Homeschool Days at the Capitol, Legislative Days, Capitol Days, Pie Day, and other similar events foster communication between parents and their elected representatives. Seize this excellent opportunity to teach your children the importance of the legislative process. Help them mature into civic leaders who will help protect American freedoms.
The chart below lists October Homeschool Days at the Capitol. Check your state’s dates here if it’s not listed below.
Capitol Days, Legislative Days, Homeschool Day at the Capitol, Pie Day, and other similar events foster communication between parents and their elected representatives. This is a great opportunity for you to teach your children the importance of the legislative process and help them mature into civic leaders who will help protect American freedoms.
The chart below lists January and February Capitol Days; you can also check your state’s dates here if it’s not listed below.
| Arkansas | February 21, 2024 |
| California | January 17-19, 2024 |
| Colorado | February 15, 2024 |
| Florida | February 13, 2024 |
| Idaho | February 7, 2024 |
| Hawaii | January 29. 204 |
| Indiana | January 18, 2024 |
| Kansas | February 1, 2024 |
| Minnesota | February 15, 2024 |
| Mississippi | February 28, 2024 |
| Nebraska | February 7, 2024 |
| New Mexico | February 1, 2024 |
| Oklahoma | February 6, 2024 |
| Oklahoma | February 13, 2024 |
| Oregon | February 29, 2024 |
| South Dakota | January 18, 2024 |
| Utah | February 8, 2024 |
| Virginia | February 8, 2024 |
| West Virginia | February 2, 2024 |
By Lauren Gideon
A few people have asked for my recommendations for upcoming school board seats up for election. I know of some good people running, and I will give you their names in a heartbeat because I have much respect for them. However, in the spirit of full disclosure, I am convinced that school board elections are a waste of good people, time, and resources in the year 2023.
Government schools are captured on so many levels. Unfortunately, there is little chance for reform. Even if you gave the necessary people, time, and resources to the cause, the reality is that liberating education is not in a growing government’s best interest. An education that teaches the proper affection toward liberty and a proper fear of consolidated power would threaten a growing government; thus, the state schools are incapable of giving you the tools needed to flourish. The government will use its schools to propagate the expansion of itself. (This we can already see.) At this rate, how many graduating classes currently stand between where we are at now and implementing and embracing absolute socialism?
The only mechanism to stop the suppression of liberty is to defund state education and the Department of Education. However, the moment you say that out loud, you had better expect a very loud and in-your-face question from an unimaginative population that screams, “BUT WHAT WILL WE DO WITHOUT STATE EDUCATION?!?”
Well, the first reality is that in the state of Iowa, where I live, $3.7 billion (thanks to the latest increase due to school choice policies) will flood back into the Iowa free-market education economy. Consequently, all sorts of options become possible.
Unsatisfied, the same doubters will insist that Iowans will not fund education through any other method than coercive taxation.
This also is no cause for alarm since, historically speaking, the free market has the potential to offer a higher quality education for less than 50 percent of the cost of government education.
But the ultimate concerns from skeptics will sound something like this: “What will happen if parents won’t self-fund or secure private funding for their children’s education? Will we end up with a population of uneducated children that will be a liability to our state? Consequently, it must be in our state’s best interest to fund and force government education on children.”
This question is powerful because it shows the true colors of our culture and reveals our flawed presumptions:
1. We presume that the state cares more for children than their parents.
2. We presume that the state is responsible for parental failures.
3. Finally, we reveal that we would rather trust our mechanisms of control than embrace the responsibility of freedom.
Because of this reality, the economics of the issue do not really matter.
Freedom is an invitation to responsibility, but it allows for the opportunity to embrace or reject that responsibility. Freedom does not protect from failure. The question has to be asked: do our states even want freedom? Does our nation? The Proverbs speak of two women, Lady Folly and Lady Wisdom, and the choice to be made. Similarly, in our modern context, there are also two women: Lady Liberty and the Lady “Nanny.” This choice is more fundamental than any political party, as the siren call from Lady Nanny beckons all. She whispers empty promises of safety and security and blinds us to the opportunity and blessings found with Lady Liberty.
When election day arrives, there will be choices. Step one is to vote for candidates that are appropriately shutting out the Nanny’s calls. Step two, after election day, will you build relationships in your community and with those that represent you? Will you advocate for Liberty and warn against the deceptive promises of the Nanny?
Lauren Gideon is the Director of Public Relations for Classical Conversations. She co-leads and teaches through an organization committed to raising citizenship IQ on U.S. founding documents. She and her husband homeschool their seven children on their small acreage, where they are enjoying their new adventures in homesteading.
