I was giving a heads up to the following article from a homeschool resource group. I agree with the conclusion of the article that homeschoolers face a tough road ahead. If we appease or bury our heads in the sand we may find that we are no longer allowed to homeschool. Please follow the link to the Parade article and read some of the many excellent comments at the end of the article.
Should Home-Schooling Be Illegal?
In February, a California state appeals court ruled that unless parents have recognized teaching credentials, they must send their children to school. The judge, citing a state education law, said that “parents do not have a constitutional right to home-school their children.” Parents and politicians were outraged, and the court will rehear the case this month.
At stake is the education of the 166,000 California children who currently are home-schooled. But the court decision also could influence laws across the country. Nationwide, up to 2 million children are taught at home. Experts estimate that the number is increasing 7% to 12% a year.
“If upheld, the California ruling will send shock waves nationwide,” says Richard Kahlenberg, the author of a number of books on education. He says the case “pits those who believe parental rights are paramount against those who place a premium on well-educated citizens.”
Right now, only six states have strict regulations for home-schooling, usually requiring parents to have their curriculum approved, to show test scores and, in some places, to submit to home visits. Fourteen states, including California, mandate only that parents notify the state of their decision to home-school.
Quote of the Day - A tax supported, compulsory educational system is the complete model of the totalitarian state. - Isabel Patterson, The God of the Machine
Monday, June 2, 2008
Sunday, June 1, 2008
Rapid Referendum Response - Part 2
The Rapid Response Referendum booklet has "Examples of what the opposition can be like." Granted they may not be specifically talking about CRAFT but we will make it clear what we do and do not condone.
They include the following in bold with our responses not in bold.
Attempts to overwhelm superintendent/staff with information requests:
* Contracts with attorneys, financial advisors, construction managers, architects
* Contracts with administrators; salary settlements
* Audits and budgets
* Enrollment projections
We at CRAFT never suggest that people overwhelm superintendent or staff with requests. We suggest people get school contracts whether or not a tax increase is on a ballot. All of the above information should be posted on school websites as to show their financial transparency and not to hide anything from both taxpayers and parents.
Its quite telling that school districts consider fulfilling information and transparency requests as a nuisance. We consider answering taxpayers questions a fundamental responsibility of any government agency, not an auxiliary activity.
Implies impropriety by district staff (received bribes, gifts)
CRAFT has never implied impropriety by district staff. However we know groups who have uncovered impropriety by doing thorough investigations of their school district. Ex-principal charged with stealing funds
Becomes watchdog for inappropriate employee campaign activities
History shows that school districts cannot be trusted to self-regulate and campaign fairly. There is nothing wrong with every parent and taxpayer making sure this happens and pointing out infractions when they do occur.
Challenges use of school attorney - misuse of funds
We have never done this.
Opposition group uses a name that sounds supportive, and often plays of district logo
Hmm. Citizens for Reasonable And Fair Taxes....we think not. If this were applied as the criteria to discern a group's motives, one could just as easily find a referendum support group.
Uses email for speed and ease of sharing
Yep and we suggest everyone do this. Its fast, effective, and inexpensive.
Challenges data accuracy and hires own "experts"
We at CRAFT have never hired "experts", although we won't hesitate to challenge the accuracy of data when appropriate.
Disrupts election process:
* Questions judges' relationships to districts
* Non-homestead property owners show up at polls and get angry when they're told they can't vote
* Examines and challenges absentee ballots.
We at CRAFT have never done this, nor have we found it necessary. The point of non-homestead property owners is however valid. Turning away ANY property owner constitutes taxation without representation.
Goes for "sticker shock" on total tax costs entire life of the bond
Schools should be honest and tell taxpayers the total cost as well as the annual cost, taking inflation and assessment increases into account. Anything less is dishonesty on the part of the school district.
We at CRAFT plead guilty. When homeowners discover the total cost of a tax increase proposal, they frequently turn against it.
