The NEA
[email protected]
You all may be interested to know that the National Home Education Network
wrote to the NEA not too long ago and received a reply.
Dear Mr. Chase:
I saw your recent speech to the National Press Club on CSPAN. I was
arrested in my spin around the dial by a man who said he was a
history teacher. Since I, too, was a history teacher, I stopped to
listen to what he had to say. I was immediately impressed by this
man's authenticity and humility, as well as by his compelling
presentation – all hallmarks of an excellent teacher. I was very
pleased to discover that this man was Bob Chase, President of the
National Education Association. I am a former member of your
organization, but for the past twenty years I have been retired from
classroom teaching. Instead, I have been homeschooling with our two
children, the younger of whom is now in her first year of college.
It is as a homeschool advocate that I now write you. I am currently
the Legislative Director of the National Home Education Network
(NHEN). NHEN was formed two years ago as a grassroots organization,
committed to celebrating the diversity of homeschoolers. In our
short life, we have grown to include thousands of homeschoolers in
our network and have been successful in showing the public the
diversity of homeschoolers, through numerous media articles. (one
included) Homeschoolers are indeed a diverse bunch, but the one thing
we all have in common is our commitment to assume responsibility for
our children's education. We know, from the successes we see in our
own families and those of our friends, that homeschooling really
works. So we cannot comprehend why the NEA would see the need to
adopt a resolution opposing homeschooling. (see copy attached)
The resolution is well known in the homeschooling community and has
generated hard feelings among a population that is now numbering
between 1.5 and 2.5 million students, according to a recent
government survey. I am certain that an objective review of the
available evidence will reveal that NEA's categorical position cannot
be supported. I am enclosing with this letter a short list of
research articles that are available on the web; I would be pleased
to provide you with as much additional information as you would care
to read.
When I saw you on television, I was convinced that with your common-
sense approach you would be able either to provide a coherent
explanation of the NEA's reasoning and motivation in adopting that
resolution, or to consider eliminating the resolution from your
platform the next time around.
I would welcome a chance to meet with you by phone or in person to
discuss home education as it exists across the United States today.
I would like to hear your thoughts on the possibility of persuading
the NEA not to re-adopt that resolution another time, and what steps
homeschoolers might take to help persuade NEA.
(It was signed by Nicky Hardenbergh, an NHEN board member)
***************************
Dear Ms. Hardenbergh;
Thank you for your recent comments about my speech at the National Press
Club. I also appreciate the information on homeschooling and the National
Home Education Network.
The Association is very concerned about the education and well-being of all
children, and works to ensure that they are taught in an environment
conducive to effective learning. The NEA Representative Assembly, made up of
9,000 delegates who represent the 2.6 million members throughout the country,
is the Association's primary policy-making body. This body thoroughly
discusses and debates every proposed policy before voting to approve or
reject it.
During the 1988 RA, delegates approved the policy on homeschooling. They were
concerned that homeschooled students were not provided a comprehensive
education experience because they did not have an opportunity to interact
with students of different cultures, economic status, or learning styles. The
felt homeschooled students learned in a setting primarily made up [of] family
members and friends.
We know that parental involvement is imperative for school achievement, but
delegates were concerned that home schools were not required to use
state-approved curricula. The agreed that homeschooled students have done
well on national tests and were the top spellers in the National Spelling Bee
two years ago, but felt home school instruction should meet certain state
education standards.
These are some of the reasons delegates approved the 1988 resolution on
homeschooling, and reconfirmed their position at the 2000 annual meeting.
Members who want this policy reviewed my submit a proposal to the Resolutions
Committee for presentation at the RA.
Thank you again for your comments and the materials on homeschooling.
Sincerely,
Bob Chase
President
wrote to the NEA not too long ago and received a reply.
