Statements of McBride and Jeb Bush on Homeschooling

Home Education Foundation | November 3, 2002 | Bush and McBride Campaigns

[I still care]

The following information came from Brenda Dickenson with Home Education Foundation. HEF represents Florida homeschoolers in Tallahassee. They are our lobbyist and voice on the state level.

Please review the following statements from both Bush and McBride carefully.

Also, please VOTE in Tuesday's election. This is a critical election for us as Floridians and as homeschoolers. Let's PRAY for our state and our nation at this election time, too.

HEF has been in personal contact with both the Bush-Brogan and McBride campaigns regarding their candidate's position on homeschooling.

Bill McBride's Issues Director told us that "Bill will concentrate on public schools so that parents don't feel that homeschooling is their only option." They have supplied no official statement or policy regarding home education.

The Bush-Brogan campaign forwarded the following statement:

----- Original Message ----- From: Bush-Brogan 2002 Sent: Wednesday, October 23, 2002 10:50 AM Subject: Home School Statement

I fully support empowering parents to determine what is best for their children's education, and have always been an advocate of home school education. Parents in Florida have long had the right to educate their children themselves. Under my administration, the rights of home-schooled children and parents have been strengthened.

For example:

- Home schooled students are able to fully take advantage of Florida's Virtual High School. This innovative program enables students to participate in courses via computer from their home. The Virtual High School provides curriculum and instructional services over the Internet at no charge to Florida students, whether they are home education, public, or private school students. By nearly doubling funding for the Virtual High School over the last four years, more Florida home schoolers are enrolled than ever before. In 1998, only 185 home schoolers were enrolled in courses, while last school year, home school enrollment was up to 2,212. Having made home schoolers a priority group to be served, we're on track to see even greater home school participation this school year.

- Home education students are also eligible for Bright Futures Scholarships if they are registered as home education students during the 11th and 12th grades. As long as the student meets the SAT, ACT, and GPA requirements for the various scholarship programs, they will be rewarded with a Bright Futures Scholarship.

- In the new Florida school code rewrite and reorganization, there is a specific statutory obligation for the state to have an office of Private Schools and Home Education Programs, and laws referring to home schooling have now been consolidated into one user-friendly statute. In addition, my administration supported university admittance policies to allow admission for home schoolers.

In a second term, I will continue to fight for the rights of home schoolers. The best education tools are often found right at home!

[I still care]

McBride is totally clueless on homeschooling, isn't it amazing to see. There is NOTHING he could do with the public schools that would make them an preferable option to homeschooling for those of us who truly love it, and the time it gives us with our children.

[ChadGore]

WIN ONE FOR THE GIPPER

Vote on Tuesday.

Do the right thing.

[NautiNurse]

Homeschooling = smaller class size