Attacks district's Achilles Heel (statutory operating debt, open enrollment issues, large, retirement packages, poor test scores, unhappy residents due to consolidations)
Much of this "Achilles Heel" list consists of unacceptable failures on the part of school management. We have no sympathy for "large retirement packages", "poor test scores", or unhappy residents. Such failures are squarely the responsibility of the district. They strengthen the argument against empowering ineffective management with more tax dollars.
Bundles misinformation within accurate information - plants a "seed of doubt"
Districts frequently make this accusation but invariably never provide specific examples. Be wary when a district accuses a taxpayer advocacy group of "spreading misinformation" without providing specific examples.
We actively encourage taxpayers to check facts and if you make an error correct it as soon as possible.
Uses multiple pieces and phone calls to voters in last few days (automated calls, flyers, on cars, last minute lies)
We at CRAFT have never used automated calls. Other groups have used automated calls and referred people to our website. We never tell lies but school districts frequently accuse groups of lying, never willing to point out any actual lies.
Greatly increases "no" vote
Guilty! Informing the citizens of the truth increases no votes.
Can be anti-public schools-religious basis, home school bias
This is completely untrue and is an ad-hominem attack used time and time again by school district employees and officials.
Steals lawn signs
We have never done this and never condone this. "Yes" signs only remind people to get out and vote. Yes signs remind people to vote no. No signs have been so frequently stolen that we encourage people to place the signs as close as possible to their homes. We had one person spot a school employee sticking vote no signs in a truck.
Misuses mail/Newspaper boxes
We have specifically told people not to put information on mailboxes. People have put our materials on mailboxes but we have asked them not to do it because it is illegal. We never condone doing anything illegal.
They include the following in bold with our responses not in bold.
Attempts to overwhelm superintendent/staff with information requests:
* Contracts with attorneys, financial advisors, construction managers, architects
* Contracts with administrators; salary settlements
* Audits and budgets
* Enrollment projections
We at CRAFT never suggest that people overwhelm superintendent or staff with requests. We suggest people get school contracts whether or not a tax increase is on a ballot. All of the above information should be posted on school websites as to show their financial transparency and not to hide anything from both taxpayers and parents.
Its quite telling that school districts consider fulfilling information and transparency requests as a nuisance. We consider answering taxpayers questions a fundamental responsibility of any government agency, not an auxiliary activity.
Implies impropriety by district staff (received bribes, gifts)
CRAFT has never implied impropriety by district staff. However we know groups who have uncovered impropriety by doing thorough investigations of their school district. Ex-principal charged with stealing funds
Becomes watchdog for inappropriate employee campaign activities
History shows that school districts cannot be trusted to self-regulate and campaign fairly. There is nothing wrong with every parent and taxpayer making sure this happens and pointing out infractions when they do occur.
Challenges use of school attorney - misuse of funds
We have never done this.
Opposition group uses a name that sounds supportive, and often plays of district logo
Hmm. Citizens for Reasonable And Fair Taxes....we think not. If this were applied as the criteria to discern a group's motives, one could just as easily find a referendum support group.
Uses email for speed and ease of sharing
Yep and we suggest everyone do this. Its fast, effective, and inexpensive.
Challenges data accuracy and hires own "experts"
We at CRAFT have never hired "experts", although we won't hesitate to challenge the accuracy of data when appropriate.
Disrupts election process:
* Questions judges' relationships to districts
* Non-homestead property owners show up at polls and get angry when they're told they can't vote
* Examines and challenges absentee ballots.
We at CRAFT have never done this, nor have we found it necessary. The point of non-homestead property owners is however valid. Turning away ANY property owner constitutes taxation without representation.
Goes for "sticker shock" on total tax costs entire life of the bond
Schools should be honest and tell taxpayers the total cost as well as the annual cost, taking inflation and assessment increases into account. Anything less is dishonesty on the part of the school district.
We at CRAFT plead guilty. When homeowners discover the total cost of a tax increase proposal, they frequently turn against it.
Attacks district's Achilles Heel (statutory operating debt, open enrollment issues, large, retirement packages, poor test scores, unhappy residents due to consolidations)
Much of this "Achilles Heel" list consists of unacceptable failures on the part of school management. We have no sympathy for "large retirement packages", "poor test scores", or unhappy residents. Such failures are squarely the responsibility of the district. They strengthen the argument against empowering ineffective management with more tax dollars.
