Sent: Friday, October 15, 1999 6:05 PM
Subject: CHECK Alert 99-049: CHECK Web updates; Homeschooling
expanding around the world

Dear Friends,

I am still working on getting a backlog of information to you.

I am currently updated CHECK's web with information from the October 1999
CHECK News including an update to the current events listed there,
information on Day Under the Day 2000, and more. Yesterday I put on the
latest update on the Allen's. The web page is at:
http://www.kansashomeschool.org

Below is an article on homeschooling's expansion across the world I received
from HSLDA.

David Barfield

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HOME SCHOOLING EXPANDING ACROSS THE WORLD

Home schooling is no longer an United States phenomena. Home schooling is
gradually but steadily spreading across the world. The home school movement
in many countries is only a fledgling movement but it is beginning to take
hold. The first step in many western and Asian countries is to make it
legal.

One of the goals of the Home School Legal Defense Association is to export
to other countries the knowledge and lessons we have learned through our
struggle as home schoolers to be free here in America. We also want to share
the many benefits of home schooling which includes distributing various
studies demonstrating the academic success of home schoolers at the
elementary, secondary, and college level.

Most important of all is our desire to share the light of Jesus Christ
through the vehicle of home schooling. Home schooling enables families to
teach what really matters: knowing Jesus as their Savior and obeying Him as
Lord. More and more families home schooling on the foundation of the Word of
God will bring blessings to the nations around the world.

The HSLDA legal staff at the National Center of Home Education works
regularly with home school leaders and home school associations in various
countries. The assistance includes recommending legal and political
strategies, sending home school studies and materials, corresponding with
members of parliament and various government officials, organizing letter
writing campaigns to various foreign embassies, talking to foreign press,
visiting and speaking in the country, and helping establish national legal
defense associations for home schoolers.

HSLDA also has provided seed money to start legal defense associations,
purchase printing equipment, and buy other needed resources to home school
leaders in various countries.

Below are descriptions of the growing home school movements in a number of
countries and some of the continuing obstacles home schoolers face. Please
hold up in prayer these brothers and sisters in Christ.

TAIWAN

Home schooling has overcome a tremendous obstacle in the island country of
Taiwan. Home schooling in Taiwan was officially legalized on June 24, 1999!

Until recently, elementary and junior high school-aged (grades 1-9) children
had to attend public school or private school --no exceptions. As a result,
the great majority of home schooled children could only be preschoolers and
kindergartners. Only a handful of them were school-aged.

These parents with school aged children were able to reach an agreement with
sympathetic local school officials to teach their children at home most of
the time and take tests along with classmates. Some decided to withdraw
their children from school completely, simply praying and hoping that the
school officials wouldn't bother to pursue them.

The Home Educators' Fellowship, a Christian organization, was founded in
August 1998 to unite home educators, keep up with legal issues and
organize/share teaching resources, while adhering to biblical principles.
Shou-kong and Chuo-chuin Fan are home schooling parents who founded the
organization. It now has over 70 member families nationwide (about 90%
Christians, 15% pastors).

Now that it's legal, the Fans expect a big surge of families to take their
children out of both elementary and junior high schools starting this fall
and a growth in membership of their organization.

Meanwhile, the government has invited the Home Educators' Fellowship to help
draft the regulating policy that will go into effect in October 1999.
HSLDA's National Center staff is providing counsel and model language to be
used as the basis for proposals at the upcoming meetings with the
government.

To support the home schoolers in Taiwan, you contact the Home Educators
Fellowship at skfan@tpts5.seed.net.tw

CANADA.

The vast country to our north, Canada, is experiencing a steady growth of
parents choosing home schooling. Home schooling is presently legal in all
provinces but the requirements are varied.

In the early 1990's, the Home School Legal Defense Association of Canada was
established. Michael Smith and Chris Klicka of HSLDA in the U.S. are on the
board along with Canadian home school fathers Jack Baribeau, Dan Rhinehart,
and Ian Pennoyer.

Dallas Miller, senior counsel of HSLDA of Canada, is spearheading efforts in
a number of trouble spots to protect the rights of home schoolers. For
example, in Ontario and Quebec school board officials are attempting to
apply "vague" laws in an unfriendly manner against home schoolers. Presently
in Ontario, over 40 home school families are facing "inquiries" before their
school boards challenging the legitimacy of their home school programs.
HSLDA of Canada is presently negotiating a solution with the provincial
attendance counselor to resolve these cases. Problems also continue in
"maritime" provinces where school officials have discretionary approval over
home schoolers.

