19. The Federal Government and Homeschooling (4/94)

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Whereas the U. S. Constitution gives no authority to the federal or state governments in the area of education; and

Whereas rights and powers not granted to the state are reserved for the people; and

Whereas section 432 of the federal statute General Education Provisions Act of 1970 states that the federal government may not control education; and

Whereas the states have the authority to control schooling through compulsory school attendance laws based on the policing powers granted to the states by the U. S. Constitution; and

Whereas the federal government acquires its power in the area of education by providing money and services to people through public schools in exchange for their compliance with the federal government’s regulations; and

Whereas if people request exemptions from federal education programs, they give authority to the federal government that it would not otherwise have, lose part of their freedom, and gain little if anything in return since the states rather than the federal government directly control public schools; and

Whereas once homeschools are named in federal education statutes there is the strong possibility that federal regulations will be written that define and establish criteria for what a homeschool needs to be in order to qualify for participation in programs and services; and

Whereas states might use such federal definitions and regulations to justify changing state homeschooling laws in order to be eligible to receive federal moneys;

Be it resolved by the members of the Wisconsin Parents Association (WPA) that WPA and its members oppose seeking funding or participation in federal education programs for homeschooling and oppose asking the federal government to protect or exempt homeschoolers from federal education programs. 4/94