Bundles misinformation within accurate information - plants a "seed of doubt"
Districts frequently make this accusation but invariably never provide specific examples. Be wary when a district accuses a taxpayer advocacy group of "spreading misinformation" without providing specific examples.
We actively encourage taxpayers to check facts and if you make an error correct it as soon as possible.
Uses multiple pieces and phone calls to voters in last few days (automated calls, flyers, on cars, last minute lies)
We at CRAFT have never used automated calls. Other groups have used automated calls and referred people to our website. We never tell lies but school districts frequently accuse groups of lying, never willing to point out any actual lies.
Greatly increases "no" vote
Guilty! Informing the citizens of the truth increases no votes.
Can be anti-public schools-religious basis, home school bias
This is completely untrue and is an ad-hominem attack used time and time again by school district employees and officials.
Steals lawn signs
We have never done this and never condone this. "Yes" signs only remind people to get out and vote. Yes signs remind people to vote no. No signs have been so frequently stolen that we encourage people to place the signs as close as possible to their homes. We had one person spot a school employee sticking vote no signs in a truck.
Misuses mail/Newspaper boxes
We have specifically told people not to put information on mailboxes. People have put our materials on mailboxes but we have asked them not to do it because it is illegal. We never condone doing anything illegal.
Saturday, May 31, 2008
Rapid Referendum Response - Part 1
Part One of a Six Part Series.
Jim and I have been fighting for education reform and education spending reform for almost 6 years now. We fully believe that schools have a spending problem and not a funding problem. Our techniques for fighting referenda can be found on our old website Citizens for Reasonable And Fair Taxes. Jim's Boston Tea Party describes tax fighting methods we've employed in the past. Such methods are also effective against excessive tax warrants.
The Minnesota Association of School Administrators felt our techniques were so successful they developed the Rapid Referendum Response. What to do when your district is blindsided by anti-referendum attacks.
MASA's Rapid Referendum Response booklet cover includes "How school districts can deal with organized referendum opposition while keeping their eyes on the prize: a high-quality of educational environment for all students." Referenda are about money and money only (hence the "prize") By now I hope you all know that there is no link between education spending and performance.
Jim and I have been fighting for education reform and education spending reform for almost 6 years now. We fully believe that schools have a spending problem and not a funding problem. Our techniques for fighting referenda can be found on our old website Citizens for Reasonable And Fair Taxes. Jim's Boston Tea Party describes tax fighting methods we've employed in the past. Such methods are also effective against excessive tax warrants.
The Minnesota Association of School Administrators felt our techniques were so successful they developed the Rapid Referendum Response. What to do when your district is blindsided by anti-referendum attacks.
MASA's Rapid Referendum Response booklet cover includes "How school districts can deal with organized referendum opposition while keeping their eyes on the prize: a high-quality of educational environment for all students." Referenda are about money and money only (hence the "prize") By now I hope you all know that there is no link between education spending and performance.
Estabrook's last stand: Barring the schoolhouse door
The following piece appeared in the Union Leader. The piece is so well written no commentary is needed readers should go to the Union Leader website to see a number of really great comments by Union Leader readers.
The editorial strongly mirrors both Jim's and my views on said subjects.
Estabrook's last stand: Barring the schoolhouse door
SEN IRIS ESTABROOK, D-Durham, is retiring from the state Senate at the end of this session. In what may be her last major act as chairman of the Senate Education Committee, she spent days this week blocking an important amendment on public kindergarten that was requested by local communities.
The Legislature has mandated that every school district in the state provide publicly funded kindergarten. Only a dozen districts do not offer public kindergarten, primarily because voters have rejected it. But the Democrat-controlled Legislature doesn't care what the local communities want. The Democrats want public kindergarten in every community, so they have decreed that it will be so.
Some communities complained that they could not possibly get new kindergarten buildings up and running by the Legislature's 2009 deadline. So the House passed a sensible revision: districts can meet the kindergarten mandate by tuitioning their students to a private kindergarten.
