Homeschool Legislative Threat in Arizona

Home School Legal Defense Assoc. ^ | HSLDA

[hsmomx3]

At an October meeting of the Arizona School Board Association, Graham County Schools Superintendent Phyllis Bryce called for testing homeschoolers every two years. According to the Eastern Arizona Courier, "a rumble of assent rose from the crowd of ASBA members" when Superintendent Bryce said, "We feel like there should be some accountability" for homeschoolers. While no specific legislative proposals have yet appeared, Arizona homeschoolers should be prepared for possible challenges when the legislature convenes in January.

[microgood]

Superintendent Bryce said, "We feel like there should be some accountability" for homeschoolers.

There is no accountability for public schools so why should homeschoolers be held to a higher standard?

[azcap]

We home school one of our kids here in AZ. I've got a proposition for the ASBA. Give my kid the test. If he fails, I'll send him to the government school... But if he passes, they have to give me the $7000 they would have spent to indoctrinate him. I don't think that's a bet they're willing to take.

[ladylib]

I thought that they got rid of testing in AZ because the homeschoolers tested so much better than the public school students and it was embarrasing for the public schools.

[ladylib]

There is accountability for public schools under No Child Left Behind. That's why they want homeschoolers to jump through hoops.

[AwesomePossum]

Let me see now.........public schools are failing, students are beat up, bullied, kidnapped, raped...... introduced to drugs and every sex act imaginable..... promoted even when they fail....taught by teachers who are not certified in the course being taught, learn very little about citizenship, little about the U.S.Constitution........graduates who can't even read, write or even speak very well, can't make change at the register, don't know who the Speaker of the House of Representatives is, or how many Supreme Court Justices there are, or who fought the Civil War, or what country wrote the Declaration of Independance.....or what an adverb is, or how many quarts are in a gallon, or what is a Leap Year, or the name of one of the Twelve Apostles or where the Western Hemisphere is, or, well, by now you get the picture..................

The best the Arizona School Board Association can come up with is "more accountability for homeschoolers??????????"

GIVE ME A BREAK !!! This is but one of the many reasons that folks are leaving the Democrat party by the droves, because I can guarantee you that the majority of people at this meeting of the Arizona School Board Association were Democrats.

So, Arizona School Board Association, welcome to the exclusive club known as "Without a Clue", and join the ranks of club "notables", such as Dade County Democrats, Gray Davis, the Dixie Chicks, current television network executives, Dan Rather, Rosie, Michael Jackson, and undying (and those who have not yet committed suicide) Clinton supporters.

[genghis]

Exactly right!
This is how we get school choice.

[MARTIAL MONK]

This could be an interesting test. Safford schools are largely Mormon and grind out fairly competent students. Fort Thomas kids, on the other hand, score at "barely able to breathe". What happens when some uberMorman yanks their kids out for religious reasons, they are tested at half the level of their counterparts but still far above the Fort Thomas students? Which standards hold?

[Republic If You Can Keep It]

"We feel like there should be some accountability"

I feel like this guy should learn proper English.

[JustPiper]

Homeschool has become a big threat to the PS and private schools, that is why so many parochial schools are closing.
I've been homeschooling for 12 years and back when I started we (Christian homeschoolers) and families and friends literally stopped Congress with a bill that threatened us. We did it with faxes, emails and phone calls.

We called radio stations to get the word out and Congressman Dick Armey of Texas helped tremendously and how he helped was the fact 'he' was a homeschooling parent himself.

Organize a phone/fax fest with the Arizona legislature. Find out which politicians support it and ask for their support and the dims who do not, thats who you blitz! Good luck!!!

[Dan Evans]

The most common argument against homeschooling is that kids get "socialized" when they are around other kids. But it seems to me that if children spend most of their time with other children then they will act like children when they grow up. But if they spend most of their time with adults they will act like adults.

[aberaussie]

I've been homeschooling for 12 years and back when I started we (Christian homeschoolers) and families and friends literally stopped Congress with a bill that threatened us. We did it with faxes, emails and phone calls.

Oh, yes, I remember HR6...we shut them down!

[JustPiper]

Yeah someone who went through that wonderful win! Wasn't that amazing?! Those dimwits on Capitol Hill did not know what hit them and let Armey right in 'any' language he wanted!

[JustPiper]

seems to me that if children spend most of their time with other children then they will act like children when they grow up. But if they spend most of their time with adults they will act like adults

Great observation Dan! My kids 15 & 16 are like any other so-called normally kids with one big difference, I get to keep my eye on them every moment. We cover every issue and the only thing not typical for my 16 yr old daughter, she is 'not' boy crazy. The 'typical' thing about my 15 yr old son is he 'is' girl crazy.

The girl likes a social life. My son prefers home life. I also have a 29 yr old daughter and 3 grandkids. And seeing how my two youngest have turned out is a joy. Besides the fact my son taught 'himself' algebra at 10 (I'm mathematically dyslexic) and my daughter was several grades above for English. But their academics are not what is so impressive as are their morals. Which they certainly do not teach in PS. My kids are good, conscientious citizens who cannot wait to vote, especially against Hilliary -g-

[Dan Evans]

Home schooled people also tend to be much more involved with community relations. They are more likely to volunteer time and join civic organization.

I think that in about ten years the facts are going to be very embarrassing for the academic "experts" who have denigrated home schooling. Most of our business and civic leaders will turn out to be home schooled, contrary to the projections of the public school apologists.