In 2011, Eric Thacker and Gail Morgan-Thacker’s family started homeschooling.  The local public school district started its school year August 17, 2011.  The Thackers filed an election statement (notice of homeschooling intent) effective on October 3.  The State contends the children were truant from August 17 until October 3, 2011.  They were charged on October 17, 2011 with 5 counts of violating the school compulsory attendance statute. They have 5 children within the realm of compulsory school attendance age of 6 and 18.  Regardless of the cost issues for taxpayers, let alone usefulness for children, these cases are one reason why homeschoolers should always contest increasing the compulsory attendance age range.

The District Court ruled in the Thacker family’s favor.  The State appealed the decision.  The Nebraska Supreme Court chose to take the case and the Dawson County family’s case was heard in oral argument yesterday morning.

You can hear the oral arguments in front of the court here.

The question seems to be when the school year starts for a first-time Nebraska homeschooling family in order to complete the 1,032 hours of schooling. First year homeschoolers must file 30 days prior to their ‘school’ start time.

The Supreme Court decision will be forthcoming.

Chicago Senator Maloney introduced a bill two years ago that would require homeschool registration with the Illinois State Board of Education.  Even after an estimated 4,000 homeschoolers showed up at the Capitol for an informational only hearing on this bill, Senator Maloney had a hard time letting the bill finally go.  After hearing Senate Education Vice-Chair Lightford’s interview responses related to her bill lowering the compulsory attendance age, I don’t think the super-majority party is done with homeschoolers yet.

The Illinois homeschooling community thought we sent a clear and fair message we did not want our freedoms tampered with, we were obviously doing just fine in educating our children. The public school system should correct their gulf of educational failure, rather than worrying about any perceived cracks in parent-directed educations.

Below is what Senator Lightford said in the WTTW interview in the last minute.  They were talking about the fiscal report for her bill and the interview somehow drifted to Colorado and homeschooling:

Senator Lightford – we can’t assume all children are going to attend a public school, some may go to private school, some may stay home as homeschoolers. So that the range is so huge there, I have no way of giving you an exact number, but the state board is working on the [fiscal] impact.

Lipkin – In Colorado when they tried to lower the age to 5, they had a compromise at age 6  because there were objections from some parents who homeschool their children. Is there a potential impact of this legislation on people who choose to homeschool their children?

Senator Lightford – No, not at all. In fact homeschoolers aren’t even required to register their kids today so I can’t see what their argument would be in having to register their children at 5 when they don’t have to register their kids anyway. So I’m trying to understand  the opposition.…maybe Colorado  had on their books that the kids had to be registered. In the state our kids are not, which is another area I think deserves some tweaking.

Illinois homeschoolers can provide all the finishing touches to their children’s education without legislative tweaking. We know our rights and responsibilities, as laid out in the compulsory attendance exemption for private schools.  Senator Lightford was interviewed by an Oak Park media source six years ago. She was the Senate Education Chair at the time. Below are her concerns about homeschoolers not answering to the state.  Remember Senator Lightford seems to be somewhat oblivious to education issues, such as the compulsory attendance age in Illinois:

“I would have assumed to some degree that we had accountability over how many home schoolers there were, where they were located, and that they would be tested,” Lightford said.

She was so surprised that she said she is planning to delve deeper into the issue.

“I’m glad you sparked this,” Lightford said. “You just really put me into a situation where I’d be interested in looking at legislation.

“So you don’t even know your child’s aptitude or ability or where they are? At what level?” she asked, still sounding astonished. “That’s scary.”

We’re not scary. Chicago’s high school dropout rate is scary.  Let’s focus. Makes sense that our legislators’ focus should not be on homeschoolers.

Illinois House Elementary and Secondary Education Committee Chair and Representative Chapa-LaVia was quoted mentioning homeschoolers in this Chicago Tribune article:

State Rep. Linda Chapa LaVia, D-Aurora, who is forming a top-level task force to address Chicago’s K-8 truancy and absenteeism, told the Tribune that she strongly supports lowering Illinois’ compulsory attendance age, although she could consider carving out an exemption for families who are home-schooling.