Estabrook has stated that she wants kindergarten programs offered through the public school system, and nothing else will do. It's her way or the highway -- again, no matter what the local parents and educators want.
It is fitting that probably her last major effort as Senate Education Committee chairman is to block local communities' attempts to have their children attend kindergarten programs chosen by the local community. It is just the latest in her many attempts to deny choice to parents and students, forcing them to stay in public schools that often don't work for them, for the sole reason that those schools are run by the public education monopoly.
On the bright side, parents and students in New Hampshire can hope that Estabrook's replacement in the Senate will be more interested in educating children than in keeping them trapped inside a 19th-century-style factory school system that works for only some of them.
Quote of the Day - "This source of corruption, alas, is inherent in the democratic system itself, and it can only be controlled, if at all, by finding ways to encourage legislators to subordinate ambition to principle."
James L. Buckley
The editorial strongly mirrors both Jim's and my views on said subjects.
Estabrook's last stand: Barring the schoolhouse door
SEN IRIS ESTABROOK, D-Durham, is retiring from the state Senate at the end of this session. In what may be her last major act as chairman of the Senate Education Committee, she spent days this week blocking an important amendment on public kindergarten that was requested by local communities.
The Legislature has mandated that every school district in the state provide publicly funded kindergarten. Only a dozen districts do not offer public kindergarten, primarily because voters have rejected it. But the Democrat-controlled Legislature doesn't care what the local communities want. The Democrats want public kindergarten in every community, so they have decreed that it will be so.
Some communities complained that they could not possibly get new kindergarten buildings up and running by the Legislature's 2009 deadline. So the House passed a sensible revision: districts can meet the kindergarten mandate by tuitioning their students to a private kindergarten.
Estabrook has stated that she wants kindergarten programs offered through the public school system, and nothing else will do. It's her way or the highway -- again, no matter what the local parents and educators want.
It is fitting that probably her last major effort as Senate Education Committee chairman is to block local communities' attempts to have their children attend kindergarten programs chosen by the local community. It is just the latest in her many attempts to deny choice to parents and students, forcing them to stay in public schools that often don't work for them, for the sole reason that those schools are run by the public education monopoly.
On the bright side, parents and students in New Hampshire can hope that Estabrook's replacement in the Senate will be more interested in educating children than in keeping them trapped inside a 19th-century-style factory school system that works for only some of them.
Quote of the Day - "This source of corruption, alas, is inherent in the democratic system itself, and it can only be controlled, if at all, by finding ways to encourage legislators to subordinate ambition to principle."
James L. Buckley
Friday, May 30, 2008
Granholm's Tax Warning - A Tax Warning for New Hampshire
During the last couple of years I have been working on my families genealogy. I became interested in genealogy because as a child my mother told me I was related to the Presidents John Adams and John Quincy Adams.
It appears that tax fighting is genetically encoded in me as Sam Adams and I our distant cousins, we share a great grandmother. My extended family has been in New Hamsphire and Massachusetts for well over 400 years.
Cathy
With the current trend by tax-eaters to get legislators to reject the tax pledge people should be aware of what will happen if a broad based tax or income tax is passed. An income tax will not reduce your overall tax liability but will insure a larger group of tax-eaters through increased state, county and school employees. These groups will continue to spend at rates greater than the rate of inflation and will request even more tax increases in the future. The larger these groups become the more lobbying power they will have to push through more taxes.
Hat tip to our friend Pete the finance guy for the following piece which appeared in the Wall Street Journal.
Granholm's Tax Warning
May 28, 2008
It's no fun to kick a state when it's down - especially when the local politicians are doing a fine job of it - but the latest news of Michigan's deepening budget woe is a national warning of what happens when you raise taxes in a weak economy.
Officials in Lansing reported this month that the state faces a revenue shortfall between $350 million and $550 million next budget year. This is a major embarrassment for Governor Jennifer Granholm, the second-term Democrat who shut down the state government last year until the Legislature approved Michigan's biggest tax hike in a generation. Her tax plan raised the state income tax rate to 4.35% from 3.9%, and increased the state's tax on gross business receipts by 22%. Ms. Granholm argued that these new taxes would raise some $1.3 billion in new revenue that could be "invested" in social spending and new businesses and lead to a Michigan renaissance.
