Illinois taxpayers surely doesn’t need a new and unreasonable mandate on top of Representative Monique Davis’ proposal to add a new layer of bureaucracy with a Department of Education. (That bill will be heard in the State Government Administration Committee March 9.)
Representative Jehan Gordon wants the compulsory attendance age increased to 18 from 17 years of age. The Elementary & Secondary Education Committee Hearing is on March 9, 2011 at 8:00 AM and this bill in on the agenda.
Some children are forced out or “pushed-out” of the school system by public school administrators worried about low test scores decreasing funding under what were No Child Left Behind mandates, but now have a new name, same song and dance via Race to the Top federal grants. The homeschool community often meets the pushouts from the school districts. The pushout families are desperately trying to find a way to educate their children. This issue is a public secret spread across the country, but Chicago is certainly a prime example. I’ve also seen a couple of cases here in central Illinois that hit our homeschool community radar.
Following that explanation of the interweaving of public school problems into our homeschooling community, we’ve learned to listen to those on the frontlines of these struggles. It appears there are some activist youth in the Chicago area, who have a voice in a website -Dignity in Schools- directly addressing the pushout problem:
Students in Chicago Public Schools have internalized the problem of the dropout rate and believe that they are the ones to blame for the failures of the school system. There is a difference between perception and reality when it comes to the reasons for the dropout rate, and it is only through a deeper critical analysis that students come to realize the systemic problems impacting public education.
• Additionally, youth researchers found that dropping out is not something that students plan or anticipate. It is something that happens slowly over time.
• VOYCE found that while teachers, parents, and students agree that relevance in curriculum is critical to students’ engagement in school, students feel that relevance is largely missing in their schools. This lack of relevance leaves students without a clear sense of purpose when it comes to their education.
In his educational plan, Chicago’s future mayor, Rahm Emmanuel, suggests that dropouts should lose their driver’s license. The Chicago public school district (3rd in size in the nation) is known for a huge amount of dropouts. Emanuel’s solution seems ludicrous and akin to punishing the children the school system failed to educate regarding the basics, as laid out by Horace Hall, professor of educational policy and research at DePaul University. Hall says:
“The only criminal offense is allowing students to reach their high school years without knowing simple math and becoming independent readers,†Hall said. “Perhaps, the consequence of those who perpetuate this travesty should be to have their driver’s licenses revoked and not the students.â€
Indeed. Just browsing through the Chicago Public School system report cards, one example is the Orr Academy High School. Their school shows shy of 7 % meeting or exceeding the Illinois public schools’ very own Standards of Learning. Where is the accountability for the public school systems own measure of “learning”? Why wouldn’t these teens high tail it out of that school to find a way to be educated and be a productive citizen? Those kids deserve better than what they’re getting and one has to question the reason why their anguish should be prolonged.
Riddle me this, Mr. Emanuel and Representative Gordon. How is your plan of action “about the children” and their educational and overall well being? It seems more like the kick in the gut when the person is already down and semi-conscious.
There are so many reasons that Representative Gordon’s bill should be opposed and dropped. Reasons that any Illinois taxpayer calling for accountability could support. This adds to the overwhelming financial burden that seems already poorly managed by our leaders in Illinois. If the schools can’t keep the kids in the classrooms willingly, it doesn’t make sense to force them and pay more for it. That added fiscal burden in Illinois’ public school system doesn’t include the Regional Offices of Education push for homeschool registration and the added paperwork, along with Senator Maloney’s ‘homeschool truancy’ concerns.
From a homeschool standpoint, this is one more year added where homeschoolers would have to make sure they followed the p’s and q’s of official transfer from a public school to private school for homeschooling purposes. As Senator Maloney made clear, there are many in Springfield who would like different rules for homeschoolers than other private schools, and they find various means to pursue that. They like the term “no-schoolers”, but we’ve found that really means they want all homeschoolers registered.
I hope Representative Gordon considers whether this really about the kids. The Peoria Journal-Star published an article about her appointment by Speaker Madigan to a “bipartisan panel” to study education reform issues. If I were a family in the Orr Academy school district and too many others in Illinois, I’d wonder if real thought was put to what is best for the kids.
Gordon, D-Peoria, is one of eight members of a bipartisan House committee created last month by Speaker Michael Madigan to study education reform issues. The panel is to make recommendations to the General Assembly before Jan. 12, when new lawmakers are sworn into office.
“I have a responsibility to serve as an advocate for everyone. I’m trying to do what’s in the best interest of kids and what’s fair. Far too often, the interest of the children gets swept under the rug,” Gordon said Wednesday.
This was in the article’s conclusion:
Some groups are skeptical about the purpose of the recently formed committee, including the IEA, which has expressed concern about the role being played by Oregon-based Stand For Children, which distributed money to legislative candidates, including $100,000 to Gordon in October and another Education Reform Committee member.
Stand for Children describes itself as a child advocacy organization dedicated to improving public education. Gordon said, though she agrees with some agendas issued by that group, she’s not beholden to it.