In addition to dealing with school board officials, more and more families
in Canada are the recipients of unfriendly contacts from social workers.
Regardless as to the province, home schoolers are susceptible to
investigations because of methods of discipline, or as a result of anonymous
complaints. . HSLDA has two cases reported in the law reports where home
schooling families were persecuted by social services and the courts found
in favor of parental rights and family autonomy.

Much of the government infringement on family autonomy in Canada is driven
by the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC). HSLDA of
Canada is taking the lead in responding to the negative aspects of the CRC
in terms of Canadian law and social policy. Firstly, HSLDA of Canada is
intervening in a court case along with other pro-family groups where a
radical child rights organization is suing the federal government, arguing
that the federal Criminal Code that allows parents to use reasonable
corporal punishment is unconstitutional and contrary to both the autonomous
rights of the children, and in the CRC. That case is going to trial in
October of 1999. Also, HSLDA of Canada is working to prepare a "shadow
report" in response to the federal government's report and that of radical
child rights group's reports to the UN Committee under the CRC in the year
2000. This report will be from a pro-family perspective and it will be the
first time a pro-family message will be presented to this United Nations
body.

This past May 7 and 8th, the newly established Association of Christian Home
Educators of Quebec held their Home School Conference and Curriculum Fair in
Montreal. Chris Klicka, senior counsel of HSLDA and Dallas Miller of HSLDA
of Canada , speaking through a translator, were invited to address the
audience on the rights and freedoms of home schoolers.

Cheryll Stilwell, the main organizer of the event, was particularly pleased
with response from the French speaking community. The Quebec home schoolers
were clearly thirsty for information on home schooling and excited to have a
provincial wide Christian home school organization. Quebec is organizing
none too soon. A new Minister of Education has the opportunity to impact the
interpretation of the vague home school law to respect parental rights.

HSLDA of Canada: hslda@memlane.com

MEXICO AND LATIN AMERICA

Home schooling is continuing to grow rapidly in Mexico. Without clear
compulsory attendance laws, home schooling is flourishing legally. Quality
education is hard to come by in Mexico and home schooling is providing an
answer to this educational dilemma. It is enabling families to work together
to ensure their children receive a good education.

Mike Richardson, a missionary and home school father, had a vision three
years ago to start an outreach ministry to encourage Latin American families
to home school. His goal for this ministry is two-fold: to serve as a
conduit for the gospel and to restore families. He offers a free home school
newsletter in Spanish which is received by hundreds of families through out
Mexico and Latin America. He also organizes an annual home school conference
outside Monterrey (Saltillo) at which Mike Farris spoke at last year and
Chris Klicka spoke and ministered at this August.

Over 600 Mexicans attended this year with some coming as far as 30 hours!
Nearly all the Mexican states were represented and also Costa Rica and
Guatemala.

The Lord worked in a mighty way among the people at the conference. They
were deeply sensitive to the convicting power of God's Word and eager to
have His will done in their families. With many tears, the Spanish speaking
families expressed their profound gratitude for the conference (which was
offered free of charge) and for the preaching and teaching on building godly
families.

The youth in Mexico and the Latin American countries are under the same
secular assault as here in our country. Home schooling will continue to
expand rapidly as more and more families find out about its benefits.

Nuevo Leon, a state in Mexico is revising its constitution and Mike
Richardson was able to submit a proposal for a parental rights amendment
drafted by HSLDA which is presently under consideration.

To receive Mike Richardson's Spanish home schooling newsletter or to
contribute to his ministry e-mail him at vnm@characterlink.net or call 011
528 483 0377.

SOUTH AFRICA

South Africa has come a long ways in the last six years. In 1993, home
schooling was illegal in South Africa. When Andre and Bokkie Mientjies were
sentenced to two years in jail for home schooling, South African home
schooler Graham Shortridge, in desperation contacted us for us to help.
HSLDA launched a nationwide campaign for home schoolers to write to the
South African embassy demanding the Mientjies release. The calls and
pressure worked and the Mientjies were soon released.

In 1995, a report by the national government was released indicating home
schooling should only be legal if the parents are licensed and approved at
the discretion of the department of education. Over the next year and a
half, Chris Klicka working closely with Leendert Oostrum of Pretoria and
Graham Shortridge of Capetown and various parliament members, spearheaded
three more nationwide alerts at key junctures of debate in the national
parliament. Each alert helped turned the tide further in favor of the home
schoolers until finally in December of 1996, the education act passed,
formally legalizing home schooling.