Not quite. Six months later one-third of the expected revenues have vanished as the state's economy continues to struggle. Income tax collections are falling behind estimates, as are property tax receipts and those from the state's transaction tax on home sales.
Michigan is now in the 18th month of a state-wide recession, and the unemployment rate of 6.9% remains far above the national rate of 5%. Ms. Granholm blames the nationwide mortgage meltdown and higher energy prices for the job losses and disappearing revenues, but this Great Lakes state is in its own unique hole. Nearby Illinois (5.4% jobless rate) and even Ohio (5.6%) are doing better.
Leon Drolet, the head of the Michigan Taxpayers Alliance, complains that "we are witnessing the Detroit-ification of Michigan." By that he means that the same high tax and spend policies that have hollowed out the Motor City are now infecting many other areas of the state.
The tax hikes have done nothing but accelerate the departures of families and businesses. Michigan ranks fourth of the 50 states in declining home values, and these days about two families leave for every family that moves in. Making matters worse is that property taxes are continuing to rise by the rate of overall inflation, while home values fall. Michigan natives grumble that the only reason more people aren't blazing a path out of the state is they can't sell their homes. Research by former Comerica economist David Littmann finds that about the only industry still growing in Michigan is government. Ms. Granholm's $44.8 billion budget this year further fattened agency payrolls.
There's another national lesson from the Granholm tax dud. If Democrats believe that anger over the economy and high gas prices have put voters in a receptive mood for higher taxes, they should visit the Wolverine State.
Just a few weeks ago taxpayer advocates collected enough signatures in suburban Detroit for a ballot initiative to recall powerful Speaker of the House Andy Dillon, who was one of last year's tax-hike ringleaders. Voters seem to think there would be rough justice if for once politicians, rather than workers, lose their jobs from higher taxes.
If I paid my taxes as carelessly and dishonestly as the politicians spend them, I would have been in jail long since. – Richard Needham
It appears that tax fighting is genetically encoded in me as Sam Adams and I our distant cousins, we share a great grandmother. My extended family has been in New Hamsphire and Massachusetts for well over 400 years.
Cathy
With the current trend by tax-eaters to get legislators to reject the tax pledge people should be aware of what will happen if a broad based tax or income tax is passed. An income tax will not reduce your overall tax liability but will insure a larger group of tax-eaters through increased state, county and school employees. These groups will continue to spend at rates greater than the rate of inflation and will request even more tax increases in the future. The larger these groups become the more lobbying power they will have to push through more taxes.
Hat tip to our friend Pete the finance guy for the following piece which appeared in the Wall Street Journal.
Granholm's Tax Warning
May 28, 2008
It's no fun to kick a state when it's down - especially when the local politicians are doing a fine job of it - but the latest news of Michigan's deepening budget woe is a national warning of what happens when you raise taxes in a weak economy.
Officials in Lansing reported this month that the state faces a revenue shortfall between $350 million and $550 million next budget year. This is a major embarrassment for Governor Jennifer Granholm, the second-term Democrat who shut down the state government last year until the Legislature approved Michigan's biggest tax hike in a generation. Her tax plan raised the state income tax rate to 4.35% from 3.9%, and increased the state's tax on gross business receipts by 22%. Ms. Granholm argued that these new taxes would raise some $1.3 billion in new revenue that could be "invested" in social spending and new businesses and lead to a Michigan renaissance.
Not quite. Six months later one-third of the expected revenues have vanished as the state's economy continues to struggle. Income tax collections are falling behind estimates, as are property tax receipts and those from the state's transaction tax on home sales.
Michigan is now in the 18th month of a state-wide recession, and the unemployment rate of 6.9% remains far above the national rate of 5%. Ms. Granholm blames the nationwide mortgage meltdown and higher energy prices for the job losses and disappearing revenues, but this Great Lakes state is in its own unique hole. Nearby Illinois (5.4% jobless rate) and even Ohio (5.6%) are doing better.
