( NY) Senate bill ( homeschooling)
angelwings14513
THIS IS FROM ANOTHER LIST!
"Hi everyone,
If you are against A4598, now is the time to act!!!
I've been writing letters regarding this bill for
over a year now. Today I took the time to call all of
the assemblymembers involved to say our family is
opposed. The assemblymember assistants told me that
the majority of letters and calls they have received
are for those in favor of the bill.
Take the time to read this and decide what is best
for your family. If you are opposed, act now! If
this bill passes, it will change the way we do things
as homeschoolers...and in way you may not support! "
____________________________________________________________-
_____________________________________________________________
Subject: Opposing the proposed homeschooling bill--quickly!
Well, now is the time to let our voices be heard in the NY State
Assembly, because the homeschooling bill has already passed in the
Senate
(S2060) and could come up for a vote any day now in the Assembly (as
#
A4598) because adjournment is scheduled for the 19th! So if we want
to
let our representatives know that we don't support this bill, we have
to
speak up immediately. (Basic contact information is listed below as
well
as in the latest newsletter.)
( SNIP) board has sent the letter printed below (similar to longer
ones
we've sent in the past), but a letter from the group is no substitute
for
all of those quick individual calls and postal notes that can add up
to
let our representatives know that we're watching what is happening
and
we
are concerned.
The problems that could be caused by this bill (if it passed) have
been
described in the past in the newsletter, on the loop, in issues of
Home
Free, and also on some statewide websites (like www.nyhen.org), but
there
are too many distinct points to describe all of them here.
Just off the top of my head, here are a few of the problems with the
proposed bill: though the bill appears at first glance to relieve us
of
many of the reporting requirements under the current regs, it is
badly
written, creates some new areas of confusion (which could lead to
messy
and dangerous legal challenges), and would put some undesirable
aspects
of the current regs into law for the first time, where the
legislature
can pretty much tinker with our rights at will. At least the current
regs
have remained stable for a very long time, which has so far protected
us,
for instance, from being swept up in the high-stakes testing craze
that
is wreaking such havoc in NY's public schools.
Furthermore, most NY homeschoolers disagree with the pushing of this
bill
as the answer to our difficulties with the regs. There are a number
of
other approaches that various groups of homeschoolers feel could
produce
better and safer results; but a small group of homeschoolers, with
the
backing of (some say pressure from) HSLDA, has been pushing this bill
over the loud objections of their fellow New Yorkers. That alone
would
be
reason enough to slow down, stop this bill, and then try to reach
some
agreement across the state about how best to proceed.
Even a quick phone call to register opposition could mean a lot. E-
mail
is said to be less effective, but a quick e-mail could be followed up
with a hard copy via the post. Contacting your own local
representatives
would be a good idea, but the two primary contacts in the Education
Committee, are:
(The Honorable) Steven Sanders (chair of the committee)
Legislative Office Building 836
Albany, NY 12248
518-455-5506
sanders@...
and (The Honorable) Harvey Weisenberg (bill sponsor)
LOB 731
Albany, NY 12248
518-455-3028
weisenh@...
( SNIP) letter follows:
Dear Assemblyman Sanders (or Assemblyman Weisenberg):
On behalf of ( SNIP) ( HOMESCHOOL GROUP) , we are
writing to express our opposition to Senate Bill S2060/Assembly Bill
A4598, which provides for the imposition of certain procedures and
standards regarding home instruction. ( SNIP) , founded in 1984, is
one of the largest and oldest independent support groups for
homeschooling
families in NYS.
This flawed legislation would create more problems than it attempts
to
alleviate.
On its surface, A4598 appears to lessen the reporting burden of
homeschoolers, as compared to the current regulations governing home
instruction found at NYCRR A7100.10; but its poor draftsmanship would
codify unclear mandates of questionable constitutionality. As a
result, school districts and families would likely be forced to
expend
substantial resources to determine the new law's meaning and effects,
resources in time and expenditures that neither districts nor parents
have to spare. While burdensome, the present regulations have been
in
place since 1988. Local school districts and their resident families
have spent decades establishing manageable practices under the
present
system. This legislation undoes all that work without the certainty
of
improvement.
There is no widespread support for this proposed legislation. We
know
of over 35 independent local support groups for homeschooling
families
in NYS; yet, to our knowledge, only one of them has come out in
support
of this bill. There is [in italics] widespread, statewide opposition
to
it. We
have made repeated requests of Senator Kuhl, as the measure's
sponsor,
to open a dialogue regarding the advantages and drawbacks of
homeschooling legislation, but we are still waiting for an open
examination of this issue. A more serious inquiry into the need, if
any, for legislation regarding home instruction, is warranted before
any such bill is brought to the floor of the legislature for
consideration.
If you are eager to support families in pursuing educational
excellence, we urge you instead to end the imposition of high-stakes
testing on all children in NY. Homeschooling families know first
hand
that a key component of high achievement is the freedom to determine
individually what constitutes a high quality education.
Homeschooling
families care deeply about the fundamental freedom of all families to
choose an education for their children consistent with their
principles
and beliefs. When a wide variety of learning and assessment methods
are accepted, then all children, including those who homeschool, will
benefit.
We respectfully request that you oppose S2060/A4598. The inevitable
problems with this bill outweigh the difficulties that still exist
with
the present system of oversight of homeschoolers. Thank you for your
consideration. We look forward to learning your response.