Homeschoolers don’t need an exemption carved out any more than any other private school.  We’re exempt from the compulsory attendance statute Senator Lightford found surprising.  If they’re trying to appease us, it’s not working with these little tweaks from our lawmakers.

Two years ago, Dana Loesch interviewed (now retired) Senator Maloney and this response was also in the last minutes.

Dana Loesch – Will this legislation go away?

Senator Maloney – SB 136 has gone away. We will have a discussion relative to, primarily the truancy issue and how we can identify that and with all parties involved and hopefully we can come up some way, some, fashioning some sort of legislation that will be able to identify those students without invading anybody’s privacy.

Fashioning legislation for a problem that doesn’t exist would be unfortunate.

February 15, 2011 Senate Education Hearing led by Vice-Chair Senator Kimberly Lightford. Senator Luechtefeld was questioning Wm. Reynolds, truant officer,  about the prospects of Illinois homeschool registration and a truant officer’s role in this registration process.

Senator Luechtefeld [Senate Education Committee Minority Spokesman] - We will, presently, go out and with these kids you maybe know are not being schooled, and I’m sure that happens, you say you can’t do anything as soon as they say they’re homeschooling. Now with, now explain to me how it would change if they were just registered. You still wouldn’t be able to do anything. Am I right about that? Would things change?

Truant Officer – Well, I’m not sure. Mr. Woodruff (HSLDA attorney) has given me enough case law that indicates that in Illinois, I can in some cases.

Senator Luechtefeld -  But you could even now, am I right?

Truant Officer –  And I believe that’s true, Senator. I believe that’s true.

Senator Luechtefeld - Yeah, my question is, “How does registering change that?” I agree there are some abuses but I’m concerned about how things would be different for you because if you see these kids on the street day after day after day, you probably can do something even if they say they’re home schoolers. How would it change if they’re registered?

Truant Officer –  It would give me access to the ones that I don’t see on the street that I don’t get a police report on, that I don’t get a phone call from their neighbor indicating that they’re not going to school. At least I’ll have a wider range of…

Senator Luechtefeld - And then you would go to their home and check on them?

Truant Officer - I would go to the home and offer my help.

Senator Luechtefeld - But you don’t know they need help because you said you’ve not seen them. No one’s reported them.

Truant Officer - Well if they register then I think I have the obligation to see if I can help them.

Senator Luechtefeld - So are you going to go into any…any person who registers, will you be going then into the home? To go by and say, “Can I help?”

Truant Officer - Yes, sir.

Senator Luechtefeld - Even the people who are doing the really good job? Because you don’t know ahead of time which one…

Truant Officer - That’s exactly right. And I’ll know very quickly as I knock on the door…the ones who are doing a great job won’t let me go. They want me to come in. The ones that say, “We don’t want you around…” well, we might need to take some other action.

Senator Luechtefeld - I guess I don’t see…maybe someone else here could say to me how this changes things. Other than the fact that they’re registered.

Truant Officer – It would give me the names and the opportunity.

Senator Luechtefeld – I see.

Truancy concerns, adding two more years to the (failing) school system and then, homeschooling pops into the picture again.  Homeschoolers have long memories, will do what is necessary to protect their family freedoms and lifestyle, certainly considering a trip to the state Capitol an ideal civics lesson.  We’d rather not do this because our legislators are giving us problems, but I bet we could top 4,000.  Next time, we need a much larger room in our Capitol building.  They surely would want this lesson in view for our homeschooled children, their future constituents.  Let’s hope there isn’t a next time.

 We were hoping that 2 years ago.

A Seattle article presents an appealing looking title for many [Homeschoolers exempt from bill lowering mandatory school age].  Except, over my years of observation,  I’m apprehensive of any law’s existence that you must be exempt from, especially when “homeschool” is brought in. As laws go, “exempt” in can mean “exempt” out.  Since it’s usually homeschool volunteers watching those bills and language fly by, better safe than sorry works well.

