Bill Proposes Massive Invasion of Every Family

Written by Michael Ramey
Director of Communications & Research at HSLDA

 

The government of Scotland is proposing the ultimate invasion of the family in order to “protect” children. According to legislation proposed by the government (and which faces no organized opposition), a social worker will be assigned to monitor each and every child from birth. The government social worker would have the authority and responsibility to “safeguard the wellbeing of the child or young person” through “(i) advising, informing, or supporting the child…, (ii) helping the child…to access a service or support, or (iii) discussing, or raising, a matter about the child” with other government agencies.1

In short, every child will be assigned his own mandatory reporter/government monitor from birth.
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Common Core State Standards Initiative: Too Close to a National Curriculum

In 2010, the National Governors Association published their “Common Core State Standards” (CCSS). These were meant as voluntary math and English guidelines which individual states could adopt.

Numerous organizations grew concerned about this push to standardize what public school students are taught. They explained that states were being enticed by the federal government—through the Race to the Top program—to align their state curriculum with the CCSS, resulting in de facto national standards. They were concerned that this would lead to a national curriculum and national test, and that the pressure would grow for home school and private school students to be taught using this national curriculum.

During President Obama’s 2012 State of the Union speech, the president stated, “We’ve convinced nearly every state in the country to raise their standards.” How were the states convinced to adopt the CCSS? (more…)

House Education Committee Votes Down “Tim Tebow” Home School Law

On Tuesday the House Education Committee failed to pass HB1789, the “Tim Tebow Home School Law.” This law would have allowed home schooled students to participate in public school extracurricular activities. The bill received only 7 votes from the 20-member committee. Rep. Mark Lowery (R-Maumelle) is planning to present the bill again on Thursday. The Arkansas Education Association, the Arkansas School Board Association, the Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators, and the Arkansas Activities Association testified against the bill in committee today, and all are trying to kill it.

Anyone who wants to see this bill pass should contact members of the committee listed below. Below is a list of the members of the House Education Committee and how they voted on HB1789 today.

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