I wonder if it is a state issue rather then an "unschooling issue". Emma's friend in ballet is very eclectic, closer to unschooling and she is a member of HSLDA. As far as there views, I agree with them, or most of them. That would be why I am a member. I am against sam sex marriages too. It would make sense that I agree with them. Patty
I can understand that. My problem tends to be that disscussions surrounding it often don't acknowledge that's it's got interests, concerns and political views that reflect not homeschooling but a specific christian line of thinking. I think people should understand that it's agenda isn't simply legal defense and THEN make the choice as to whether they want to join or not.
I do not mean any disrespect but you do not need to understand that. It is my opinion and my values. :love: I am assuming you have read the HSLDA site as to why they support what they support. It is very informative, whether people agree with it or not. They stand for more then homeschooling alone. They do not deny this. Patty
Oh my! I need to apologize. I misread your post. I thought it said you can't understand that. Sorry for sounding harsh. Patty
Oh shucks, don't worry. I had to laugh because I am the absolute QUEEN of reading posts the wrong way. It's my favourite form of embarrassing myself.
Is there no smiley that demonstrates me screaming? Yes--it is sad that they are soooooooo stinkin' paper work happy. And yes--if you're on probation they can come a knockin' although most cases that I'm aware of--they just skip that step and call CPS.
I hear you!:lol: :lol: My goodness, after I reread it I was like," OH NO!!!!!!" Thanks for understanding! Patty
(Quoting(3) If, during the period of probation, the superintendent of schools has reasonable grounds to believe that the program of home instruction is in substantial noncompliance with these regulations, the superintendent may require one or more home visits. Such home visit(s) shall be made only after three days' written notice. The purpose of such visit(s) shall be to ascertain areas of noncompliance with these regulations and to determine methods of remediating any such deficiencies. The home visit(s) shall be conducted by the superintendent or by the superintendent's designee. The superintendent may include members of a home instruction peer review panel in the home visit team. (End quote) The key here is "reasonable grounds". No, they do NOT have the authority to come in at any time, even if you are on probation. They have to have some reason to suspect you of non-compliance. Now, that's a very "ify" arguement, but it's also the kind of arguement that HSLDA will put forth and win.
That's what they make me feel like though. It's like, you have to send in a letter of intent, then an ihip. As if that weren't enough they want quarterly reports and a year end assessment. After all of this they still want homeschooled kids tested! I feel bad for people who unschool. I have a curriculum and I'm nervous. I don't even know what "bad" things you would have to do to even be put on probation and not even sure I want to know. I guess I feel this way because there aren't many homeschoolers here. We live in a small town, and they all think I'm nuts. I wish they could see that I think they are nuts for sending their kids to ps. It would be so much easier if every state just required you to file as a nonaccredited private school, then left you to your own devices. lol
Have you tried connecting with LEAH? It's the state wide organization for homeschooling (it's a Christian organization though. . .I know there are secular ones as well). And yes, they do have to have reasonable grounds to come to your house and you never have to let them in. But reasonable grounds includes being late with your paperwork which frankly, isn't that hard to do. I have also seen cases where they have come bc they don't approve the IHIP, bc your late with your paperwork, bc your child scores below the 33rd percentile, and one case where the mother was falsely accused of child abuse. Prof mom I don't know anyone who lives in NYS and completely unschools. I know a few people who submit revised IHIPS in the middle of the year as their plans change and/or plan loosely based study units. I also have to say that in my experience in helping people navigate the Board of Ed, the difficulties tend to come when you don't have your stuff in, in a timely manner. I wouldn't be nervous. . .once you've done it, it's not that hard. I will make sure and link to templates and examples when I get them up for you or anyone else who lives here.
I would agree with Sneaky. We have to be very careful to have all our t's crossed and i's dotted! One tiny thing can make them decide we're out of line. I heard, a while back, that in Ohio they were keeping very careful track of things that weren't turned in on time, just so they could come down on homeschoolers as a whole. My paper work is due by the first day the public school goes back. I try to mail it in about two weeks before that. There are enough homeschoolers in my district that they are a bit overloaded when they all come in at once, plus they're really busy with school starting. They realistically don't have the time to pay much attention, and kind of just rubber stamp their approval! (Though this past year, they called me up, telling me I hadn't included "necessary" information that I've never given them before. It's not required by the law, and the lady got upset with me when I informed her of that.)
They do tend to get upset when you inform them of the law. . .don't they? There is no love lost between me and our woman. (hee-hee-hee see I'm sneaky and tenacious!)
I have contacted LEAH and they set me up with a homeschool group (I will start going on Friday nights in September), so that is good even though it is a ways away from me. I've got things marked on the calendar as far as when everything is supposed to go in. I'm a scatter-brain though. I keep things pretty vague so that, hopefully, I won't have to send in a revised IHIP. You know what? I always physically go there and have them stamp it received and initial it. Then ask them for a copy. They give me a really hard time about it. I think it is best though, just in case they lose something and try to say I didn't turn it in.
This thread got me thinking about next school year. Handsome and I were discussing this thread because we wanted to make sure that we would be covered by HSLDA if we became more eclectic in our method of teaching. He told me to contact HSLDA and I did. They said they do defend all homeschoolers regardless of the method they choose. This includes unschoolers. They said that nowhere on the application does it ask this question. I have to agree with this. I have never read this either. All homeschoolers and unschoolers are welcome to become members. This is a bit of the response they sent me. The response does clear things up regarding my question about different states. It puts my heart at ease as well. I am even more excited about next year now. Cutting ties with the group I am currently in will be a blessing because now I can really teach in a way that is best for Ems and still have HSLDA to legally stand with us. "Homeschoolers operate as private schools in California. Private schools are not regulated by the state, so California is one of the states where people who practice unschooling can do so without any monitoring or interference from the state. However, if an unschooler lived in a more regulated state like NY, OH, PA, where there is a lot of reporting to the state and testing is required, an unschooler would probably have to be undersground. If challenged, they would have to be able to demonstrate that complying with the state's homeschool law was interfering with their parental or religious rights." Patty
That's what I figured. Ohio, BTW, is NOT a "more regulated state". That's a typo. We need to turn in some paperwork at the beginning, and then do either testing or a portfolio evaluation at the end. No big deal!
I have to agree. . .I have never met true unschoolers here who legally homeschool. It's just not possible. . .no matter how creative you get with your wording! ;-)
This was a direct quote from their membership form,"a clearly organized program of education to instruct our children." Maybe they need to rewrite that in order to make there position clear. On a side point, the Canadian (where I am) HSLDA does not restrict membership to married straight couples. There is no exclusion of gay couples.
