# Ohio Homeschoolers under attack



## Ohio dreamer (Apr 6, 2006)

A bill has been brought up at the state level that would make homeschoolers have to have a CPS evaluation to home school. Keep your eyes on this one folks!! 

http://www.ohioansforfreedom.com/OhioSBE/OhioSenate/OhioSenateDistrict32.aspx


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## ErinP (Aug 23, 2007)

From that page: 


> While it is not likely that a bill this overreaching would proceed


Probably true. I am curious how far it manages to get, though.
People always have this idea that homeschoolers are barefoot hillbillies, not realizing that it's actually _more_ common for educated, white collar professionals to homeschool! This bill is targeting hillbillies, not doctor's kids, I'll bet money. 
And she's in for a rude awakening when she sees how many doctors, corporate heads, lawyers, teachers, etc. light up her phone bank.


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## Ohio dreamer (Apr 6, 2006)

There are already a crazy number of calls going in those offices.

Yes, the odds on it passing is slim, BUT, often these types of bills come up 2-3 times and fail before they pass. Just because this one fails (and I assume it will) doesn't mean another state won't tweak it and try it in their state. We need to keep our eyes open....


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## cindy-e (Feb 14, 2008)

Homeschooling is growing by 7% per year where as the public schools are only growing by 1%. I do realize we are talking about 7% of a relatively small number, and 1% of a very large number. But I think that 7% is an average over five or so years so the actual percentage for this year is higher. I don't think we are in any way approaching exponential growth, but we are taking dollars out of their systems at ever increasing increments. (federal education dollars are attached to enrollment numbers). We have their attention and that may or may not be a good thing. 

I am not attempting to assign motives to the bill at all. We are already suspect on philosophical grounds. If the government thinks we need a "common core" we are standing in opposition to the prevailing ideology about education simply because we choose curricula to suit the needs of the individual child without any concern as to if that learning is "in common" with the rest of the nation.

I don't think anybody is bad or mean or even wrong really, but we have fundamentally different points of view about education. And that means (like every "minority" - if we can loosely use the term) that we have to watch very carefully how the majority's legislation impacts us, especially now that they have trouble funding schools. 

Cindy


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## Ohio dreamer (Apr 6, 2006)

Our tiny homeschool group has a political liaison (a dad that watches these types of things and keeps us informed) Here is a portion of what he sent out today. I think he hit the nail on the head.

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*The Problems*: Obviously, one problem with the proposed SB 248 legislation is that it usurps the rights of parents to raise and educate their children. It would treat children as though they were not yours, but the state&#8217;s. Just like adoption (of children who are not yet yours), you would have to prove that your biological children would be safe if home schooled. Ultimately the state would call the shots in their upbringing. Another problem is that &#8220;Teddy&#8217;s Law&#8221; would have done nothing to save Teddy&#8217;s life. He was abused for years before he was &#8220;home schooled&#8221;. His abuse was reported several times before he was &#8220;home schooled&#8221;. Children&#8217;s Services did nothing for him before he was &#8220;home schooled&#8221;. So the notion that home schooling shielded his abuse is flatly false. Finally, &#8220;Teddy&#8217;s Law&#8221; is a double standard on steroids. It would single out home school families with school-aged children for intrusive meddling by the state. By the same logic, every expecting couple should be subjected to investigation, interviews, and home inspections before they are ever allowed to bring a baby home from the hospital. Infants and toddlers are even more vulnerable to abuse than school-aged kids because infants and toddlers cannot speak up. Does not the privacy of a home with pre-school children offer as much cover to potential abuse as home schooling does? To finger home schoolers and ignore the possible hidden plight of infants and toddlers at home is the height of hypocrisy. The real effect of SB 248 would not be to prevent child abuse, but to control home schooling. 

Recognizing this double standard is vital. The recent notices from HSLDA and CHEO about &#8220;Teddy&#8217;s Law&#8221; have not emphasized that SB 248 embodies a double standard. Pointing out this double standard shows that the proposed law is really an attack on the rights of any and all parents, not just home schoolers. That broadens the base of opposition to SB 248. It is as parents - not home educators - that we should take our stand against this subversive legislation.
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He added that this is not likely to pass...His #1 thing to do was DO NOT panic. But we do need to call our Representative and have our opinions counted.


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## ErinP (Aug 23, 2007)

> The real effect of SB 248 would not be to prevent child abuse, but to control home schooling.


I'm not much for conspiracies or paranoia, but I think the real effect would be larger than that. Basically that parents (in general, not just homeschoolers) are guilty before being proven innocent and that the state needs to have a position of oversight to make sure they're doing things right.

And I think this dangerous over-reach is why it probably will _never_ make it to a vote.


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## Ohio dreamer (Apr 6, 2006)

SB 248 has been pulled! The calls and letters have worked, the author of the bill stated she will pull it when session opens in January as she realizes now that the bill would not have done anything to save Teddy!


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