January 14, 2010 - Thoughts of Suffering & Freedom Maintained

It is hard today to post about something I am excited to share with you, without first taking a moment to turn my thoughts to the suffering in Haiti... and with that ask that you turn your thoughts, prayers and efforts in anyway you can to help those in need..  and if able, I encourage you to contribute to the recovery effort, there are so many wonderful aid groups that need our help, some suggestions:


International Red Cross




I expect to pass through this world but once. Any good thing, therefore, that I can do or any kindness I can show to any fellow creature, let me do it now. Let me not defer or neglect it for I shall not pass this way again." 
-Stephen Grellet


Thank you for helping in any way that you can...  
Now with this moment of reflection and contemplation so present at the forefront of my mind out there, 
onto my post...


FREEDOM MAINTAINED 


The last several weeks I have been very busy and politically active in trying to defeat some anti-homeschooling legislation here in New Hampshire.  For those of you not up to date, I'll give you a bit of background;  For nearly the last 2 years a small group of Democratic legislators in our State have taken to the task of pushing legislation that would have made NH the most heavily regulated State in which to homeschool.  Now you may think, we have no homeschooling law, but for 30 years the State has had a homeschooling law on the books that works, and while many of us feel it is still unbalanced and requires more oversight than necessary, it has worked to protect children and the so called "State's interest to ensure all children are educated."   Nonetheless, a small group of somewhat powerful Democratic legislators has pushed on in their effort to increase regulation.

  Now many of you think of NH as a small New England State only important in Presidential Elections, but all in all many of us here still believe the motto written on our car license plates, "Live Free or Die"-  individual freedoms are rooted in the fabric of the residents here. We believe that government should have minimal interference in our day to day lives (including the upbringing and education of our children) and that the will of the people can still affect the decisions of our legislature.   So every time a proposed anti- homeschooling bill was presented to the House, NH homeschool families came from all over the State for a little lesson in civics down to our State House Capitol in Concord.  We lobbied legislators with personal visits, calls, e-mails and drove around placing flyers in mail boxes.  We educated Legislators about homeschooling b/c so many of them really did not understand homeschooling or the current law.  We also organized a website to promote the rights of the parent over that of the State and communicated via an online group to coordinate our efforts.

While one bill was killed in last year's session, one bill still remained and was referred to the Education Committee for several months of study over the spring, summer and fall of 2009.  The conclusion of the Committee in December 2009 was that the current law is working, the 5000 homeschool children in NH are doing as well as and in most cases better than their public school counterparts and that no changes should be made to existing law.  Yet, even with this, that small group of Legislators pushed on with an amendment which would have made NH the most restrictive State.    And thus,  NH homeschoolers organized to defend our Freedoms once more.

I am happy to announce that our efforts paid off - Yesterday we crushed them -

The vote in our favor was 324 to 34 to ITL the bill (kill the bill)- Not even close.

I hope that small group of 34 have finally gotten the message - Homeschooling families should be left to do what they do best - 
Teach their children without State interference!

I am honored by the efforts of my fellow homeschoolers across my State  - here's video from You Tube  of our rally on Wednesday, Jan. 13th at the State House 
(not sure who produced the video, but thanks).
And just in case some of those displeased 34 Legislators are wondering...
My children, 9 & 7, have had a most thorough study of civics the last two years!

And just in case you're not really up to date on the homeschooling movement, a few thoughts and stats for you (with some great music to boot)....