| Author | |
folklaur
Forum All-Star
Joined: Feb 07 2005
Location: N/A
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 2816
|
| Posted: May 25 2008 at 10:03pm | IP Logged
|
 |
|
So...I never even considered an HSLDA membership while living in AZ. It was VERY homeschool friendly, and I just didn't see the need.
Plus, I have some issue with HSLDA in and of itself, being that I feel they use scare tactics for membership, and that the idea of them being the "voice of homeschoolers" at the Government level is just NOT a good idea, as they really represent the ideals of just a small segment of the Homeschool Community.
But. I could be misinformed. As I said, living in AZ, I never really gave it much thought. I didn't need to.
But - NV is a whole new planet for me. And I am not as confident, even though the laws seem hs-er friendly...they are just newly that way. School districts are not very aware of the state laws. The whole atmosphere is different here.
So - tell me your thoughts on the HSLDA?
And - are there any similar alternatives?
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
JodieLyn
Forum Moderator
Joined: Sept 06 2006
Location: Oregon
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 12234
|
| Posted: May 25 2008 at 10:14pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
They're an insurance policy.. if the need ever came up for a lawyer for homeschooling related things.. the odds are good we couldn't afford it.. and this would at least give me the option to have a lawyer.
As far as them representing homeschoolers.. they are focused on keeping homeschooling legal and helping people comply with the laws.. and getting cooperation from those in authority when they're trying to get compliance with things above and beyond the law.. not on regulating homeschooling.. if that makes sense?
So I'm not sure how they're only representing a small segment?
__________________
Jodie, wife to Dave
G-18, B-17, G-15, G-14, B-13, B-11, G-9, B-7, B-5, B-4
All men who have turned out worth anything have had the chief hand in their own education.
-Sir Walter Scott
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Lisbet
Forum All-Star
Joined: Feb 07 2006
Location: Michigan
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 2706
|
| Posted: May 26 2008 at 5:28am | IP Logged
|
|
|
They stepped in and helped us out during a bad situation. I pray we never need them to step in again, but I like to know they are there if we ever do need them agian. Like Jodie, we can't afford a lawyer.
__________________
Lisa, wife to Tony,
Mama to:
Nick, 17
Abby, 15
Gabe, 13
Isaac, 11
Mary, 10
Sam, 9
Henry, 7
Molly, 6
Mark, 5
Greta, 3
Cecilia born 10.29.10
Josephine born 6.11.12
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Barbara C.
Forum All-Star
Joined: July 11 2007
Location: Illinois
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 882
|
| Posted: May 26 2008 at 8:22am | IP Logged
|
|
|
I think Laura may be referring to the fact that HSLDA isn't just about homeschooling, but they push a conservative Christian agenda which obviously does not encompass all homeschoolers. For instance, they have really pushed the amendment against gay marriage and used a vary tenuous argument about how that relates to homeschooling laws.
I am not saying whether I am for or against gay marriage, but I really don't believe that it is related to homeschooling. So I have always been kind of hesitant to join them because I don't know what other unrelated agendas they may end up pushing, using my money.
If you read through how they have handled things in the past, you can get a general idea of what to do if you are hassled. I think, though, they will let you sign up last minute if a major problem occurs where you need a lawyer. I don't think they're too picky about when you signed up as long as they get your money.
__________________
Barbara
Mom to "spirited" dd(9), "spunky" dd (6), "sincere" dd (3), "sweet" dd (2), and baby girl #5 born 8/1/12!!
Box of Chocolates
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Paula in MN
Forum All-Star
Joined: Nov 25 2006
Location: Minnesota
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 4064
|
| Posted: May 26 2008 at 8:26am | IP Logged
|
|
|
JodieLyn wrote:
| They're an insurance policy.. |
|
|
I agree 100%. You might or might not know that we are in the middle of a custody fight, and the primary focus is on homeschooling. HSLDA does not get involved in custody issues. However, they are aware of our situation and are watching it, in case a ruling would alter our current rights.
This in itself is worth the $95 yearly fee.
