As you folks can imagine, I try to keep myself in close contact with my Senators and Representatives. Recently, I discovered two Senate Bills which, if passed, would violate the privacy of home schooling parents/children. Both bills are borderline in violation of The U.S. Constitution, article IV section IV and the IV Amendment. The following is my letter to State Senator Tom Adelson, (D) Dist. 33, Oklahoma.
If you live in Oklahoma, and in district 33, and want to stop these bills, contact Senator Aderson. If you are in Oklahoma but unsure of your district, go here and find out who you need to contact.
Senator Adelson,
I am writing you today concerning S.B. 472 & 308. As I am sure you are aware, these bills violate the very principles brought forth by the founders of our Republic. Government schools themselves violate these same principles, but that is an issue for another time.
I am highly concerned that law-makers are seriously considering a bill... correction... bills, which would violate the sanctity of individualism & individual liberty, and thus, freedom. The very land we live on we do so at the high price of a soldier's blood. I find it sad that law-makers would want to work against the very liberty that blood was shed for.
The right of a parent to decide their child's future, and how it shall be handled is not only a God given responsibility, but it is a natural right of man. When we framed this great Republic (let's call it what it is, it's a republic, not a democracy, although it's becoming the latter) we founded it on the idea that government does not interfere with the private lives of its citizens.
I understand Oklahoma has it's own Constitution, but no Constitution is so great as to become stronger or more important than that of our nations. If you will allow me to quote that wonderful charter of freedom:
Article IV...
Section IV - Republican government (notice that "republic" thing)
The United States shall guarantee to every State in this Union a Republican Form of Government, and shall protect each of them against Invasion; and on Application of the Legislature, or of the Executive (when the Legislature cannot be convened) against domestic violence.
... end quote.
Sir... no where in our founders minds was there ever an intention of government regulation of citizens private affairs. The job of our government, both federal and state, is to protect us from foreign and domestic threat. It never was, nor should it have ever become the duty of them to protect us against ourselves.
Who is the government to decide what is best for an individual? It is the individual who decides what is best for themselves, not the government. Furthermore, it is the individual who, in a Republic, decides what is best not only for themselves, but for their government as well.
There are not homeschooling parents all over the state sitting their children in front of TV's. Why? Because these are not homeschoolers, they are drop-outs. I have met numerous home schooled children and I would be confident placing a 13 year old against a high school senior any day of the week. The level of professionalism and dedication displayed by these parents is far superior to that of the Oklahoma government school system.
I'm sorry, but in a State where children being educated in government schools have the lowest achievement/success rate in the nation, I hardly believe it is the right of the State's law-makers to say they know what is best when it comes to education.
I say, and urge you sir, vote NO on both of these bills. If you value liberty, freedom and the individual, you will not help pass these bills. I urge you to speak with your fellow Senators and express the concern of your Constituents. The article about this is on TulsaWorld.com today and so far has over 63 comments from readers. (Whereas most stories average 1-5 comments, at best 8-9.)
What is the general consensus of the readers/commenter's? Pro-home school rights AND the lousy and poor education in Oklahoma's government schools.
The State has no right telling parents how they can and can not raise their children, and what they will and will not be taught.
If the State suspects a child has become a drop-out and is receiving no education I still do not believe the State has a right to act. It is that parent's right, and duty as an American, to decide their child's upbringing, not the State's.
If the State wants to truly decrease the rate of drop outs then I would like to make the following recommendations:
1) Strip the teachers unions of their power. There are far too many teachers who are allowed to continue teaching, despite pathetic results, because of the unions. They wouldn't get away with turning zero positive results anywhere else, why should they be getting away with it with our schools?
2) Increase the standards of education. We have lowered the standard of education far too many times. We now have seniors graduating who can not spell "graduation." That, to me, seems to suggest a problem.
3) Make Oklahoma a shining example to the nation. Bring back corporal punishment. There is nothing wrong with a child receiving discipline. It is not abuse, it, in itself, by it's very nature, is education.
4) Create a voucher system. Allow capitalism to do what it does best. By this system, investors could build their own schools. They would compete to receive the students and thus the vouchers by offering the best education, the best teachers and the safest environment for the students. We already know capitalism works... it is literally what made this nation what it is. Why all of a sudden are we thinking that it isn't the answer? Likewise with parents choosing what school to send their child too, allow home-schooling parents to keep their voucher and use it to educate their children.
People talk about disgraceful and sad. I'll tell you what is disgraceful and sad and at the same time impressive and proud. Even after all the tax increases, the lottery, and every other amount of money Oklahoma has thrown at its government schools, it's still turning out the lowest results in the nation. Yet somehow home schooling parents are able, with limited resources, to educate their children and still turn out better results than the State education system could ever come close to. Imagine what those parents could do if we had a voucher system where they would have thousands of dollars more to work with.
Getting back to the S.B. S.B. 308 gives truancy officials and local police the authority to question and detain children if they believe they are not receiving an appropriate education. Sir, who decides what this appropriate education is? It obviously can't be the State. Why? (again) We have the lowest results in the nation so obviously what the State has deemed appropriate is not even a valid system.
S.B. 472 requires parents to register with local government schools and provide progress updates. Why? What business is it of theirs. Better idea... from now on, when ever I get bored, I, as a tax-paying lawful citizen, have the right to walk into any classroom and evaluate the educator. If they are not performing at the level I and other tax-payers feel is appropriate, then we have the authority to fire them on the spot.
Both S.B.'s are violations of human rights by law of nature. They are violations of liberty and freedom. They compromise the individual itself. And, as noted, they violate the U.S. Constitution itself.
1) They are not the duty of the government to begin with.
2) The 4Th Amendment. I am sure you are familiar with it, but just in case you're not.
"Amendment 4 - Search and Seizure. Ratified 12/15/1791.
The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants, shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized."
As I am sure you know sir, this comes down to "intrusion upon seclusion", which is the principle behind the 4Th Amendment. Not today, not yesterday, not even a decade ago. Over 200 years ago, the framers of our great nation realized the importance of the private rights of its citizens, and their expectation of privacy in that private life.
When you write a law which allows truancy officials or law enforcement to investigate home schools, you are making an unconstitutional law allowing government officials to enter a residence, violate the Constitutionally guaranteed right of privacy, and take actions against the right of the individual.
Some might argue that a warrant could be obtained naming what is to be searched for, where at, and who will be searched/interviewed. I'm sorry, but again, that law would be unconstitutional. Referring back to the U.S. Constitution article IV section IV, the ONLY duties the government has are too protect us from foreign and domestic threats... i.e., war, crimes of moral turpitude, robbery, burglary, vandalism, etc. I hardly believe a home schooler qualifies as a domestic threat... that's kind of stretching it a little don't you think? Likewise... even if a parent wants to allow their child to drop out... that's not a domestic threat either. It's a bad decision, to this there is no argument. However, it is a decision the parent has a right to make.
I think I have more than made my point and I hope you understand that the only appropriate action for you to take is voting NO to both S.B..
Sincerely,
Matthew Q. Llewellyn, (R) Constituent of Senate Dist 33
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