Sat 10 Feb 2007
Senator Raoul again; Lowering Compulsory Attendance again
Posted by Susan under Parental Watch Issues , Illinois Homeschool News , Universal Preschool"I wish this bill was lowering the age to 3!"
So said Senator Kwame Raoul in 2005 when he presented his bill lowering compulsory attendance age to 5 from 7 here in Illinois. He’s back again with a new bill:SB 541, referred to the Rules Committee 2 days ago on 2/8.
I wish all homeschoolers and parents and grandparents and taxpayers let Senator Raoul know that this bill is not necessary. That public school kids need to be served with better quality educational resources before they start looking past the compulsory attendance age of 7-17 years of age.
Ready or not? Should kids be in school at 5?: Kindergarten? Preschool? Parents wrestle with decision
Author: Maudlyne Ihejirika The Chicago Sun-Times Date: July 30, 2006
"Logically, it doesn’t even make sense to talk about preschool for all if we don’t say you have to have your kids in kindergarten," Raoul said.”
Strange and kinda embarrassing is the fact that I found a letter I wrote in the Sun Times while looking for the article above. The Sun Times called and confirmed information, but I didn’t know it was published there. Here it is as the same holds true and more:
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Don’t lower school age
Senate Bill 409 has been presented to the Illinois House’s Elementary and Secondary Education Committee. It would lower the compulsory school attendance age from 7 to 5. It has only been four months since the compulsory attendance age rose to 17 from 16. Ironically, last Wednesday, when the discussion of SB 409 was postponed, there was an organized rally at the Capitol promoting more funding for adult education programs.
Adult education programs are important, particularly for young adults who were not successful during their compulsory attendance period. I strongly support the adult education classes and the dedication of their instructors. However, if the public schools were serving these very children well from ages 5 to 17, there would not be this tremendous need for adult education classes.
Sen. Kwame Raoul (D-Chicago) and others have ignored hundreds of calls and requests to withdraw this bill. One can immediately see the regard given to parents and constituents by legislators who rebuked them with the message, "I wish this bill lowered the compulsory attendance age down to 3."
Raoul’s words should sound an alarm for those who wish to protect their parental rights. Illinois is leading the way with Big Brother programs since the passage of the Illinois Children’s Mental Health Act and the establishment of social/emotional learning standards for the children of compulsory attendance age. Let us stop this invasion of our parental rights and children’s lives. Please call the representatives in protest of SB 409.
Wake UP Call for Illinois Homeschoolers
From Judy Aron Interview with HEM SUPPORT GROUP NEWS - AUGUST 2006
Mental health screening is an issue for all, especially in light of the new NJ law that was passed mandating pregnant women be screened. Universal preschool will affect homeschoolers either by what will happen when compulsory school ages are lowered, to how much more you will end up paying in local and state taxes. Many of these issues are not merely homeschool issues, but “parental rights” and family issues.
Illinois Legislators Join the Preschool Derby
Related tags: Illinois compulsory attendance age, Illinois homeschool, Illinois home education, Kwame Raoul, homeschool, home education, universal preschool, kindergarten
February 12th, 2007 at 10:25 am
The thought of mandatory preschool education is disturbing. One of NE’s former DOE members actually came out against our initiative, citing research that benefits of preschool are only seen in one segment of the population (and then they disappear by third grade.) We had to amend our constitution to set up an endowment for early childhood education…I think the people voting for it are looking for “free” daycare, myself.
And I don’t want to have submit plans to the state about how I’m going to meet their ridiculous standards with my three year old. Our regulations already imply that unschooling isn’t accepted by the state, but luckily for those who use that approach, the state doesn’t really seem to enforce those aspects of the law.
February 13th, 2007 at 3:08 am
Yes, disturbing is my view too with the efforts for cradle to grave oversight.
“Our regulations already imply that unschooling isn’t accepted by the state, but luckily for those who use that approach, the state doesn’t really seem to enforce those aspects of the law.”
I’ve seen the argument elsewhere that it doesn’t matter too much if ‘programs’ like universal preschool are passed, as there isn’t funding for it anyway. I don’t understand that logic (or illogic), especially as the federal government (and block grants) are what many legislators tailor their bills to, in order to gain the bottom line. Bottom line seems to be about the money, while losing the big picture of it being ‘about the kids’.
June 6th, 2007 at 8:27 am
[…] Senator Raoul again; Lowering Compulsory Attendance again […]
January 2nd, 2008 at 9:07 pm
Old Stuff…
Old Stuff…