Mississippi - Calls Needed to Stop Testing Bill
Dear HSLDA Members and Friends:
We need your help now! Mississippi homeschoolers are facing the most
serious threat to their freedom since the homeschool law was enacted
25 years ago.
Senate Bill 2271 would authorize the Mississippi State Board of
Education to "establish student testing proficiency standards for
promotion to grade levels for students in home instruction programs
which are equivalent to requirements applicable to public school
students." Your calls to state senators are needed to stop this
dangerous legislation!
If Senate Bill 2271 passes, it would essentially mean the end of
homeschooling in Mississippi. Parents deciding to teach their children
at home would have to conform their curriculum to the material taught
in public school in order for their children to be able to pass the
state tests. The Mississippi Department of Education, not parents,
would determine the grade level at which a student was taught in a
home instruction program.
Sponsored by Senator Sampson Jackson, II (32nd Senate District), this
horrendous bill is now in the Senate Education Committee. Senator
Jackson and members of the Senate Education Committee need to hear
from you today!
Action Requested:
(1) Please call or write (both would be better) Senator Sampson
Jackson and at least one member of the Senate Education Committee with
this message:
"Please oppose Senate Bill 2271, which would impose public school
testing on homeschool students. This bill would effectively destroy
homeschooling in Mississippi by requiring parents to adopt the public
school curriculum for their home instruction programs."
I really hope this bill ( 2271) does not go in effect. Maybe for different reasons than most. My kids did go to public school at 1st then pulled out, but not because of religious views or that I thought I could do a better job. I got tired of fighting the system and trying to get help for my kids. They kept writing my kids needs to behavior problems, when in reality they have learning problems. Josh & Katie- Beth has serve dyslexia, dysgraphia, audio processing disorder and ADHD. Aron's dyslexia & ADD is not near as serve as JB & KB, but still was being picked on because he took so long to get his work done.
With all that said, I know that the youngest two would not do as well on the testing part because we mostly work on the weaknesses at hand. I do try to keep them at the level they are suppose to be, but because of their learning problems, they are not where they need to be. According to the test I have done every year, My oldest would do just fine.
However, since I have had my children home, we have to come to enjoying home schooling. I do not feel that someone has the right of taking that away from me or them. My kids are a lot happier and don't feel bad about not being able to stay up with the other kids.
Thank You,
Katie McGloflin
UP DATE: After sending several emails I finally got this back this morning.
Thank you for your email. I have met with Education Chairman Videt Carmichael, and he feels the same as I do regarding S.B. 2271. This is a very inappropriate bill and will not come out of the Education Committee. This bill is dead. Thank you for sharing your concerns with me.
Sincerely,
Tom King
3 comments:
We had a similar situation in Alberta over a year ago. The MLA's (Members of the Legistature of Albera) were inundated with calls, visits and letters from home school families as well as HSLDA. The result was very good. People need to speak up and tell the government bodies what they want and need. Glad it went well in Mississippi also
You have been tagged.
It is nice when our government listens to us.
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