There seems to be a lot of discussion about homeschooling from Huckabee and Paul campaigns.  This open letter below was written by a Ron Paul supporter concerning Mike Huckabee’s homeschooling freedom record.

An Open Letter To Homeschoolers

by Rick Fisk on Lewrockwell.com

As a homeschooling parent, I hold that the state has no authority to dictate what my children should learn or the methods by which my wife and I teach them. In short, the state does not own my children. Mike Huckabee, whom the HSLDA has endorsed, does not feel this way in spite of statements he has uttered supporting that view. As Governor of Arkansas, Huckabee showed a poor understanding of this fundamental truth and advocated that parents be forced to submit their curriculum choices to the state for approval while claiming that the law in question was an increase in freedoms for homeschooling parents. HSLDA has typically advocated that families shouldn’t be required to get permission from the state to homeschool their children.

Huckabee’s record is at odds with their general principles. He has played politics with the issue and tried to please both unions and homeschoolers in his state. In order to keep homeschoolers’ objections at bay, he appointed leading homeschooling advocates to the state board of education.

Mr. Fisk also pointed out Governor Huckabee’s endorsement from the New Hampshire NEA chapter…….that could make one a little wary.  NEA really, really doesn’t like homeschooling freedoms.  Page 45 in section B-75 Home Schooling:

The National Education Association believes that home schooling programs based on parental choice cannot provide the student with a comprehensive education experience. When home schooling occurs, students enrolled must meet all state curricular requirements, including the taking and passing of assessments to ensure adequate academic progress. Home schooling should be limited to the children of the immediate family, with all expenses being borne by the parents/guardians. Instruction should be by persons who are licensed by the appropriate state education licensure agency, and a curriculum approved by the state department of education should be used.

A Huckabee campaigner on the Illinois Review suggested looking at Arkansas homeschooling blogs because of questions raised concerning Governor Huckabee signing into law invasive homeschooling regs for Arkansas homeschoolers.  Homeschoolers just liking the facts wondered why a ‘pro-homeschool record’ is currently touted.  Jon Zahm (Huckabee supporter) also felt that the " law referenced is overblown or falsely represented"  and didn’t have time to research the question.  I’m still looking around.

Here’s one that I ran into from One Mom that has more information about the history of that bill that HSLDA . From what I see, she is a Michigan homeschool mom and Huckabee supporter who asked Governor Huckabee about this particular issue in a blogger call in November:

Huckabee and Homeschoolers … The Rest of the Story

She summarized that:

* The bill brought forth by Rep Magnus was defensive action against what Rep Allison was attempting to do to homeschoolers in Arkansas.

* Rep Magnus was a homeschooling parent.

* Homeschool associations in Arkansas supported Magnus’ bill … again, as a defensive measure against Allison’s bill.
* Governor Huckabee signed HB 1724 because of the support from Homeschool groups in the state. It was their best course of action at the time to stop Rep. Allison’s attempts to set homeschooling back to pre-1997 days. He would have preferred that the legislation that he signed in 1997 could have remained as it was, but the attacks from Allison left homeschoolers and Gov. Huckabee with no other recourse.

The 1999 bill and subsequent law was apparently presented to counteract a Representative’s vendetta bill against homeschoolers.  You’d think someone with verbal missives like these below wouldn’t have enough credibility in Arkansas to have any bill passed.  Allison’s attacks are ridiculous and I would hope most citizens have little use for silliness like his.
Some excerpts from the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette that One Mom chased down in archives:

In a recent Jonesboro Sun article about his bill, Allison was quoted as saying he wanted to be sure that children weren’t being pulled from public schools to be home schooled just because “parents are too lazy to take them there.

Allison’s concern below was amazing in response to homeschoolers bringing their kids to the Capitol to see the Real Thing in legislative actions:

“I’m trying to protect the children,” Allison said when reached at the state Capitol on Monday afternoon. “We’ve got to have some accountability. Those children [who attended Monday’s press conference] should have been in school.”

Here’s a continuation of his paranoia

“There are some parents who really are too lazy to take their kids to school and there are those who do a great job,” he said. “But they twist that around. They will do any deceptive thing to make me look bad.””

Poor fella.  Here’s some more of his charm showing:

Allison said Monday he had no intention of withdrawing his bill.

“They can kiss my foot.