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Alert Update: Victory Report from Capitol Hill
May 4, 2001
WASHINGTON D.C. (HSLDA) - Your calls have made the difference! Please STOP calling your congressman! Home schoolers are now fully protected from federal control in H.R. 1. Praise the Lord!
HSLDA's Doug Domenech and Caleb Kershner have just reported from Capitol Hill that the House Education and Workforce Committee has unanimously accepted a two-part amendment offered by Congressman Pete Hoekstra (MI) to boost the protection of home school families.
Part one of the amendment added language that includes protection for home schoolers from testing requirements in the bill, "whether or not a home school is treated as a home school or a private school under state law." This private school distinction is important in states that recognize home schools as private schools and provides the maximum protection for home schoolers in all 50 states from "any assessments referenced in this act."
Part two of the amendment includes language that protects home schoolers from federal control in "this Act or any other Act administered by the Department of Education." This exempts home schoolers from controls in all federal education acts.
You prayers and calls have made the difference. One congressional office reported to HSLDA that they were receiving 10 calls per minute from home schoolers asking for support on these amendments. As recently as 12:30 p.m. today, the House Education and Workforce Committee staff was telling HSLDA that there was no way that many of the committee members would agree to this amendment. However, as Doug and Caleb just phoned in, the committee approved this amendment unanimously.
Again, thanks for your action. We urge you to write a note of thanks if your member of Congress is on the House Education Workforce Committee. Because of your faithfulness, home schoolers are again protected from federal control.
Home School Legal Defense Association. Used with Permission.