The South African leaders invited Chris Klicka to speak in five cities in
1997 and help establish a legal defense fund and serve on the board. In
1998, the Pestalozzi Trust, The Legal Defense Fund for Home Education was
formally organized with Leendert van Oostrum as president.

The Pestalozzi Trust is now growing in membership and counseling home
schoolers throughout the country who are contacted by the authorities. The
board members and Leendert are speaking at conferences and networking the
home schoolers. Much tedious work is presently being done in province after
province as they wrestle with creating home school regulations.

In a surprise development, Pestalozzi Trust Board members Leendert van
Oostrum, Dr. Hans Visser, and Henri Slabbert along with home school leaders
Graham Shortridge and Pierre Basson were invited to a meeting to discuss the
latest draft national policy on home education in Pretoria on 6th May. Jan
Badenhorst-Schnettler (attorney to the Legal Defense Fund)also attended.

The new draft policy would have limited home schooling to only situations
were the department of education heads deemed it to be in the best interests
of the child. It seemed clear that the draft policy intended to make home
education an extension of public school education, and parents agents of the
education departments, to be monitored, assessed, and inspected to ensure
that they not only teach what the department tells them to teach, but also
in the manner the department believes best.

HSLDA provided advice on legal strategy and was prepared to do a nationwide
e-lert. However, the national government listened, took a back step, and
decided to reassess their draft. Unfortunately, on July 30 a second meeting
was held but the national government stubbornly refused to adopt the home
schoolers' proposals and abandon their own.

Meanwhile, HSLDA is poised for launching an alert if the continuing
negotiations fail. The Pestalozzi Trust is also ready for a legal battle if
necessary.

Meanwhile, a new minister of education has just been appointed, after the
general elections. Professor Kader Asmal is an ex teacher and no one knows
his position on home schooling.

Please pray for God's protection for the home schoolers during these
sensitive negotiations. Also be ready to write or call the South African
embassy if needed! Also especially pray for the healing and strength of the
main leader and president of the national home school association, Leendert
van Oostrum, since he has recently been hospitalized for a potentially
dangerous heart condition.

The Pestalozzi Trust uses the following email address: defensor@lantic.net
and web site (http://www.lantic.co.za/~curamus1

IRISH HOME SCHOOLERS NEED YOUR HELP NOW

The home schoolers of Ireland are small and not well organized. Their right
to home school is about to be severely diminished. They have asked for our
help. It was not very long ago when we were a small and insignificant yet
God has blessed us with freedom to home school in this country. Here is our
opportunity to help our weaker brothers: "To the extent that you did it to
one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me."
Matt. 25:40.

Therefore, HSLDA is urging American home schoolers to contact the Embassy of
Ireland, 2234 Massachusetts Ave. N.W. Washington D.C. 20036, e-mail:
embirlus@aol.com, and deliver this message:

"We are extremely concerned about the Education (Welfare) Bill 1999l passed
by your Senate which will impose excessive restrictions on innocent home
school families in Ireland. We ask you to tell your government to oppose
this bill in order to protect one the most basic and important human rights:
the right of parents to control the upbringing of their children. Home
schooling works and it needs to remain free."

Please take a moment to help your brothers and sisters in Ireland. As
proven in other countries, American home schoolers can make a significant
difference!

Background:

The people of the Republic of Ireland are blessed with a constitution which
guarantees the right to home school. Article 42 declares in part: "The State
acknowledges that the primary and natural educator of the child is the
family and guarantees to respect the inalienable right and duty of parents
to provide, according to their means, for the religious, moral,
intellectual, physical, and social education of their children. Parents
shall be free to provide this education in their homes or in private schools
or in schools recognized or established by the state."

However, the constitution also gives the State the power to "require. . .
that the children receive a certain minimum education: moral, intellectual,
and social." Therein lies the problem.

The Irish Senate has passed a dangerous bill which will require home
schoolers to register and be subject to periodic assessments at the whim of
the school authorities. Worst of all, the bill will require home schoolers
to submit to home visits where the "education welfare officer" will observe
instruction taking place, inspect the premises, and carry out an on-site
assessment of the child's intellectual,, emotional, and physical
development.

This bill is scheduled to be debated in the Lower House on October 5th. It
will likely be debated through the month of October.

Home school attorney Elisabeth Bruton is organizing the home school
opposition and lobbying the legislature. At the request of Irish home
schoolers, Chris Klicka has written to key officials in the Lower House in
an attempt to persuade them to derail the bill.

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