__________________
 Paula
A Catholic Harvest
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Elizabeth
Founder
Real Learning
Joined: Jan 20 2005
Location: Virginia
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 5595
|
| Posted: May 26 2008 at 8:40am | IP Logged
|
|
|
I see them as an insurance policy too. I no longer see them as an advocate for homeschoolers though. Recently, when we tried to lobby the Virginia General Assembly to give homeschoolers access to high school sports, they refused to help, even though they were lobbying other bills in the same session. HSLDA had decided that parents shouldn't let their homeschooled children participate in afterschool PS activities, so they didn't get involved. Apparently, HSLDA is all for parental rights unless they've decided that they know better than parents  . I've also been really disappointed when I've called for help clarifying resources, rules, and regs regarding special needs for my county {HSLDA is headquartered in my county]. They didn't know and didn't make an effort to find out. So...we are members, just in case we have a CPS issue, but I've learned not count on them for much else.
__________________
Elizabeth Foss is no longer a member of this forum. Discussions now reflect the current management & are not necessarily expressions of her book, *Real Learning*, her current work, or her philosophy. (posted by E. Foss, Jan 2011)
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
juststartn
Forum All-Star
Joined: Jan 17 2007
Location: Oklahoma
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1321
|
| Posted: May 26 2008 at 12:11pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
We've not joined...we left NC in April, and moved to OK (which seems, based on the law) to be more hser friendly...
I may join anyway, just because, as someone else said, its an insurance policy.
Rachel
__________________
Married DH 4/1/95
Lily 3/11/00
Helena(Layna) 5/23/02
Sophia 4/19/04
John 5/7/07
David 5/7/07
Ava Maria, in the arms of Jesus, 9/5/08
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
JenniferS
Forum All-Star
Joined: Nov 09 2006
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1049
|
| Posted: May 26 2008 at 2:31pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
We see it as an insurance policy, too.
Jen
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
DianaC
Forum Pro
Joined: March 27 2008
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 404
|
| Posted: May 27 2008 at 7:13pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
My family did join mid-way through this year. We joined through our co-op and got a bit of a discount. I also feel that it is like an 'insurance policy".
I understand that some people feel that HSLDA (as an organization with a mission to help homeschoolers) has no business in the gay marriage debate. However, I think that the lawyers with HSLDA are familiar with the verbiage of the gay marriage laws and they understand how this issue will affect Religious Liberty, Free Speech and therefore, Homeschooling Rights. I think that this issue is much broader than most of us are aware.
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Mary Chris
Forum All-Star
Joined: Jan 27 2005
Location: Virginia
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 2175
|
| Posted: May 27 2008 at 9:49pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
DianaC wrote:
My family did join mid-way through this year. We joined through our co-op and got a bit of a discount. I also feel that it is like an 'insurance policy".
I understand that some people feel that HSLDA (as an organization with a mission to help homeschoolers) has no business in the gay marriage debate. However, I think that the lawyers with HSLDA are familiar with the verbiage of the gay marriage laws and they understand how this issue will affect Religious Liberty, Free Speech and therefore, Homeschooling Rights. I think that this issue is much broader than most of us are aware. |
|
|
Were you at the same talk that I was this evening?
After listening to Andrew Pudewa speak on the gay right agenda and how much power they have, and all HSLDA is doing to fight it, I just may join this year.
__________________
Blessings, Mary Chris Beardsley
mom to MacKenzie3/95, Carter 12/97 Ronan 3/00 and wife to Jim since 1/92
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
teachingmom
Forum All-Star
Virginia Bluebells
Joined: Feb 16 2005
Location: Virginia
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 2120
|
| Posted: May 28 2008 at 12:17am | IP Logged
|
|
|
I was there sitting next to Mary Chris for that talk and Andrew Pudewa made some very interesting points. He connected the radical gay agenda and their battle against parental rights in a way that made me glad that HSLDA is working hard on that issue.
__________________
~Irene (Mom to 6 girls, ages 7-19)
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
guitarnan
Forum Moderator
Joined: Feb 07 2005
Location: Maryland
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 10883
|
| Posted: May 28 2008 at 6:01am | IP Logged
|
|
|
I join; I have too many friends who've had their own relatives or other "well-meaning" people report them anonymously to CPS.