Leon Drolet, the head of the Michigan Taxpayers Alliance, complains that "we are witnessing the Detroit-ification of Michigan." By that he means that the same high tax and spend policies that have hollowed out the Motor City are now infecting many other areas of the state.
The tax hikes have done nothing but accelerate the departures of families and businesses. Michigan ranks fourth of the 50 states in declining home values, and these days about two families leave for every family that moves in. Making matters worse is that property taxes are continuing to rise by the rate of overall inflation, while home values fall. Michigan natives grumble that the only reason more people aren't blazing a path out of the state is they can't sell their homes. Research by former Comerica economist David Littmann finds that about the only industry still growing in Michigan is government. Ms. Granholm's $44.8 billion budget this year further fattened agency payrolls.
There's another national lesson from the Granholm tax dud. If Democrats believe that anger over the economy and high gas prices have put voters in a receptive mood for higher taxes, they should visit the Wolverine State.
Just a few weeks ago taxpayer advocates collected enough signatures in suburban Detroit for a ballot initiative to recall powerful Speaker of the House Andy Dillon, who was one of last year's tax-hike ringleaders. Voters seem to think there would be rough justice if for once politicians, rather than workers, lose their jobs from higher taxes.
If I paid my taxes as carelessly and dishonestly as the politicians spend them, I would have been in jail long since. – Richard Needham
Thursday, May 29, 2008
All in the Fam...: Note to Subway: It's Too Late
I just want to say my problem with Subway's apology is the following line "Our intention was to provide an opportunity for traditional schools, many of which we know have trouble affording athletic equipment, to win equipment."
That line honks me off because public schools have a spending problem and not a funding problem. Maybe if there were not so many educrats in schools, schools could afford to buy athletic equipment.
I think Subway has taken enough heat for their gaffe and any public school people who feel sorry for them should patronize Subway more.
I think it is time to close the whole "subwaygate" story with some very well written thoughts from the following BLOG.
All in the Fam...: Note to Subway: It's Too Late
John Hingley said...
Well, it looks like Subway finally did issue an apology (sort of):
http://www.subway.com/Applications/CustService/frmCustomerService.aspx
My name is John Hingley and I am the CEO at Andiamo Systems, a social media measurement company. We advise on basic 'rules of engagement' when it comes to Reputation Management, many that Subway violated. Some of these rules include:
1) Issue a timely response or you will appear guilty and/or insensitive to the issue.
Subway took too much time with their somewhat weak statement.
2) Have the response come from a responsible person with authority.
Their statement was not signed off by anyone!
3) If you were wrong, admit it. And explain how you are addressing a resolution.
Clearly Subway skirted any type of genuine apology.
These are just a few, but some of the most important rues to abide by if a company truly cares about their reputation and brand value.
That line honks me off because public schools have a spending problem and not a funding problem. Maybe if there were not so many educrats in schools, schools could afford to buy athletic equipment.
I think Subway has taken enough heat for their gaffe and any public school people who feel sorry for them should patronize Subway more.
I think it is time to close the whole "subwaygate" story with some very well written thoughts from the following BLOG.
All in the Fam...: Note to Subway: It's Too Late
John Hingley said...
Well, it looks like Subway finally did issue an apology (sort of):
http://www.subway.com/Applications/CustService/frmCustomerService.aspx
My name is John Hingley and I am the CEO at Andiamo Systems, a social media measurement company. We advise on basic 'rules of engagement' when it comes to Reputation Management, many that Subway violated. Some of these rules include:
1) Issue a timely response or you will appear guilty and/or insensitive to the issue.
Subway took too much time with their somewhat weak statement.
2) Have the response come from a responsible person with authority.
Their statement was not signed off by anyone!
3) If you were wrong, admit it. And explain how you are addressing a resolution.
Clearly Subway skirted any type of genuine apology.
These are just a few, but some of the most important rues to abide by if a company truly cares about their reputation and brand value.
HSLDA on WNTK
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