HB 2795 Would Be Bad Law
HB2795 is a very dangerous bill. It would impact home schools, Christian, church-related schools, all private schools in Tennessee. Some homeschoolers have e-mailed us asking what’s so wrong with this bill? Are we afraid of testing? How will we ever prove that our children excel and can compete academically with public school students if we don’t have the test scores to compare with the public schools?
The danger of this bill is much greater than the threat of testing. One of the most serious aspects of this bill is that all private schools, including homeschools, will have to teach to the public school curriculum, so that our students can pass their tests and receive their high school diploma. Private schooling in Tennessee will no longer exist. All schools will be indirectly controlled by these tests, which will dictate our curriculum choices and our teaching. Therefore all private education will be controlled by the public school.
If you are a member of HSLDA you received their e-lert written by attorney Dee Black. He rightly identifies the dangers of this bill. Please read his analysis copied below. We agree 100% with Dee Black’s analysis of this bill.
We believe we must fight this bill with the hope of killing it in this sub-committee, as Rep. Mike Bell says “smashing the ant with a sledge hammer”!
Come To The Sub-Committee Meeting Wednesday, February 27th
Rep. Mike Bell, homeschool Dad and former THEA lobbyist, spoke with the Rep. John Mark Windle, Chairman of the Special Initiatives Sub-Committee this afternoon. Mike says that it is important for homeschoolers and private schools to have a strong presence at the meeting on Wednesday, Feb. 27th in the Sub-Committee meeting as they hear this bill. The Special Initiatives Subcommittee meets at 11:00 a.m. in the Legislative Plaza, LP, Committee Room 16. This is the large Committee Room directly opposite the escalators and directly in front of the Sargeant-at-Arms desk in the lobby of the Legislative Plaza.
The tremendous danger of this piece of legislation as explained by Dee Black of HSLDA:
We need your help now! Tennessee homeschoolers are facing the most serious threat to their freedom since the homeschool law was enacted 23 years ago.
House Bill 2795 would subject non-public school students, including homeschool students, to additional state testing. It would require them to take subject matter tests based upon state-approved textbooks. It would also require them to pass the Tennessee comprehensive assessment program tests before receiving a high school diploma. These new testing requirements would also apply to students being taught at home through extension or satellite programs of church-related schools. Your calls to state representatives are needed to stop this dangerous legislation!
If House Bill 2795 passes, it will essentially mean the end of homeschooling in Tennessee. Parents deciding to teach their children at home would have to conform their curriculum to the material taught in public school in order for their children to be able to pass the state tests. The Tennessee Department of Education, not parents, would determine whether a student taught at home was eligible to receive a high school diploma.
Once again, we are so sorry about the wrong number sent out this afternoon!! It slipped past two of us working to prepare that e-mail alert—we were in too big ‘a hurry!! We will call the dear lady tomorrow and ask her to forgive us as we ask you all to please forgive us.
For future reference, in case we do something like that again, the area code and prefix of all our state legislator’s phone numbers is “615”, then “741” for all of their Nashville office numbers.
And again, the correct number of the Nashville office number for Rep. G.A. Hardaway, of Memphis, the House sponsor of this bill, is 615-741-5625. Below are the names and numbers of all the members of this sub-committee. Rep. Hardaway is the first person to call to express your opposition to this bill.
THEA Action Alert
Rep Hardaway’s bill mandating testing for all private school children is scheduled in the House Education Subcommittee next Wednesday, Feb. 27. The sponsor and list of members of that committee and their phone numbers is below. This bill needs your involvement. It must be stopped. Please call each Representative on this list.
Please call their offices any time day or night, week or weekend. Your wording can be simple, like “My name is ___. I’m calling to oppose HB2795.”
The bill is HB2795 (downloadable / printable PDF).
Calls are more effective for most legislators. They often delete e-mails, so Call rather than e-mail.
A toll-free way to call your Representative
All legislators may be reached by telephone at 1(800)449-8366. You must then enter the last 5 digits of their office phone number.
Legislator names, office phone numbers, etc., can be found on the web at http://www.legislature.state.tn.us.
1st call the House sponsor of this bill:
- Rep. G.A. Hardaway, 615-741-5625
2nd call the Members of the Special Initiatives Sub-Committee, scheduled to hear this bill on Wed., 2/27/08:
- Rep. John Mark Windle (R) from Livingston, Sub-Comm. Chairman, 615-741-1260
- Rep. Tommie Brown (D) from Chattanooga, 615-741-4374.
- Rep. Jim Coley (R) from Bartlett, 615-741-8201
- Rep. Ron Lollar (R) also from Bartlett, 615-741-7084
- Rep. Joe Towns (D) from Memphis, 615-741-2189
- Rep. Les Winningham (D) from Onieda/Huntsville, 615-741-6852
Now is the time for action.
Claiborne Thornton, President
Tennessee Home Education Association
