Replies to '11/24 Great School Debate'

Hon, I did not say you personally made attacks about homeschooling. I said there have been many attacks on homeschooling on this board.

I would like to comment on the defensiveness of homeschooles. Homeschooling is not accepted by main stream media. (Dr. Phil's show will be evidence of that fact.) In turn, homeschooling is not accepted by the masses. Many simply believe the media hype and some simply do not have enough information concerning the subject to form an educated opinion.

Homeschoolers have to be on the defensive, unfortunately. I have hired a legal team to defend my right to homeschool and I am not the only one. More than 80,000 homeschool families are members of HSLDA, Home School Legal Defense Association.

Even the Director of Pupil Personnel (DPP) in my local county attacks homeschool rights. As a homeschooler in the state of Kentucky I am required to:

1. Provide approximately 990 instructional hours.

2. Teach Reading, writing, spelling, grammar, history, mathematics, and civics
3. Notify the local board of education of those students in attendance within two weeks of start of school year. The letter of intent to homeschool must include: names, ages, and places of residence of all pupils.
4. Maintain an attendance register and scholarship reports.

Immediately after filing my letter of intent to homeschool I received a letter from the DPP informing me that my letter was incomplete. He sent an obviously altered copy of the state requirements which included:

1. Date of birth of the children.

2. Date homeschool instruction will begin.

3. Student's social security numbers.

4. Current home phone number.

These requirements are not legally required. I had to contact my lawyer to deal with the situation. In fact, the county's request for homeschooled students' social security numbers violates federal privacy law! Why would the DPP be interested in my children's dates of birth and social security numbers you may ask? Funding. He was trying to get funding for his public school. This DPP had no intentions of ensuring a quality eduation for my children, he wanted more funding.

Unfortunately, this situation is not rare. As a result homeschoolers do have to be a bit defensive. But, in the end,aren't we all? I could very easily use your response as a sign of defensiveness too.