__________________
Nancy in MD. Mom of ds (24) & dd (18); 31-year Navy wife, move coordinator and keeper of home fires. Writer and dance mom.
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
folklaur
Forum All-Star
Joined: Feb 07 2005
Location: N/A
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 2816
|
| Posted: May 28 2008 at 10:40am | IP Logged
|
|
|
Mary Chris wrote:
After listening to Andrew Pudewa speak on the gay right agenda and how much power they have, and all HSLDA is doing to fight it, I just may join this year. |
|
|
teachingmom wrote:
| I was there sitting next to Mary Chris for that talk and Andrew Pudewa made some very interesting points. |
|
|
Can you guys share? I would be interested in hearing about this.
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Mary G
Forum All-Star
Joined: Feb 07 2005
Location: Virginia
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 5790
|
| Posted: May 28 2008 at 10:50am | IP Logged
|
|
|
We used to be members, but when we moved to Colorado -- and some of mine were in a public school/homeschool co-op, HSLDA rules precluded us from re-upping.
I don't agree with their desire for a nationwide hs policy; I also don't always agree with their heavily Protestant agenda (including the fact that when I wanted my teens involved in the legislative program they do when we lived in SC, they couldn't guarantee that my kids would be able to attend Mass on Sunday -- they didn't know that would be a "showstopper" for me!).
So, to answer your question -- I just don't know if I think it's worthwhile or not and would need to sit down and talk to some good, Catholic homeschoolers face-to-face and hear what they have to say.
__________________
MaryG
3 boys (22, 12, 8)2 girls (20, 11)
my website that combines my schooling, hand-knits work, writing and everything else in one spot!
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
teachingmom
Forum All-Star
Virginia Bluebells
Joined: Feb 16 2005
Location: Virginia
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 2120
|
| Posted: May 28 2008 at 10:58pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
cactus mouse wrote:
| Can you guys share? I would be interested in hearing about this. |
|
|
Well, I didn't take notes  but I'll try to remember the gist of what he was saying. The topic of the talk was "Faith, Education, and the Restoration of Christian Culture." One of his points was how much of a battle it is to restore Christian/Catholic culture. He really emphasized that homeschooling is the best way of passing on Christian culture to the next generation. At one point he stated that he tends to be a pessimist, but that he really believes that we could see homeschooling outlawed throughout the US in the next 10 years. He spoke of how if this were to be the case, parents would have to choose between handing over their children to government schools, or possibly signing something to the effect that we promise to teach our kids exactly what the public schools do regarding moral issues such as gay marriage, or going underground as homeschoolers.
Wow! I thought of my younger children who will still have years of schooling before them 10 years from now. On the one hand, I felt like some of what he was saying was a bit over the top. But on the other hand, is it that far from possible, especially in light of the news recently in CA about both homeschooling and gay marriage?
So partway through the talk, he got on a tangent about HSLDA because a man in the audience was wearing an HSLDA polo shirt because (as it turned out) he works for the organization. Andrew Pudewa positively raved about the importance of HSLDA, not just for us homeschoolers, but for Christian parents throughout America. He said something to the effect that HSLDA does some of the MOST important public policy work out there because they are fighting for parental rights. When parental rights are undermined, we lose our children completely and cannot possibly pass on to them a Christian culture and faith.
Mary Chris, if you have anything to add or clarify, please do! But that is the essence of what I recall. The whole talk was extremely interesting and thought provoking.
__________________
~Irene (Mom to 6 girls, ages 7-19)
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
LisaR
Forum All-Star
Joined: Feb 07 2005
Location: N/A
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 2226
|
| Posted: May 29 2008 at 7:45am | IP Logged
|
|
|
never even thought of joining! (though I do get their weekly??) or so emails and about 1/4 of them disturb me in various ways.
but, here in IL we are treated as a "private" school, with absolutly no regulations, registrations, etc. It is almost spooky that we are so "free" here.
the big debate about sports participation has more to do with whether Catholic schools allow homeschoolers to join in.
Sports are a priviledge, not a right, and even with the schooled kids the grades and deportment are rigorously reviewed each and every week. (I know, I've got a ds in Catholic High School this year)
so there have been a few to do's about people who want to pay some money to a school, and basically have them there"just for sports".