Dear Mr. Chase:
I saw your recent speech to the National Press Club on CSPAN. I was
arrested in my spin around the dial by a man who said he was a
history teacher. Since I, too, was a history teacher, I stopped to
listen to what he had to say. I was immediately impressed by this
man's authenticity and humility, as well as by his compelling
presentation – all hallmarks of an excellent teacher. I was very
pleased to discover that this man was Bob Chase, President of the
National Education Association. I am a former member of your
organization, but for the past twenty years I have been retired from
classroom teaching. Instead, I have been homeschooling with our two
children, the younger of whom is now in her first year of college.
It is as a homeschool advocate that I now write you. I am currently
the Legislative Director of the National Home Education Network
(NHEN). NHEN was formed two years ago as a grassroots organization,
committed to celebrating the diversity of homeschoolers. In our
short life, we have grown to include thousands of homeschoolers in
our network and have been successful in showing the public the
diversity of homeschoolers, through numerous media articles. (one
included) Homeschoolers are indeed a diverse bunch, but the one thing
we all have in common is our commitment to assume responsibility for
our children's education. We know, from the successes we see in our
own families and those of our friends, that homeschooling really
works. So we cannot comprehend why the NEA would see the need to
adopt a resolution opposing homeschooling. (see copy attached)
The resolution is well known in the homeschooling community and has
generated hard feelings among a population that is now numbering
between 1.5 and 2.5 million students, according to a recent
government survey. I am certain that an objective review of the
available evidence will reveal that NEA's categorical position cannot
be supported. I am enclosing with this letter a short list of
research articles that are available on the web; I would be pleased
to provide you with as much additional information as you would care
to read.
When I saw you on television, I was convinced that with your common-
sense approach you would be able either to provide a coherent
explanation of the NEA's reasoning and motivation in adopting that
resolution, or to consider eliminating the resolution from your
platform the next time around.
I would welcome a chance to meet with you by phone or in person to
discuss home education as it exists across the United States today.
I would like to hear your thoughts on the possibility of persuading
the NEA not to re-adopt that resolution another time, and what steps
homeschoolers might take to help persuade NEA.
(It was signed by Nicky Hardenbergh, an NHEN board member)
***************************
Dear Ms. Hardenbergh;
Thank you for your recent comments about my speech at the National Press
Club. I also appreciate the information on homeschooling and the National
Home Education Network.
The Association is very concerned about the education and well-being of all
children, and works to ensure that they are taught in an environment
conducive to effective learning. The NEA Representative Assembly, made up of
9,000 delegates who represent the 2.6 million members throughout the country,
is the Association's primary policy-making body. This body thoroughly
discusses and debates every proposed policy before voting to approve or
reject it.
During the 1988 RA, delegates approved the policy on homeschooling. They were
concerned that homeschooled students were not provided a comprehensive
education experience because they did not have an opportunity to interact
with students of different cultures, economic status, or learning styles. The
felt homeschooled students learned in a setting primarily made up [of] family
members and friends.
We know that parental involvement is imperative for school achievement, but
delegates were concerned that home schools were not required to use
state-approved curricula. The agreed that homeschooled students have done
well on national tests and were the top spellers in the National Spelling Bee
two years ago, but felt home school instruction should meet certain state
education standards.
These are some of the reasons delegates approved the 1988 resolution on
homeschooling, and reconfirmed their position at the 2000 annual meeting.
Members who want this policy reviewed my submit a proposal to the Resolutions
Committee for presentation at the RA.
Thank you again for your comments and the materials on homeschooling.
Sincerely,
Bob Chase
President
KT
First, Pam, I want to know who those typos in the NEA's part of the
exchange belonged to? If you transcribed the letter, than you're
absolved. <g> But was it sent to NHEN like that?
Second, I'm curious about how the NEA feels about private school
students who don't used state curricula?
I know that resolution, verbatim, has been renewed every year since I
started homeschooling. You'd think they had the time to at least
re-word it after 14 years!
Tuck
exchange belonged to? If you transcribed the letter, than you're
absolved. <g> But was it sent to NHEN like that?
Second, I'm curious about how the NEA feels about private school
students who don't used state curricula?
I know that resolution, verbatim, has been renewed every year since I
started homeschooling. You'd think they had the time to at least
re-word it after 14 years!
Tuck