LEGISLATIVE ALERTS

Attorney General Opinion (February 1, 2007) It states that only a qualified parent may provide instruction to that parent's child and that a qualified parent may not supervise someone else who is providing instruction to the child.

March 14, 2007

Grand Forks Challenges Home Education Supervisors

In November 2006, Home School Legal Defense Association assisted two member families in Grand Forks after school officials asserted that the fathers did not qualify as supervisors of their respective home education programs. In both families, the fathers had a baccalaureate degree but worked full-time outside the home while the mothers provided the majority of the instruction to their children. As a result, the school district contended that since the mothers did not have baccalaureate degrees, their programs had to be monitored by a state-certified teacher.

HSLDA Senior Counsel Dewitt Black responded to the families’ request for assistance and wrote letters to the school officials. Black explained that both fathers were qualified to serve as supervisors of their home education programs without personally conducting all of the instruction. Section 15.1-23-01 of the North Dakota Century Code defines home education as “a program of education supervised by a child’s parent, in the child’s home, in accordance with the requirements of this chapter.” The fathers were supervising the programs of education. The statute does not state that the supervisor must personally provide all of the instruction or even any of the instruction.

Contrary to HSLDA’s analysis of this legal issue, on February 1, 2007, North Dakota Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem issued an opinion stating that state law “does not permit a parent to supervise education provided to that parent’s child by another individual.” The attorney general acknowledged that the language in the homeschool law “creates an ambiguity.” He went on to say that the statute is not clear whether a parent must supervise the education by providing the instruction directly to the student or whether the parent may supervise someone else who is doing so. In the end, he based his unfavorable opinion on inferences he drew from testimony of witnesses at the legislative hearings for the original homeschool law in 1989.

The attorney general’s opinion is not law. However, it is likely that the North Dakota Department of Public Instruction and local school districts will follow this opinion. HSLDA remains prepared to represent in legal proceedings any of our member families who wish to challenge the attorney general’s opinion or who are prosecuted by their local school district because of this monitoring issue.

Each instance in which the teaching parent is not also the supervisor of the home education program must be analyzed individually to determine whether the intent of the law is being met. Accordingly, families considering the same or similar arrangements for teaching their children should consult with HSLDA prior to doing so.

In the case involving the Grand Forks families, both of them decided not to challenge the attorney general's opinion in view of the fact that they are military families and short-term residents of North Dakota.

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2009 SENATORS

aranderson@nd.gov; jandrist@nd.gov; jbakke@nd.gov; abehm@nd.gov; bbowman@nd.gov; rchristmann@nd.gov; dcook@nd.gov; ddever@nd.gov; jdotzenrod@nd.gov; rerbele@nd.gov; tdfiebiger@nd.gov; tfischer@nd.gov; tflakoll@nd.gov; lfreborg@nd.gov; tgrindberg@nd.gov; jheckaman@nd.gov; dhogue@nd.gov; rholmberg@nd.gov; rhorne@nd.gov; rkilzer@nd.gov; jklein@nd.gov; akrauter@nd.gov; kkrebsbach@nd.gov; galee@nd.gov; jlee@nd.gov; elindaas@nd.gov; slyson@nd.gov; rmarcellais@nd.gov; tmathern@nd.gov; joetmiller@nd.gov; cnelson@nd.gov; dnething@nd.gov; glnodland@nd.gov; doconnell@nd.gov; doehlke@nd.gov; colafson@nd.gov; jpomeroy@nd.gov; tpotter@nd.gov; lrobinson@nd.gov; macschneider@nd.gov; tseymour@nd.gov; bstenehjem@nd.gov; rtaylor@nd.gov; ctriplett@nd.gov; tmwanzek@nd.gov; rwardner@nd.gov; jwarner@nd.gov

