33. Legislation That Undermines Homeschooling Freedoms (5/99)

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Whereas homeschoolers are a small minority that has regained its rightful educational freedoms in Wisconsin through hard work and maintained them through constant vigilance; and

Whereas our approach to education is generally not understood or shared by the majority of people in our society; and

Whereas our elected representatives are accustomed to providing state programs in education in exchange for state regulation of schools by means of state goals, state educational standards, state-mandated tests, state audits of educational institutions, and state prescriptions of who is qualified to teach and/or receive benefits; and

Whereas most homeschoolers value their homeschooling freedoms more than they value receiving conventional state schooling benefits such as tax credits for educational expenses or educational vouchers; and

Whereas legislation supposedly designed to ensure that homeschoolers can participate in public school programs is unnecessary (because the few homeschoolers who want to participate can make the necessary arrangements with their local school districts) and would undermine our homeschooling freedoms; and

Whereas legislators may hear from a few homeschoolers who want some of the supposed benefits even though they undermine our homeschooling freedoms; and

Whereas legislators are accustomed to introducing bills when constituents ask for legislation that would give them government money; and

Whereas legislation that would undermine our homeschooling freedoms is likely to be adopted unless a significant number of homeschoolers actively communicate with their legislators both before such legislation is introduced and, if necessary, after it has been introduced;

Be it resolved by members of the Wisconsin Parents Association (WPA) that WPA and its members will work to ensure that their legislators understand that homeschoolers value their freedom more than they value legislation that would cost them their freedom, including legislation that at first may seem to provide benefits. 5/99