CONCORD -- On Tuesday, January 23rd, the Senate Education Committee held a hearing on SB268, a bill that would, among other things, raise the age of compulsory attendance in NH from 16 to 18. Attendance at this hearing was so high that the proceedings were moved from the usual SEC hearing room, Room 103, to Room 100. Although only one-half hour was allocated for the hearing, the SEC Chairman, Senator Bragdon, permitted testimony to continue for an hour, then he recessed the hearing to allow testimony to be taken on another bill. The hearing for SB268 will be continued at a future date. Interested parties can learn of that date through the Senate Calendar. Links to published calendars are online at . Calendars are generally published on Thursdays, and the SEC usually meets on Tuesday mornings.

Although Commissioner Tracy was present, it was his boss, Governor Lynch who presented testimony for the executive branch. Sponsors of the bill, Senators Estabrook, Odell, and Green testified to the need for the bill -- the high social and economic costs of dropouts. Of interest to homeschoolers is the statement by Senator Green that homeschoolers "are taken care of" in this bill, a claim rebutted in testimony by former Senator David Wheeler and Diane Lachance, both homeschooling parents. Superintendent Nate Greenberg, a guidance counsellor, and a World Studies teacher, all from Londonderry, testifed that the bill did not address the very real social issues that often cause students to drop out, such as drug abuse and pregnancy. Moreover, without the funding and development of infrastructure to support alternative learning plans, the bill only offered false hope. Senator Wheeler, testifying on behalf of the Christian Home Educators of NH (CHENH) stated the organization's position that raising the age of compulsory attendance would increase the regulatory burden on homeschooling families, and that the dropout rates in various states did not show good correlation with the age of compulsory attendance. Diane Lachance testified that the alternative learning plans were a good idea, but gave the case of her brother who dropped out temporarily to "take a breather". He is now living in a yacht in the Caribbean, having earned enough money as an engineer to retire in his early 50's.

An interesting preview of the major arguments for and against the bill can be found in an episode of The Exchange that featured Senator Estabrook and Superintendent Greenberg. The Exchange is produced by NH Public Radio.

NOTE from Diane Lachance:

I would like to add that the most important part of my testimony, I thought, was focused on the need for parental involvement, and parental choice, to remain intact. Correct me if I am wrong, but didn't I say something about the schools continuing to perpetuate the message that parents don't know what is best? I know I wanted to make that point but, once in the hot seat, not everything comes out as one wishes. I did express my opinion that parents should be brought into the discussions, with the student, to be sure they knew what alternative education plans were available to the student. I went as far as to say that the right for parents to allow their child to drop out should remain intact, after they have been offered all alternatives. I realize this really boils down to just opposing the bill, but I wanted to make my point that parents signing their kids out of school, with all the information at hand, should still be a real and viable right in a free society. I also pointed out the need for children to feel they had options at 16 as it is an important transitioning time into adulthood. Lastly, I pointed out that SB116, the report produced by the legislature, in November 2003, a study to determine why kid's dropout, never suggested removing parental control.

My brothers story was only a side note. He is almost 50, he is semi-retired (semi-retiring in his mid-forties), meaning he is still a productive contributor to the engineering field, and it is a very, nice 40' sailboat. Did I say yacht? Anything is possible! In my mind, yacht would mean servants, staterooms, a real bathroom, and it would mean that I would be there instead of here. Unfortunately, my brother is too much of a yankee to hire others to do what he can do for himself!

Here is the Concord Monitors article on yesterday's hearing. They kept their reference to me short and sweet.