Tuesday, January 29, 2008

NE homeschooling rights threatened

I have some news about a couple of new additions to our farm, but I haven't written the posts yet. Besides, I wanted to include a few pictures of the newest members, but it was so incredibly cold and windy (after a high yesterday of 60, today's high was at midnight and it got down to 10 degrees...brrr!) that I didn't have the will to stand around and take cute pictures. And, I thought my camera might freeze up.

Anyway, there are more pressing matters on my mind. Nebraska homeschoolers are facing a real threat in the legislature. You can read more about LB 1141 here. I'm trying not to be distraught. Today has enough trouble of its own, right? But, at the same time, it both saddens and infuriates me when lawmakers attempt to infringe on my rights to raise my children as I see fit. I don't fear the law because I have something to hide. I fear the law because it takes away my rights as a parent. And any law that does that must be opposed. The older I get, the more I mourn the loss of the love of freedom that our country must have once had. I know they must have held that freedom close because of the lives laid down to secure and protect it. Today, we don't seem to get particularly worked up when rights are taken, and in fact, often willingly give our rights away. Don learned in law school that often "bad facts make bad laws". I don't deny that there are parents out there shirking their responsibility to teach their children after claiming their right to do so from the state. Or that there are parents who are hiding behind the label of "homeschooler" in order to do unspeakable things to their children. They are terrible facts. But, they don't justify a terrible law like the one proposed by Senator Schimek. I don't feel like I have the energy to fight this, but I must find the energy because it absolutely must be fought. Because I like it here and I don't want to move!

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

I will be praying for you to have strength as well as for the leaders in NE to be lead in the right direction. I would hate to have this right taken from any of us.