is worrisome when groups begin to meddle into Federal and even international territory with "homeschooling" issues. Learning how to use common sense and a filter on issues is important to protecting your individual freedoms. With the issue at hand ask the simple question, does this issue really effect my personal right to homeschool my children? Other questions you might use to help you filter issues found in alerts or other places:
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Issues That Have Been Called "Homeschooling"
Issues
The main question to ask when reading about the issues in this section is:
What does this have to do with homeschooling?
Can
a Constitutional Amendment Protect Parental Rights? What does this have to do with homeschooling?
Homeschool Non Discrimination Act: "In 2003 a similar bill was unilaterally introduced into Congress, just as was the current version, without discussion among homeschoolers. Many homeschooling organizations worked to keep the bill from being passed into law." HR 3753, 109th Congress, First Session, 13 September 2005, Home School Non-Discrimination Act of 2005: "The big change in the 2005 version of HoNDA is the useless inclusion of provisions to help homeschoolers enlist in the military.This is a big change, with implications not only for the federalization of homeschooling, but for military readiness and taxpayer concerns nationwide."
What does this have to do with homeschooling?
Why HSLDA is Fighting Against Same-Sex Marriage: Why is a constitutional amendment the correct approach to solve the problem of same-sex marriage?
What does this have to do with homeschooling? |
You
Decide
Only
you can decide where you stand on an issue. As a homeschooler you have
an awesome voice when it comes to issues of family, children and schooling.
You also have an awesome voice when it comes to issues that pertain directly
to homeschooling regulations.
There are people who will gladly take away your voice in issues related to homeschooling and in other issues some say are homeschooling issues. In fact there very well may be a single person speaking for you right now in Washington or Columbus on many of the issues described on this page. Where you land on an issue really is up to you and how well you educate yourself on the issues. What you do about it is also up to you.
Below are resources you might use to become better acquainted with some of the issues mentioned on this page.
Parental
Rights Legislation
Thoughtful
Analysis of Parental Rights
The
Trojan Horse of the Religious Right Attack on Public Education
A Report by People For the American Way Foundation
Parental
Rights Amendment introduced … again
by Valerie Bonham Moon July 3, 2008 Home Education
Magazine
ParentalRights.org (a subsidiary of HSLDA) sent out an email that another
resolution to amend the Constitution of the United States to protect parental
rights was introduced into the House of Representatives by Rep. Pete Hoekstra
(R-Michigan).
Wikipedida Entry: Convention on the Rights of the Child
A
Call for United States Ratification of the United Nations Convention on
the Rights of the Child
An analysis of the treaty itself at Harvard University.
Convention on the Rights of the Child - the text of the treaty as proposed by the U.N.
Regulating
Marriage
The Federal Marriage Amendment has been introduced in the United States Congress four times: in 2003, 2004, 2005/2006 and 2008.
The Federal Marriage Amendment (FMA) (also referred to by proponents as
the Marriage Protection Amendment) is a proposed amendment to the United
States Constitution which would limit marriage in the United States to
unions of one man and one woman. The FMA also would prevent judicial extension
of marriage rights to same-sex or other unmarried couples, as well as
preventing polygamy. Backers of the amendment say its ratification would
preclude state laws from sanctioning same-sex marriages.
(Introduced
in Senate)[S.J.RES.43.IS]
(Introduced in House)[H.J.RES.89.IH]
State
Regulation of Marriage Is Appropriate Act (Introduced in House) HR
6115 IH 110th CONGRESS To amend title 1, United States Code, to eliminate
any Federal policy on the definition of marriage. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
May 21, 2008The Federal Marriage Amendment Summary
as of 5/21/2008--Introduced. State Regulation of Marriage Is Appropriate
Act - Amends the Defense of Marriage Act to repeal the statutory definition
of "marriage" as meaning only a legal union between one man
and one woman as husband and wife, and of "spouse" as referring
only to a person of the opposite sex who is a husband or a wife.
Wikipedida Entry:Federal Marriage Amendment
News Sources for Homeschooling Issues
Staying Informed from Home Education Magazine
Home
Schooling News
News on Home Schooling continually updated from thousands of sources around
the net from Topix (Topix is the leading news community on the Web, connecting
people to the information and discussions that matter to them in every
U.S. town and city.The site links news from 50,000 sources to 360,000
lively user-generated forums. Topix also works with the nation's major
media companies to grow and engage their online audiences through forums,
classifieds, publishing platforms and RSS feeds.)
The Informed Parent - Understanding our Rights, Responsibilities & Finding Resources
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