2009 REPRESENTATIVES
bamerman@nd.gov; lbellew@nd.gov; wbelter@nd.gov; rberg@nd.gov; tboe@nd.gov; rboehning@nd.gov; mboucher@nd.gov; mbrandenburg@nd.gov; acarlson@nd.gov; donclark@nd.gov; tconklin@nd.gov; kconrad@nd.gov; stdahl@nd.gov; cdamschen@nd.gov; ddekrey@nd.gov; ldelmore@nd.gov; jdelzer@nd.gov; mdosch@nd.gov; ddrovdal@nd.gov; mekstrom@nd.gov; rfrantsvog@nd.gov; rfroelich@nd.gov; gfroseth@nd.gov; eglassheim@nd.gov; bgrande@nd.gov; cdgriffin@nd.gov; egruchalla@nd.gov; lhanson@nd.gov; phatlestad@nd.gov; khawken@nd.gov; cheadland@nd.gov; bheller@nd.gov; chofstad@nd.gov; rholman@nd.gov; bhunskor@nd.gov; djohnson@nd.gov; njohnson@nd.gov; lakaldor@nd.gov; kkarls@nd.gov; jkasper@nd.gov; gkeiser@nd.gov; rkelsch@nd.gov; jkelsh@nd.gov; skelsh@nd.gov; kkempenich@nd.gov; jkerzman@nd.gov; rkilichowski@nd.gov; jkingsbury@nd.gov; mklein@nd.gov; lklemin@nd.gov; kkoppelman@nd.gov; gkreidt@nd.gov; wkretschmar@nd.gov; jkroeber@nd.gov; bmartinson@nd.gov; lmeier@nd.gov; rmetcalf@nd.gov; sjmeyer@nd.gov; crmock@nd.gov; dmonson@nd.gov; pmueller@nd.gov; lmyxter@nd.gov; mrnathe@nd.gov; jonelson@nd.gov; dnottestad@nd.gov; konstad@nd.gov; vpietsch@nd.gov; lpinkerton@nd.gov; cpollert@nd.gov; tkporter@nd.gov; lpotter@nd.gov; druby@nd.gov; drust@nd.gov; mischatz@nd.gov; arschmidt@nd.gov; jaschneider@nd.gov; bskarphol@nd.gov; gsukut@nd.gov; ksvedjan@nd.gov; bthoreson@nd.gov; ethorpe@nd.gov; guglem@nd.gov; bavig@nd.gov; dwvigesaa@nd.gov; fwald@nd.gov; jwall@nd.gov; dweiler@nd.gov; rweisz@nd.gov; awieland@nd.gov; cdwilliams@nd.gov; lbwinrich@nd.gov; lawolf@nd.gov; dwrangham@nd.gov; szaiser@nd.gov

 