“I’m not supporting anything if I’m not comfortable with it. I have to live with myself and in a community who has to believe and trust my word: $100,000 is not worth my word, my credibility, my reputation,” Gordon said, adding she also has received more than $150,000 from IEA, IFT and the Illinois School Alliance, which represents administrators, principals and school board members.
I think our Illinois community should ask Representative Gordon why this sort of bill would be presented at this time.
Here is Representative Gordon’s contact information:
Jehan A. Gordon
217-782-3186
309-681-1992
217-558-4552 fax
309-681-8572 fax
repjehangordon@gmail.com
Peoria, Peoria County
Here is the rest of the Elementary and Secondary Education Committee contact information. (Thank you, IL Homeschool PAC Advisory Board member Terri Koyne):
Chairperson Linda Chapa LaVia D 217-558-1002 630-264-6855
217-782-0927 fax 630-264-6752 fax
chapa-laviali@ilga.gov
Vice-Chair Fred Crespo D 217-782-0347
630-372-3340
217-557-4622 fax
630-372-3342 fax
fred@fredcrespo.com
Streamwood, Cook County
Rep. Spokesperson
Jerry L. Mitchell
R
217-782-0535
815-625-0820
217-557-0571 fax
815-625-0839 fax
repjmitchell@comcast.net
Rock Falls, Whiteside County
John D. Cavaletto
R
217-782-0066
618-548-9080
217-782-1336 fax
618-548-9087 fax
john@johncavaletto.com
Salem, Marion County
Marlow H. Colvin
D
217-782-8272
773-783-8492
217-782-2404 fax
773-783-8625 fax
repcolvin@sbcglobal.net
Chicago, Cook County
Monique D. Davis
D
217-782-0010
773-445-9700
217-782-1795 fax
773-445-5755 fax
davismd@ilga.gov
Chicago, Cook County
Lisa M. Dugan
D
217-782-5981
815-939-1983
217-558-4553 fax
815-939-0081 fax
lisadugan@sbcglobal.net
Kankakee, Kankakee County
Kennith Dunkin
D
217-782-4535
312-266-0340
217-782-4213 fax
312-266-0699 fax
kendunkin@msn.com
Chicago, Cook County
Roger L. Eddy
R
217-558-1040
618-563-4128
217-558-3481
618-563-4129 fax
Huntsville, Crawford County
Keith Farnham
D
217-782-8020
847-841-7130
217-557-4459 fax
847-841-7140 fax
krfarnham@gmail.com
Elgin, Kane County
Esther Golar
D
217-782-5971
773-925-6580
217-558-6370 fax
773-925-6584
esthergolar@sbcglobal.net
Chicago, Cook County
Camille Y. Lilly
D
217-782-6400
773-473-7300
217-558-1054 fax
773-473-7378 fax
statereplilly@yahoo.com
Chicago, Cook County
Rita Mayfield
D
217-558-1012
847-599-2800
217-558-1092 fax
847-599-2955 fax
60thdistrict@gmail.com
Waukegan, Lake County
Bill Mitchell
R
217-782-8163
217-876-1968
217-557-0571 fax
217-876-1973 fax
repmitchell@earthlink.net
Decatur, Macon County
Donald L. Moffitt
R
217-782-8032
309-343-8000
217-557-0179 fax
309-343-2683 fax
moffitt@grics.net
Galesburg, Knox County
Thomas Morrison
R
217-782-8026
224-210-6959
217-558-7016 fax
Repmorrison54@gmail.com
Palatine, Cook County
Harry Osterman
D
217-782-8088
773-784-2002
217-782-6592 fax
773-784-2060 fax
hjo@aol.com
Chicago, Cook County
Sanda M. Pihos
R
217-782-8037
630-858-8855
217-558-1072 fax
630-858-8857 fax
sandrapihos42@gmail.com
Glen Ellyn, Du Page County
Robert W. Pritchard
R
217-782-0425
815-748-3494
217-782-1275 fax
815-748-4630 fax
bob@pritchardstaterep.com
Sycamore, DeKalb County
David Reis
R
217-782-2087
618-392-0108
217-557-0530 fax
618-392-0107 fax
Olney, Jasper County
Pam Roth
R
217-782-5997
815-416-1475
217-558-1073 fax
815-416-1476 fax
pamrothd75@gmail.com
Morris, Grundy County
Darliene J. Senger
R
217-782-6507
630-219-3090
217-782-1275 fax
630-219-3091 fax
sengerstaterep@gmail.com
Naperville, DuPage County
Karen A. Yarbrough
D
217-782-8120
708-615-1747
217-782-1739 fax
708-615-1745 fax
kyarbrough@hds.ilga.gov
Broadview, Cook County
More thoughts and research from a homeschooling angle regarding compulsory attendance laws: Foundations of the Rights and Responsiblities of Homeschooling Parents; Home Education Magazine.
Continue reading