There has been discussion about changing the current homeschool law in Arkansas. This is driven mostly by the school administrators and District Superintendents. They want to punish those that fail to take the mandated tests in April and they want to prohibit public school children from enrolling in homeschool once the semester begins.
I personally oppose changes to the homeschool law regarding testing and withdraw from public school. The law is clear on what is to occur if a family fails to abide by the mandatory testing law. The problem lies with the local superintendent’s offices being unwilling or unable to properly follow-up on who tested and who did not. The law does not need to change, the enforcement of the law does.
Parents should be allowed to withdraw their children from public school as they see fit. There are situations where a child is being harassed, teased, bullied, or just not adjusting well that require parents to take decisive action and remove a child from a bad situation. Changing the law to something more controlling is denial of parental rights.
There are changes that would be welcomed. I would love to see the notice of intent and waiver forms sent to one central location at the Department of Education’s homeschool. Instead of having each individual school district’s superintendent handling the forms and approving or denying at will, have a central office that knows and understands the homeschool law handle the decision. A centralized system would make life easier for everyone.
Posted by courtneylwilliams33 on October 6, 2010 at 11:09 pm
They sure do get mad about a bunch of tests taken for statistical purposes only don’t they???? And I’ll thank them to decide things for their OWN children and leave any presumption of rights to MINE in their little dream land of discrimination against homeschoolers. Who are they to tell me what I can and cannot do with my children. I birthed them, clothe them, pay their bills, and educate them. They are mine. They are not property of the state. They are not property period. They’re children. MY children. These people can’t even take accountability for the sad state of disrepair of their flawed educational system. I know for sure they weren’t taking responsibility for the head lice in my daughter’s school when I pulled her out. They also weren’t tending to the little boy touching my daughter!!!!!!!! They failed to notify me on several occasions when my daughter got hurt. They failed to do anything about her declining math scores. They failed to take care of the little girls hurting my daughter’s feelings when they were being nasty to her by correcting ANYONE’S behavior. Long and short of all of this is that the system can butt out of my business about tests only supposedly for statistical purpose. Gees, truancy charges, jail, etc???? Seems the “punishment” they have no right to levy far outweighs the seriousness of the crime. Also, I’ll do as I please with my daughter at any time of the year. I did it then and I’d do it again if my daughter ever returned to public school and it didn’t work for her again.