2009 SENATORS & REPRESENTATIVES

aranderson@nd.gov; jandrist@nd.gov; jbakke@nd.gov; abehm@nd.gov; bbowman@nd.gov; rchristmann@nd.gov; dcook@nd.gov; ddever@nd.gov; jdotzenrod@nd.gov; rerbele@nd.gov; tdfiebiger@nd.gov; tfischer@nd.gov; tflakoll@nd.gov; lfreborg@nd.gov; tgrindberg@nd.gov; jheckaman@nd.gov; dhogue@nd.gov; rholmberg@nd.gov; rhorne@nd.gov; rkilzer@nd.gov; jklein@nd.gov; akrauter@nd.gov; kkrebsbach@nd.gov; galee@nd.gov; jlee@nd.gov; elindaas@nd.gov; slyson@nd.gov; rmarcellais@nd.gov; tmathern@nd.gov; joetmiller@nd.gov; cnelson@nd.gov; dnething@nd.gov; glnodland@nd.gov; doconnell@nd.gov; doehlke@nd.gov; colafson@nd.gov; jpomeroy@nd.gov; tpotter@nd.gov; lrobinson@nd.gov; macschneider@nd.gov; tseymour@nd.gov; bstenehjem@nd.gov; rtaylor@nd.gov; ctriplett@nd.gov; tmwanzek@nd.gov; rwardner@nd.gov; jwarner@nd.gov; bamerman@nd.gov; lbellew@nd.gov; wbelter@nd.gov; rberg@nd.gov; tboe@nd.gov; rboehning@nd.gov; mboucher@nd.gov; mbrandenburg@nd.gov; acarlson@nd.gov; donclark@nd.gov; tconklin@nd.gov; kconrad@nd.gov; stdahl@nd.gov; cdamschen@nd.gov; ddekrey@nd.gov; ldelmore@nd.gov; jdelzer@nd.gov; mdosch@nd.gov; ddrovdal@nd.gov; mekstrom@nd.gov; rfrantsvog@nd.gov; rfroelich@nd.gov; gfroseth@nd.gov; eglassheim@nd.gov; bgrande@nd.gov; cdgriffin@nd.gov; egruchalla@nd.gov; lhanson@nd.gov; phatlestad@nd.gov; khawken@nd.gov; cheadland@nd.gov; bheller@nd.gov; chofstad@nd.gov; rholman@nd.gov; bhunskor@nd.gov; djohnson@nd.gov; njohnson@nd.gov; lakaldor@nd.gov; kkarls@nd.gov; jkasper@nd.gov; gkeiser@nd.gov; rkelsch@nd.gov; jkelsh@nd.gov; skelsh@nd.gov; kkempenich@nd.gov; jkerzman@nd.gov; rkilichowski@nd.gov; jkingsbury@nd.gov; mklein@nd.gov; lklemin@nd.gov; kkoppelman@nd.gov; gkreidt@nd.gov; wkretschmar@nd.gov; jkroeber@nd.gov; bmartinson@nd.gov; lmeier@nd.gov; rmetcalf@nd.gov; sjmeyer@nd.gov; crmock@nd.gov; dmonson@nd.gov; pmueller@nd.gov; lmyxter@nd.gov; mrnathe@nd.gov; jonelson@nd.gov; dnottestad@nd.gov; konstad@nd.gov; vpietsch@nd.gov; lpinkerton@nd.gov; cpollert@nd.gov; tkporter@nd.gov; lpotter@nd.gov; druby@nd.gov; drust@nd.gov; mischatz@nd.gov; arschmidt@nd.gov; jaschneider@nd.gov; bskarphol@nd.gov; gsukut@nd.gov; ksvedjan@nd.gov; bthoreson@nd.gov; ethorpe@nd.gov; guglem@nd.gov; bavig@nd.gov; dwvigesaa@nd.gov; fwald@nd.gov; jwall@nd.gov; dweiler@nd.gov; rweisz@nd.gov; awieland@nd.gov; cdwilliams@nd.gov; lbwinrich@nd.gov; lawolf@nd.gov; dwrangham@nd.gov; szaiser@nd.gov

ND Home School Day at the Capital is was Thursday,January 22, 2009 All the plans are set for Home School Day at Capital Day on January 22nd, 8 AM to 5 PM. The purpose of the day is to encourage home educating families to meet with their legislators and talk about the HB1171 as well as home schooling broadly. We have 30 tables available for families and groups to display things related to home schooling. Let the NDHSA office know how many tables you want for your group or family (no charge). There will also be chairs in the hallway for people to sit and talk with their legislators and each other. This year, the NDHSA legislative leadership team wanted to keep the focus and time free for families to meet with their legislators and talk and show results of home schooling versus a formal program. That means YOU ARE THE PROGRAM. Please come and make an effort to talk to as many legislators and other state officials as you can find at the capital building. Ask them out to breakfast, lunch and or dinner and see if you can sit with them during the afternoon general session.

 

The bottom line is that home- and private schooling is a “win-win” arrangement for both taxpayers and individual public school districts”

“Finally, in addition to being logically flawed, the argument that students who fail to enroll in public schools are a “cost” implies that public schools are somehow entitled, as a property right, to every child and are being deprived of something that is their due. This is eminent domain in the extreme. The underlying assumption here is statist—one characteristic of totalitarian societies. In America, it is parents who are legally entitled to manage the upbringing of their children, not the public schools. The notion that homeschool children somehow “cost” the public schools turns reality on its head. In truth, the situation could be more accurately characterized as one in which Nevada’s public education establishment profits from unwarranted taxes on parents who choose to exercise their parental rights” [p. 32].

Source: Wenders, John T., & Clements, Andrea D. (2007). An analysis of the economic impact of home and private schooling in Nevada . Home School Researcher 17 (2), 13-35.:

 

Politicians or Christian Statesmen? By:  Reed R. Heustis, Jr., Esq.