I’m also one of those oddballs thinking Washington State’s current compulsory attendance age starting at eight years of age is wonderful.  HB 1283 proposes lowering that age to six. There are 15 sponsors and it’s sitting in the Appropriations Subcommittee on Education. From KOMO:

Rep. Marcie Maxwell, D-Renton, House Bill 1283′s sponsor, said her reason for introducing it is simple: Society has changed since the early 20th century, when the current rules were created, and our laws should reflect that.

“We know today how important early education is,” she said. “Kindergarten, first grade, second grade and beyond are a vital part of all students’ preparation.”

Our society has changed, but I would wager the previous societies (and parents) knew exactly how important education is for all.  Off the top of my head – Hypatia, Nathaniel Bowditch, Abraham Lincoln, Leonardo da Vinci are some examples of autodidacts who loved to learn.  All without the assumption involuntary seat time in a classroom is necessary for 13 years.
Washington homeschoolers must file papers declaring intent to homeschool.  Because homeschooling families can be mighty lobbying bodies when government agencies could interfere with our lives, the writers of HB 1283 release  homeschoolers from filing homeschooling intent until eight years of age.  But there’s always something to worry about if there’s a search for more control. Here’s a KOMO article excerpt by Jonathan Kaminsky:

What, then, is to stop a parent who doesn’t want to enroll his or her 6- or 7-year old from claiming to be homeschooling? “I suppose you could do that,” Maxwell said. “I would hope that everybody is looking out for the best interest of the child. I’d like to give parents the benefit of the doubt.”

This is an unnecessary concern when the parent is looking out for the child’s best interests and feels they’re not ready for formal schooling.  Besides a truant six or seven year old just seems wrong.

A long-time homeschooling advocate has legitimate concerns quoted in the article:

Despite the concession to homeschoolers, some remain unhappy with the measure.Emilie Fogle, chairwoman of the Washington Homeschool Organization, said that there is no evidence that kids starting school earlier helps them later in life. She fears that an exception made for homeschoolers could be ephemeral.”An exemption puts us as a second group, and it can be taken away,” she said.

From KOMO, regarding the substantial financial interest in public education’s expansion with this bill’s potential passage:

The measure has broad support, including from the state’s Board of Education, the Association of Washington School Principals and the Washington Education Association – the state’s largest teachers’ union.

“We are working toward all-day kindergarten, and yet we have this archaic law on the books that doesn’t require families to send their kids to school until age 8,” said Connie Fletcher, a member of the state’s Board of Education. “It doesn’t make any sense.”

An incredible kindergarten teacher I worked with was leery of moving to an all-day kindergarten class for 5 year olds.  She thought it was too long and too much for the children.  She was never asked her opinion as the school district moved to all-day kindergarten.  The Washington homeschool group, WHO, is thinking ahead and following the edu-industry trends.  This bill’s movement will be interesting in seeing who wins, the children and families or the well-funded lobby groups.

The Chicago Tribune posted an article regarding a continuing effort to lower the Illinois compulsory school attendance age to 5.
Mandatory school age could fall from 7 to 5 in Illinois By Gary Marx and David Jackson

In a move aimed at countering Chicago’s crisis in K-8 truancy and absenteeism, state Sen. Kimberly Lightford has introduced legislation to lower Illinois’ compulsory school age from 7 to 5.

Senator Lightford is the Vice-Chair on the Senate Education Committee.  The bill [SB 1307] is currently in the Assignments Committee, not yet assigned to the Education Committee.   Representative La Shawn Ford apparently plans to co-sponsor the bill in the House.  His indictment and legal status might affect that future possibility.  But the Illinois Senate and House both have a fDemocrat Party super-majority.  From the Tribune:

“If we’re going to change lives, we have to impact students at an early age. It’s the early years that make all the difference in education,” said state Rep. La Shawn Ford, D-Chicago, who plans to co-sponsor the bill in the House.

Illinois House Elementary and Secondary Education Committee Chair, Chapa-LaVia, offered a comment about homeschoolers and exemptions.

