Hi Mary,
I thought you might be interested in the news about homeschoolers
Blessings
Geketa
Federal Relations Department Hosts
National Homeschool Leader Summit
By Will Estrada
At the welcome session on Wednesday night held at a downtown Washington, D.C. hotel, HSLDA President Mike Smith and Chairman of the Board Mike Farris updated the leaders about the California court’s decision and its impact. HSLDA staff worked with staff of ParentalRights.org,
to prepare new handouts for the state leaders so that they could talk
to their congressmen about the court’s decision, and why the U.S.
Constitution needed to have a parental rights amendment.
Thursday morning started early, as the state leaders heard from
eight U.S. Congressmen and a high level director from the U.S.
Department of Education. Representatives Paul Broun (GA), Joe Pitts (PA), Geoff Davis (KY), Rob Bishop (UT), Tim Walberg (MN), Todd Akin (MO), John Campbell (CA), and Joe Wilson (SC), came to talk to the assembled leaders.
All of the speakers encouraged the state leaders, and served as a
powerful reminder that the homeschool community has strong friends in
high places. Representative Broun, a freshman from Georgia, stressed
how he relies on the Bible and the U.S. Constitution to guide him in
his duties as a congressman. Representative Pitts challenged
homeschoolers to get involved in overseas missions and help out the
poor in foreign countries. Representative Davis, himself a
homeschooling dad, reminded the audience that “Jesus isn’t a Republican
or a Democrat,” and that we should never forget the primary duty of
evangelism. Representative Walberg stressed the need to encourage young
people to live out their convictions in all areas of life.
Representative Akin, another homeschooling dad, shared his heartfelt
love for America. “I love America’s godly heritage,” he said, while
stressing that “homeschooling is 20% education and 80% godly family
values.” Representative Campbell, a member of the California
congressional delegation, voiced his support for home education, and
assured homeschoolers that Congress would not make any well-intentioned
but dangerous attempts to protect homeschooling at the federal level.
These Congressmen came to talk to the leaders despite
the fact that both the House of Representatives and the Senate were in
the midst of numerous important appropriations votes. Although several
other representatives and senators were scheduled to speak, they had to
cancel at the last minute because of votes.
The final speaker was Jack Klenk, Director of the
Office of Non Public Education at the U.S. Department of Education. Mr.
Klenk has served in the Department for over 20 years, and he talked
about how he has seen homeschooling start and grow through the years.
He also acknowledged that the Department of Education has heard the
homeschool community’s message that the “federal government must leave
homeschoolers alone,” and will honor that message. He closed by sharing
his and the current administration’s belief that “homeschooling is good
for children, good for families, and good for society.”
Encouraged and uplifted, the leaders then headed off to visit their
U.S. Senators and Representatives. The lobbying visits are the central
focus of the Summit. The visits allow state homeschool leaders to
establish relationships with their federal representatives and their
staff. This also reminds members of Congress that there are many
homeschoolers in their states and districts. The leaders shared how
they had productive and encouraging visits with their federal
representatives and staff. One leader, Zan Tyler from
South Carolina, had this to say about her meetings: “Before all of my
meetings, I found myself thanking the Lord for the timing of the
California decision. That decision could have easily come down a month
too late to do us any good while in D.C. And if it had been handed down
much earlier, the buzz on the Hill would have died down. How precious
of God to time things in a way that gave such momentum and validity to
our cause.”
HSLDA had arranged a special tour of the U.S. Capitol, led by Mike Pence,
a representative from Indiana. Mr. Pence took the time to personally
lead the state leaders through the Capitol. Many of the leaders
remarked how inspiring it was to be led through the U.S. Capitol by the
congressman, and be thanked for their service to their children and
homeschoolers in their states.
HSLDA thanks the state homeschool leaders who took the time to
travel to Washington, D.C., for the 2008 National Homeschool Leader
Summit