"Hi everyone,
If you are against A4598, now is the time to act!!!
I've been writing letters regarding this bill for
over a year now. Today I took the time to call all of
the assemblymembers involved to say our family is
opposed. The assemblymember assistants told me that
the majority of letters and calls they have received
are for those in favor of the bill.
Take the time to read this and decide what is best
for your family. If you are opposed, act now! If
this bill passes, it will change the way we do things
as homeschoolers...and in way you may not support! "
____________________________________________________________-
_____________________________________________________________
Subject: Opposing the proposed homeschooling bill--quickly!
Well, now is the time to let our voices be heard in the NY State
Assembly, because the homeschooling bill has already passed in the
Senate
(S2060) and could come up for a vote any day now in the Assembly (as
#
A4598) because adjournment is scheduled for the 19th! So if we want
to
let our representatives know that we don't support this bill, we have
to
speak up immediately. (Basic contact information is listed below as
well
as in the latest newsletter.)
( SNIP) board has sent the letter printed below (similar to longer
ones
we've sent in the past), but a letter from the group is no substitute
for
all of those quick individual calls and postal notes that can add up
to
let our representatives know that we're watching what is happening
and
we
are concerned.
The problems that could be caused by this bill (if it passed) have
been
described in the past in the newsletter, on the loop, in issues of
Home
Free, and also on some statewide websites (like www.nyhen.org), but
there
are too many distinct points to describe all of them here.
Just off the top of my head, here are a few of the problems with the
proposed bill: though the bill appears at first glance to relieve us
of
many of the reporting requirements under the current regs, it is
badly
written, creates some new areas of confusion (which could lead to
messy
and dangerous legal challenges), and would put some undesirable
aspects
of the current regs into law for the first time, where the
legislature
can pretty much tinker with our rights at will. At least the current
regs
have remained stable for a very long time, which has so far protected
us,
for instance, from being swept up in the high-stakes testing craze
that
is wreaking such havoc in NY's public schools.
Furthermore, most NY homeschoolers disagree with the pushing of this
bill
as the answer to our difficulties with the regs. There are a number
of
other approaches that various groups of homeschoolers feel could
produce
better and safer results; but a small group of homeschoolers, with
the
backing of (some say pressure from) HSLDA, has been pushing this bill
over the loud objections of their fellow New Yorkers. That alone
would
be
reason enough to slow down, stop this bill, and then try to reach
some
agreement across the state about how best to proceed.
Even a quick phone call to register opposition could mean a lot. E-
is said to be less effective, but a quick e-mail could be followed up
with a hard copy via the post. Contacting your own local
representatives
would be a good idea, but the two primary contacts in the Education
Committee, are:
(The Honorable) Steven Sanders (chair of the committee)
Legislative Office Building 836
Albany, NY 12248
518-455-5506
sanders@...
and (The Honorable) Harvey Weisenberg (bill sponsor)
LOB 731
Albany, NY 12248
518-455-3028
weisenh@...
( SNIP) letter follows:
Dear Assemblyman Sanders (or Assemblyman Weisenberg):
On behalf of ( SNIP) ( HOMESCHOOL GROUP) , we are
writing to express our opposition to Senate Bill S2060/Assembly Bill
A4598, which provides for the imposition of certain procedures and
standards regarding home instruction. ( SNIP) , founded in 1984, is
one of the largest and oldest independent support groups for
homeschooling
families in NYS.
This flawed legislation would create more problems than it attempts
to
alleviate.
On its surface, A4598 appears to lessen the reporting burden of
homeschoolers, as compared to the current regulations governing home
instruction found at NYCRR A7100.10; but its poor draftsmanship would
codify unclear mandates of questionable constitutionality. As a
result, school districts and families would likely be forced to
expend
substantial resources to determine the new law's meaning and effects,
resources in time and expenditures that neither districts nor parents
have to spare. While burdensome, the present regulations have been
in
place since 1988. Local school districts and their resident families
have spent decades establishing manageable practices under the
present
system. This legislation undoes all that work without the certainty
of
improvement.
There is no widespread support for this proposed legislation. We
know
of over 35 independent local support groups for homeschooling
families
in NYS; yet, to our knowledge, only one of them has come out in
support
of this bill. There is [in italics] widespread, statewide opposition
to
it. We
have made repeated requests of Senator Kuhl, as the measure's
sponsor,
to open a dialogue regarding the advantages and drawbacks of
homeschooling legislation, but we are still waiting for an open
examination of this issue. A more serious inquiry into the need, if
any, for legislation regarding home instruction, is warranted before
any such bill is brought to the floor of the legislature for
consideration.
If you are eager to support families in pursuing educational
excellence, we urge you instead to end the imposition of high-stakes
testing on all children in NY. Homeschooling families know first
hand
that a key component of high achievement is the freedom to determine
individually what constitutes a high quality education.
Homeschooling
families care deeply about the fundamental freedom of all families to
choose an education for their children consistent with their
principles
and beliefs. When a wide variety of learning and assessment methods
are accepted, then all children, including those who homeschool, will
benefit.
We respectfully request that you oppose S2060/A4598. The inevitable
problems with this bill outweigh the difficulties that still exist
with
the present system of oversight of homeschoolers. Thank you for your
consideration. We look forward to learning your response.