IHSA - the IL governing body for sports has ruled that a child must be enrolled at least part time,(in an enrolled institutional school) to play sports, and that the school MUST vouch for that child and keep all academic records. (but see it is a two edged sword, because here in IL, homeschoolers are not "registered" or on the books anywhere due to lax/non existent laws regulating us!)
sorry, this is a tangent! I too am interested in learning more about their fight re: gay "marriage".
__________________
Lisa
dh Tim '92
Joseph 17
Paul 14
Thomas 11
Dominic 8
Maria Gianna 5
Isaac Vincent 9/21/10! and...
many little saints in heaven!
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Barbara C.
Forum All-Star
Joined: July 11 2007
Location: Illinois
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 882
|
| Posted: May 29 2008 at 8:45am | IP Logged
|
|
|
I think some of you are kind of re-enforcing Laura's concern that HSLDA doesn't really represent the interests of all homeschoolers. They distinctly represent the agenda of conservative Protestant homeschoolers.
This website offers some things to consider before joining HSLDA.
__________________
Barbara
Mom to "spirited" dd(9), "spunky" dd (6), "sincere" dd (3), "sweet" dd (2), and baby girl #5 born 8/1/12!!
Box of Chocolates
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Mary G
Forum All-Star
Joined: Feb 07 2005
Location: Virginia
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 5790
|
| Posted: May 29 2008 at 9:20am | IP Logged
|
|
|
Barbara C. wrote:
I think some of you are kind of re-enforcing Laura's concern that HSLDA doesn't really represent the interests of all homeschoolers. They distinctly represent the agenda of conservative Protestant homeschoolers.
|
|
|
Barbara, yes, you've stated clearly exactly what I was discussing with dh last night ... the HSLDA doesn't seem to represent it's membership unless it's membership is all conservative Protestants ... but it represents itself to the "world" as representing all homeschoolers ... and I don't see that.
But, then I go back to the "insurance" aspect ... and then I don't KNOW what to do
__________________
MaryG
3 boys (22, 12, 8)2 girls (20, 11)
my website that combines my schooling, hand-knits work, writing and everything else in one spot!
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
folklaur
Forum All-Star
Joined: Feb 07 2005
Location: N/A
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 2816
|
| Posted: May 29 2008 at 12:41pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
Mary G wrote:
Barbara C. wrote:
I think some of you are kind of re-enforcing Laura's concern that HSLDA doesn't really represent the interests of all homeschoolers. They distinctly represent the agenda of conservative Protestant homeschoolers.
|
|
|
Barbara, yes, you've stated clearly exactly what I was discussing with dh last night ... the HSLDA doesn't seem to represent it's membership unless it's membership is all conservative Protestants ... but it represents itself to the "world" as representing all homeschoolers ... and I don't see that.
But, then I go back to the "insurance" aspect ... and then I don't KNOW what to do |
|
|
Yes, exactly.
If CPS shows up at more door - I would like to be able to say, "let me talk to my lawyer." I would like to know someone will fight for my rights.
But - is HSLDA the only option? Even their information says you are not guaranteed that they will represent you. Are there any other options for legeal rep for homeschoolers?
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
folklaur
Forum All-Star
Joined: Feb 07 2005
Location: N/A
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 2816
|
| Posted: May 29 2008 at 12:48pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
teachingmom wrote:
| Andrew Pudewa positively raved about the importance of HSLDA, not just for us homeschoolers, but for Christian parents throughout America. |
|
|
But - what about NON-Christian homeschooling parents?
And....goodness....I want to make sure this comes across right, and is not misconstrued. I don't want this taken out of context, because I do think that gay marraige/gay lifestyle is worng.
BUT - If they are the Homeschool Legal Defense Association....shouldn't they be looking into the rights of ALL homeschoolers? Including those in a secular home, and including those who are gay? Or do those homeschoolers have less rights?
Or - at least they could be honest and name themselves correctly.
nervously hitting post,
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
4Real Forums : Tea and Conversation
Topic: HSLDA - pros/cons/alternatives?
