Tomorrow, I'm taking my kids & making a stand. Tomorrow, my children will witness firsthand a hearing in which
Senate Bill 136 will be discussed. SB 136 may not ring any bells for you, but for us Illinois Homeschoolers it's the "hot topic"
Simply put, back in January Senator Edward Maloney filed a bill in reference to non-public private schools (homeschools are in this category) mandating registration. Now, what's the big deal with registering right?? Really, "if you have nothing to hide, why can't you register your children"
I'm making an angry face right now...Well, let me 'splain a few things. Senator Maloney has stated that homeschoolers in
Illinois should be registered with their local school districts and admitted that he doesn't understand why they are so opposed to his newly-introduced SB 136.
"We're not going for the
private school students, we're going to change that [in the proposal]. What we want to know is where the homeschoolers are. It's as simple as that," Maloney said from his Springfield office.
Well, why?? Plain & simple...why??
Why does the state have any say so over where my children are? Why should Senator Maloney have any control over how a free private individual chooses to raise their child. This is not a police state, in fact we live in a country founded on liberty & freedom so again I ask...why??
Now, it doesn't just stop at registration, it appears that way but it's so much more. Background checks & fingerprints run on the teachers A.K.A. mommy, attendance records, teaching diversity....ummm, no.
And so on & so on. This really is just getting a foot in the door of our households & I honestly feel it's a money issue as well. Do you know how much money the state of Illinois spends per child???
A whopping $8, 000 bux! And that's just an average, it can range from $5,000 to $18,000. Oh! And by the way, the numbers I'm giving you are from back in '07.
So basically if we go with the low end here, $5,000 & it was 2007 then the state would be losing 10 grand a year from my family alone. Considering, I've been homeschooling 4 years, that's at the very least $40,000.
It has been more than well determined all across this nation that government run education programs have been deemed high-priced failures. How much money has been spent to date?? Yet there are countless studies, proposals, suggestions and plans all across the nation to improve public education, still the
public school students in this country continue to fall behind their peers in other nations.
Now, can you could understand how I, who have stayed out of government run education might be opposed to that same government now attempting to insert itself into my own freely chosen and clear education methods.
Tomorrow, thousands of Illinois homeschoolers will make a stand for our God given freedom. Tomorrow, my children will see History in the Making...
* Unfortunately my family was unable to attend, things fell through at the last minute. However, the Capitol was flooded with 4,000 homeschoolers...
The Home School Legal Defense Association stated that this was the largest turn out they've witnessed, many came to peacefully demonstrate their opposition to the proposed bill. While waiting for the hearing to start, the crowd began to sing. Strains of "America the Beautiful," "God Bless America," "Amazing Grace," and "The Star-Spangled Banner" drifted into the committee room. I'm certain it was more than beautiful & no one present will ever forget the passionate crowd of parents, grandparents, & children singing, and the sense that their presence made a powerful statement in defense of liberty.
Those in favor of SB 136 began their testimonies, a truant officer stated that if our children were out of doors, they were considered "truant" & not in a teaching environment. He also stated that through registration he would have access to info to "check on us & offer his help"
When asked how would he knew whether or not a home school needed help he stated "the ones who are doing a great job won't let me go, they'll want me to come in. The ones who say we don't want you around, well then I need to take action"
Sir, I don't want you around....Some senators worried about homeschoolers "falling through the cracks." The sad truth is that the public schools do not have the solution to "falling through the cracks!" Why have the least effective system of education supervise the most effective system?
I'd like to end this post with a quote from Scott Woodruff of HSLDA when testifying at Tuesday's hearing....
"You may have been surprised by the level of intensity & opposition to this bill. Many homeschoolers frankly, are content to focus on hearth & home. But, when their children are threatened, or their freedom is threatened, by a bill like 136. Ordinary folks are turned into political activists"First, please..bring this before the Throne of God..ask for His blessing & favor.
If you haven't already...Please contact Sen. Maloney and ask him to withdraw--NOT AMEND--his bill.
Springfield Office:
Phone: (217) 782-5145
Fax: (217) 557-3930
Chicago Office:
Phone: (773) 881-4180
Fax: (773) 881-4243
Chicago Office:
10400 South Western Avenue
Chicago, Illinois 60643
Phone: (773) 881-4180
Fax: (773) 881-4243
