Homeschoolers defend private school freedoms

Education Intelligence Agency

The Education Intelligence Agency conducts public education research, analysis and investigations. Director: Mike Antonucci. PO Box 580007, Elk Grove, CA 95758. Ph: 916-422-4373. Fax: 916-392-1482.  In the April 4 edition of Communique, Mike writes:

Thou Shalt Not Regulate.     The Oregon Education Association (OEA) is supporting a bill that would, among other provisions, increase government regulation of employment practices at private and parochial schools. The Oregon Catholic Conference opposes the bill as an unnecessary intrusion.

Ann: Mike is probably referring to Oregon S.B. 1013, which was introduced at the request of Rep. Paul Holvey (D-Eugene). As written this bill that would drastically undermine private education in Oregon.

Bill-watching homeschoolers in Oregon have been busy lobbying against this bill and informing their friends in private schools of the dangers. Happily, insiders say this bill is dead in the water and will not even get a reading.

BUT WHY? Why put up such a bill? Is this simply political payback? Or is there a big problem with private schools? Is this bill a backdoor way to tighten regulations on homeschooling?

One thought I’ve had is that this bill is a ploy to see which way the wind is blowing in the private sector. The idea would be to drive a wedge between the private sector and the homeschooling community, that noisy crowd that presents itself as wanting parity with private schools in the Home Education Equity Bill HB2733. (HB 2733 now resides in the Education Committee.) So if the private sector can be enticed to requiring certification of teachers, homeschoolers would be between a rock and a hard place. 

I don’t see the private education sector falling for such a ploy, now or ever.

This entry was posted on April 4, 2005 at 5:06 pm and is filed under News-Commentary. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.