HB586 Hearing: What Next?

The December 10 House Education Committee Hearing provided Rep. Hugley an opportunity to present her substitute bill, for its supporters to speak on her behalf, and for homeschoolers to speak in opposition to the bill. Accounts of the hearing have been prepared by homeschoolers and are posted elsewhere.

What have we learned from the hearing?

First, SSWAG clearly is taking the lead in pushing for tighter regulation (read "control") of homeschooling in Georgia. Rep. Hugley referred often to the school social workers, and all the supporting witnesses were SSWAG members.

Second, the supporters of this bill have NO data to support their claims that children are "falling through the cracks" because of the current home study law. Repeatedly asked by the House Education Committee members for data, they could only blame the limitation of the current law for their lack of data. This clearly is not an accurate portrayal, because every case of truancy has a file, and those files are the responsibility of the school social workers and their colleagues in DFACS!

Third, the one provision of the bill that Rep. Hugley is adamant about is the "prior notification"--parents intending to establish a home study program must notify school officials prior to withdrawing their child. Again, asked repeatedly by her colleagues to explain how this would prevent truancy and abuse, Rep. Hugley could only say that it would bring "balance and accountability" to homeschooling.

Fourth, homeschoolers would do well to read carefully the reports of the hearing, and take note of the phrases that are used by Rep. Hugley and the school social workers. It is clear from their language that they view most homeschoolers as suspect because of the behavior of a few people who may be violating the law. This is the same as viewing most school teachers as sexual predators because one had an affair with her student. Or viewing most legislators as drug offenders because one was discovered smuggling drugs into the country. In each of these scenarios, there is adequate law governing the activity; all that is needed is for the violators of the existing law to be prosecuted. What is needed is not more law, but to ENFORCE THE LAWS ALREADY ON THE BOOKS!

Fifth, the existing law is being systematically abused by the superintendents and school social workers. When a prospective homeschooler calls a superintendent seeking information about homeschooling, the response often is "I don't know anything about it, call the school social worker." The school social workers have become THE point of contact between homeschoolers and the State. Now, since SSWAG is pushing hard to restrict homeschooling and to control home study programs, is it unreasonable for a homeschooler to be suspicious of the degree of cooperation provided by the school social workers? There is a substantial amount of credible evidence that, in some instances, school social workers discourage and harass homeschoolers. There is incontrovertible evidence that homeschooler information is being used and distributed in direct violation of the existing law. So, the people pushing for new law are not abiding by the laws already on the books.

Sixth, Rep. Hugley and SSWAG are trying hard to sell the claim that the State doesn't have the tools that it needs to enforce the compulsory attendance law in the case of home study programs. DON'T BELIEVE IT! The real issue here is that they don't want to go to the trouble of the current "due process". Instead, they want to usurp the role of the judicial branch. If they ever are successful, then you may expect them to run roughshod over homeschoolers.

In the days following the hearing, some homeschoolers have been told that some members of the House Education Committee are "tired" of hearing from homeschoolers, and that we should "go home and homeschool our children" because this is a dead issue. Apparently, the volume of calls from homeschoolers is overwhelming. HEIR always urges homeschoolers to communicate with elected officials with courtesy and respect, and hope that has been the case this week. However, we strongly object to any admonision that homeschoolers refrain from making their opinions known to elected officials. We have not only the right, but the consitutional obligation to stay informed about threats to our rights and freedom, and to communicate with our elected officials. Furthermore, HEIR has evidence that Rep. Hugley does not consider this a "dead issue" and is working, even now, to find a way to get this bill back in play.

What should you as a homeschooler do next? Get to know your representative and your senator. Tell them about your homeschooling experience, and how you would feel about more State interference in your home study program. Let them meet your children. Develop a relationship. Above all, show them the respect and courtesy due any elected official.

This opinion contributed by Leon McGinnis

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