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This
Bill Will Fail (it should) With Your Help!
The Majority Report Says This Bill Should Pass - It Shouldn't!
CheNH
e-Lert March 30, 2006 On April 4th, The NH House will hold a
hearing at 10:00 AM in Room 207 LOB to hear testimony on this bill. The
majority report (that is a majority of the committee) are recommending that
this ought to pass.
We are
asking you to call your representative (and the Education Committee) to ask
them some questions about this Bill AND to attend the hearing if possible:
- Won't this
bill, if passed, raise my taxes? It's pretty
certain that this bill will result in a tax increase to deal with
increased student population, enforcement and discipline related
issues. The bill also includes a nice carve out for the Manchester and
Nashua shool districts to invest in alternative eduation programs. Why
do these districts get special funding treatment? And who is going to fund
all of these special programs at the local level? Can you say "HIGHER
TAXES"?
- Won't this
change have a negative impact on public school education? This will have
a negative impact on public schools by forcing teenagers who don't
want to be in school to have to be in school causing significant
discipline problems and negatively impacting the education of those
kids who do want to be in school. That's not right. AND IT DOESN'T
EVEN WORK - See below.
- Won't this law
be very hard and very invasive to enforce? Now law
enforcement will be checking your kids ages and asking why they aren't
in school. They have more important things to be doing.
- Doesn't this
law restrict parent's rights and personal liberty? Children and
their parents can make the best decision as to the best educational
and vocational choice for their children. Some teenagers are ready to
start college at age 16 and some are ready to enter the workforce at
age 16. They should not be prevented from making this important
choice.This bill will further erode parent's rights to direct their
children's education. Because many children do not need nor want to be
in school past age 16 this bill will in a sense make schools a jail or
a day care. That is not right.
- Homeschool
Exemption? An amendment was offered to the bill that would
"exempt homeschoolers". On its face this would not work.
Such a distinction in treatment violates equal protection under the
law issues as well as on its face being superfluous. As soon as home school
children turned 16 they would be subject to the law and/or be required
to provide some kind of state- approved certificate of completion
(more attempted regulation of homeschoolers). Supporters tried to
insert this amendment to placate homeschoolers because they know we
are effective. Don't be fooled. This law, if passed, will affect your
kids. Why else would they be amending the definition of the word
"child" in the Homeschool Law, to mean age 6-18?
Attend Hearing and Contact the Committee
The Hearing is scheduled for April 4, 2006 at 10:00 AM in Room
207 LOB. Please come if you can.
Contact
the Education Committee Members - click below to find out who they are.
The Education
Committee
Cornell Study Provides Ample Evidence of Negative Fiscal and
Educational Impact
For more information check out this study which details the
impact such a law would have on our taxes and our educational system.
ABOUT
SB 268
- Raising the
compulsory attendance age will not reduce the dropout rate. In fact,
the two states with the highest high school completion rates, Maryland
at 94.5% and North Dakota at 94.7%, compel attendance only to age 16.
The state with the lowest completion rate (Oregon: 75.4%) compels
attendance to age 18. (Figures are three year averages, 1996 through
1998.)
- Twenty-nine
states only require attendance to age 16. Older children unwilling to
learn can cause classroom disruptions and even violence, making
learning harder for their classmates who truly want to learn.
- It would
restrict parents' freedom to decide if their 16 year old is ready for
college or the workforce. (Some 16 year olds who are not academically
inclined benefit more from valuable work experience than from being
forced to sit in a classroom.)
- Another
significant impact of expanding the compulsory attendance age would be
an inevitable tax increase to pay for more classroom space and
teachers to accommodate the additional students compelled to attend
public schools. When California raised the age of compulsory
attendance, unwilling students were so disruptive that new schools had
to be built just to handle them and their behavior problems, all at
the expense of the taxpayer.
2002 Cornell Study on
CSA Impact
About CheNH
CheNH
is a Christian organization formed to serve and support Christian home
educators as they follow God's calling to educate their children. Our
purposes are: -provide leadership and support to Christian homeschooling
families, churches, and associations. -coordinate a state-wide network of
homeschooling information and resources. -represent its membership to the
State education authorities as provided by New Hampshire law. -keep members
informed of state and national legislation that effects homeschooling.
-provide representation to regional and national Christian home education
organizations.
Website: http://www.chenh.org
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CHENH
Michael P. Donnelly, Esq.
Board Member and Secretary
email: mike@donnellyclan.com
phone: 603-304-9525
Quick Links...
· Contact your Rep!
· Cornell Study
· CheNH Website
· Register online for
CheNH Convention
· Contact the Committee
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