From Classical Conversations & HSLDA
Within our organization there is unanimous conviction that all people have a right, not just a priviledge, to educate their children freely, without any intervention by state or any other organizations. One such family – The Romeike’s – fled Germany to the United States to exercise this freedom, but are now facing deportation.
The Romeike’s need your help, and they need it FAST. Please see the following message from our friends at HSLDA below, contact your Representative, and sign the petition.
The Romeike family fled Germany for the United States in 2008 seeking asylum so that they could homeschool their children without fear of persecution. After more than a decade of making the United States their home, the Romeike’s were abruptly informed they had four weeks to return to Germany.
Tennessee Congresswoman Diana Harshbarger has introduced private bill H.R. 5423 to stop this deportation from happening and make the Roeikes eligible for an immigrant visa or permanent resident status.
But the Romeikes also need your help!
Please take just a moment to ask your congressional representative to intervene on their behalf. It’s as easy as filling out this form.
Rallying support for the Romeike family and H.R. 5423 is so important—we need voices from both sides of the aisle speaking out for them.
Will you stand with the Romeikes and ask your representative to support H.R. 5423?
As always, thank you for your continued support of homeschool families and homeschool freedom!
HSLDA passionately advocates for the freedom to homeschool and offers support for every stage of your homeschool journey. To learn more about HSLDA, and various legal issues facing homeschool families, please visit herhttps://hslda.org/e.
Constitutional Home Educators Alliance has been helping parents navigate the nuances of EdChoice, ESAs, parent/school choice, vouchers, and special scholarships. Visit their site for information and research on the topic, and read why they support Education Liberty over EdChoice and similar policies.
Even if you aren’t a Colorado resident, it is important to keep abreast of the political climate in other states because it won’t be long before it’s in your state. Be prepared for what’s coming your way.
Carolyn Martin, the Director of Government Relations for Christian Home Educators of Colorado, sounds the warning on HB23-1003, a bill currently under consideration that represents an outright assault on parental rights.
The question we need to ask is: “Where does the civil government’s authority and jurisdiction stop?
“This year an introduced bill, HB23-1003 School Mental Health Assessment, grants children twelve years or older the ability [to] override a parent’s wishes concerning a mental health assessment given in a public school. Although the bill allows parents to opt their child out of the assessment, it also authorizes the school to ignore the opt-out when the child dictates. Children can also keep parents from seeing the results of the assessment. Note: If your child participates in a part-time public-school program, this bill applies to you as well!“
Keep reading here.
Education policy jargon is enough to make anyone’s head spin! What in the world is the difference between school vouchers and ESAs? How does taxpayer-funded education threaten your educational freedom? And how does so-called parent choice (or school choice) actually eliminate your educational options?
The Constitutional Home Educators Alliance has created a fantastic video to answer these questions and more. And have you read our blog post, All That Glitters Isn’t Gold, published on December 28, 2022? Be sure to check it out!
Capitol Days, Legislative Days, Homeschool Day at the Capitol, Pie Day, and other similar events foster communication between parents and their elected representatives. This is a great opportunity for you to teach your children the importance of the legislative process and help them mature into civic leaders who will help protect American freedoms. While the chart below lists January and February Capitol Days, you can check your state’s dates here if not listed below.
| Arkansas | February 21, 2023 |
| California | January 18–19, 2023 |
| Hawaii | February 27, 2023 |
| Idaho | February 8, 2023 |
| Indiana | January 19, 2023 |
| Kansas | February 2, 2023 |
| New Mexico | February 2, 2023 |
| Oklahoma (Homeschool Oklahoma) | February 7, 2023 |
| Oklahoma (Constitutional Home Educators Alliance) | February 8, 2023 |
| Virginia | February 2, 2023 |
| West Virginia | February 3, 2023 |
Save the date for Unfragmented, a new book club hosted by our very own Leigh Bortins, beginning Thursday, January 5, 2023, at 8:00 p.m. EST. Just click the Unfragmented book club banner on the home page of Leigh’s website to find the Zoom link and join in the discussion.
January will feature author Kevin Novak and his book, Abolition. No preparation is required, but it definitely helps to have the book in hand. Enjoy the relaxed conversation!
You can also listen to this interview between Leigh and the author.
In this episode, Robert Bortins and Michael P. Farris discuss basic human rights, educational choice, and the possible overturn of Roe v. Wade. Robert is the CEO of Classical Conversations and Michael is the founding president of both Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA) and Patrick Henry College. