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Last Action: 02/12/2007 H Referred to Transportation

Caption Version: Introduced Caption Text: Relating to the driver’s license of a person younger than 18 years of age.

Author: Guillen

Subjects: Minors–General (I0537) Vehicles & Traffic–Drivers Licenses (I0840) PUBLIC SAFETY, DEPARTMENT OF (V0251)
House Committee: Transportation Status: In committee

Text (under “Bill” choose type of file by icon)

some changes:

(a) The department may issue a Class C driver’s license to an applicant under 18 years of age only if the applicant:
(2) has submitted to the department a driver education certificate issued under Chapter 1001, Education Code [Section 9A, Texas Driver and Traffic Safety Education Act (Article 4413(29c),...], …

(A) enrolled in a public school[, home school,] or private school

(B) who attended home school for at least 80 days in the [fall or spring]

Sec. 521.3467. AUTOMATIC REVOCATION FOR FAILURE TO MAINTAIN EDUCATIONAL REQUIREMENTS. (a) A license of a person younger than 18 years of age who has not obtained a high school diploma or its equivalent shall be revoked if the person: (2) does not attend home school for at least 80 days in the current or preceding semester; or …

(b) … If a student attending home school does not attend home school for at least 80 days in the current or preceding semester, the person’s parent or guardian shall notify the superintendent of the public school district in which the student resides.

Did the person who wrote this have any idea about homeschooling? That last bit is a real crack-up — “If a student attending home school does not attend home school for at least 80 days … parent or guardian shall notify the superintendent …”

Leaving aside that in Texas homeschooling families are considered private schools (and that larger private schools don’t report to the public school superintendents), how would …….. I can’t even come up with a situation where children were managing to not “attend home school.” After all, it’s home.

I suppose rascals could sneak out their bedroom windows and use those driver’s licenses to pilfer the family car and then hang at the mall all day, but I can’t see this going on for long — like maybe a second after the at-home parents hears the car start up? And for this to go on for 80 days?!?

Comments are at the blog, Texas Ed.

posted by Valerie

This particular discussion in Virginia came to naught concerning homeschooling, but the subject of homeschooling was raised apparently concerning county home regulations. Homeschooling is mentioned in the sidebar, not the main article.

Centreville Times, Centreville, Virginia, 20 December 2006, Accessory housing decision postponed

During the citizens’ speaking time during Thursday’s evening supervisor meeting at the Warren Green Building, two residents raised concerns with the proposal – the first dealing with constitutional rights of free assembly and worship as well as homeschooling, and the second with questions about limitations on keeping retail stock at a residence.

In later discussions, supervisors clarified that homeschooling was allowed under the proposed ordinance change so long as compensation was not paid, …

The formation of ‘co-ops’ and other group school activities could be a wrinkle in the perception of homeschooling by the general public. Yes, people like to get together to do things socially, but starting co-ops, ‘homeschool schools,’ and other homeschool-centered activities is, again, taking ‘homeschooling’ farther than the practice of education in the home, which is usually just family life with education incorporated into daily activities.

Participating in group activities is normal for people since we’re social beings, but broadening ‘homeschooling’ into the area of (paid for?) group activities stretches ‘homeschooling.’ This seems to muddy the public’s perception of it to the point that citizens wonder about restricting families from … doing what? Living at home? Or running an at-home school as a business?

The broadening of homeschooling, while probably inevitable to a degree, is a sticky, gray area when it involves people other than family members.

posted by Valerie