Word From the Editor Regarding the FREE Act in Tennessee:
It is quite unfortunate that The FREE Act (Family Right to Educational Emancipation Act) did not make it through the House Education Administration Subcommittee earlier this month.
The way that committee handled this bill disappointed many home-school families, and other supporters of freedom, across the state.
I would like to thank Senator Janice Bowling for her strong support of the FREE Act.
Also, I thank Rep. Todd Warner for his work on this and for his support of the cause. Warner’s words of support towards home schoolers were noted and valued. I also appreciate Rep. Ronnie Glynn and his standing for freedom and for families regarding this matter.
Rep. Jay Reedy, when we spoke in person, you seemed understanding to our cause. Please explain your opposition to the FREE Act.
Once passed, the FREE Act acknowledges:
“that parents have the primary role in determining the educational path for their children, including the choice to educate their children at home without interference or undue regulation from this State.”
“Parents and legal guardians have the right to direct the education of their children, including, but not limited to, the right to choose whether their child’s education is received through a public school, private school, or home school. If a parent or legal guardian elects to conduct a home school pursuant to this subdivision (a)(4), then neither this state nor a local government or agency in this state may infringe on the rights of the parent or legal guardian to make decisions concerning their child’s home school education, including, but not limited to, the curriculum, courses of study, and methods of instruction selected or used.”
and that “This state or a local government or agency in this state shall not require a student being educated in a home school operated pursuant to this subdivision (a)(4) or the student’s parent or legal guardian to:
(i) Be administered, or to administer, any assessment, including, but not limited to, a state-mandated standardized test or assessment, such as a Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program test; or submit or report any information, attendance records, grades or documentation regarding the home school student’s attendance or education to this state, any school or school district in this state, or any other governmental entity.”
Instead of having a real conversation regarding liberty and parent-directed education, the House Education Subcommittee—evidently stocked with a group of statist, controlling individuals who feel that government should be involved in most every detail of life and education—chose to go the route of saying that home-school freedom may open some hypothetical door to child abuse, and quickly moved to kill it.
To be clear, this bill would not change child abuse laws; obviously, child abuse should and will remain against the law.
Many found this twisted, guilty-until-proven-innocent mindset, painting the entire home-school community as a bunch of child abusers, highly insulting.
In a twist of irony nearly too good to be true, Committee Chairperson Slater, himself so obsessed with preventing potential child abuse, was (to the best of my knowledge) the only participant involved in the conversation who has faced criminal child abuse charges himself.
Another ironic element to all of this is that many of those who were very recently repeating such insincere talking points as “Parents should be in the driver’s seat of their children’s education” are the exact same bunch so opposed to this home-school freedom bill.
It is quite disheartening how many of our state lawmakers seem to lean more towards a Big Brother, surveillance state where government oversight and “accountability” trump personal liberties.
The Tennessee Constitution states that:
“The General Assembly shall provide for the maintenance, support and eligibility standards of a system of free public schools.”
It does NOT say that the State of Tennessee can force someone to participate in that system, NOR does it pave the way for the state to dictate to those directing the education of their own children and not participating in the government schools which curriculum, standards, tests and paperwork they must follow, administer and submit.
Weather Slater truly believes that parents should not be “in the driver’s seat of their children’s education” and rather that state government should mandate how Tennessee home-school families can go about their educational journey, or whether his and his committee’s opposition to the FREE Act was simple political retribution against Rep. Warner’s failure to go along unquestioningly with the establishment’s wishes regarding other educational initiatives, his response to this piece of legislation that means a lot to me and other Tennessee home-school families demonstrates very poor judgment. I understand some libertarian-minded folks in Slater’s district are working to get someone with a stronger dedication to the principles of liberty and freedom elected to better represent the will of the people of that district.
Serious question: Has anyone heard of any real opposition to the FREE Act come from anyone other than politicians?
It seems the court of public opinion is largely in favor of liberty and the FREE Act, yet only the big government bureaucrats stand in its way.
In closing, I emphasize the resolve and dedication to this cause on the part of many fine home-school families across the great state of Tennessee, from Memphis to Mountain City. We intend to re-introduce this act next session and will continue working to ensure that Tennessee remains a free and friendly place towards those who take on the responsibility of leading their children’s educational journey. Please do not underestimate how important this liberty is to my family and to many, many others.
