Gather Your Children and Watch Your Property - The Texas Legislature Is in Session

The 81st Texas Legislature officially began the 2009 legislative session almost two weeks ago. In 1866, Gideon J. Tucker said, “No man’s life, liberty or property are safe when the legislature is in session.” That is particularly true for home school families. This year there is a great deal of uncertainty around the country regarding our home school freedom.

An Arkansas legislator has filed legislation to prohibit parents from withdrawing a child from public school to home school unless they filed to do so with the state by July 15 for the fall semester or by December 15 for the spring semester. In Oklahoma, which currently has no home school regulations, legislation has been filed to require home schoolers to register with the public schools and give regular academic reports.

Last year Michigan, Nebraska, and the District of Columbia home schoolers all faced assaults on their home school freedoms. There appears to be a trend developing to restrict the freedom of home school parents.

On the federal level, during his campaign President Obama stated his support for requiring all teachers to be certified in the subjects they taught and now states that his administration will support requiring all schools of education be accredited. Depending on the specific meaning of this language, this plan might have an impact on home schoolers nationally.

We (the Texas Home School Coalition Association) will be monitoring the bills and activities of the Texas legislature closely, as well as any federal issues that could impact home schooling and parental rights. We will post bills of concern on this blog. We do that first as a way of making people aware of the bill and its specific language. Next, we will sound the alarm when bills, either detrimental or helpful, are before a committee or one of the houses of the legislature and opposition or support is needed. If you are not getting the e-mail directly and would like to be updated on vital legislative issues, sign up now.

Our number one agenda item is always to protect the home school freedoms that we currently have in Texas. If a bill arises that would erode that freedom, it becomes our top priority. Twenty-five years ago few people, and even fewer legislators, were familiar with home schooling. We were basically hiding as private schools. Today the academic success of home schooling is well-known, and our political success in defending our freedom is also well recognized by legislators.

We should approach this legislative session without fear and with a determination to defend our freedom and make legislative changes that will enhance home schooling in Texas. Regulation of home schoolers can only take place if legislation is passed in both houses of the Texas legislature and signed into law by the governor.

Although this is technically possible, if we do our job, it will not happen. As one old Texan used to say, “This ain’t our first rodeo.” We will be vigilant and do everything in our power to make sure that our home school freedom in Texas is protected and expanded, and by God’s grace and with your help, we will make that happen again.