State Rep. Linda Chapa LaVia, D-Aurora, who is forming a top-level task force to address Chicago’s K-8 truancy and absenteeism, told the Tribune that she strongly supports lowering Illinois’ compulsory attendance age, although she could consider carving out an exemption for families who are home-schooling.

Illinois private schools are already exempt via the compulsory school attendance exemption in the statutes.  But despite that, homeschoolers and other families do not need the extra complications from 2 more years of public school mandates.  There are desperate Illinois funding scrambles from any source available to solve the state’s fiscal crisis.  Some of that could land on homeschoolers’ backs.  Illinois homeschoolers don’t need to be singled out from others, in a statute or otherwise.

Susan Ryan blogs about educational freedom at Corn and Oil:

“Some Americans are disturbed that Swedish homeschooling families are losing their right to educate their children at home. What a depressing notion turning into a reality, that children can and will be taken from their homes because they’re learning at home with their families.

“In Sweden – a country oft considered a progressive’s dream- and Germany, families were torn apart when their homeschooled children were forced from their homes. But here in the US, states such as Pennsylvania and New York bear down on homeschoolers with oppressive rules, regulations and bureaucratic paperwork having little and nothing to do with learning.”

It’s a good post, worthy reading for anyone interested in educational freedoms – and, of course, we all should be.

Why don’t we get the best out of people? In one of the most popular TED Talks ever presented, Sir Ken Robinson argues that it’s because we’ve been educated to become good workers, rather than creative thinkers. “We are educating people out of their creativity,” Robinson says. It’s a message with deep resonance.

Now, in this new TED Talk, a poignant but still funny follow-up video to his highly popular 2006 talk, Sir Ken Robinson makes the case for a radical shift from standardized schools to personalized learning: creating conditions where the natural talents of children can flourish and grow.

In an article titled Truant students’ parents arrested on The Times Hearld website, District Judge Ester Casillo is quoted as saying “Once a citation for truancy is issued by this court, it is no longer a school issue but rather a court issue.” This sums up the lunacy – one institution tasked with an impossible mission ignores signs of its own failure, and then finds the ‘solution’ by passing kids and families off to yet another institution which can only offer an even less appropriate approach.

Maybe if I could suspend my lack of belief in the institution of public schooling it would make more sense. Maybe if an institution could fill the needs of children and families it would be different, but, I can’t get around the reality that schools are being asked to do the impossible – replace families – raise kids.

Sampling of truancy articles:

Truant students’ parents arrested

Child truant, parent jailed

Judge Orders Truants to Carry GPS Tracking Device

Classes starting for parents of troubled kids

School district, sheriff’s office agreement formally approved by commission

San Francisco Launches Program to Tackle Truancy

There is a thread of troubled families and lack of personal responsibility throughout these articles. Personal responsibility is one thing, responsibility to bolster a flawed institution is quite another.

4,328 students were ticketed by the school police for being truant or late to school in 2008. An average of 24 students per day. The cost of the infraction for being absent is $250 the first time, and it can increase if you reoffend. In the last school year the LASPD obtained more than $1 million.

According to the Labor/Community Strategy Center, around 12,000 students were fined in Los Angeles County during 2008. Such fines can also be issued by the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) and the Sheriff department.

$1 million dollars revenue, is this a deficit neutral effort, or, does it generate income?

From the ‘criminals’:

A student from Manual Arts High School, who asked to be identified as “Mike J,” says that many times it is not his fault when he is late to school because sometimes the bus is late.

“Many times we prefer to go back home instead of getting ticketed by the police who stand in front of the school waiting for us,” he said.

Edith Honorato, a student at Roosevelt High School, recently wrote in her school paper, “Am I a criminal for being late to school?”

Criminalize kids early and often? What’s next? Truancy – the new gateway crime?

While this effort may generate short term statistical ‘success’, it is a jaw droopingly wrong headed, counter-productive way to treat kids.

Read Costly “Truancy Tickets” Keep LA Students at Home.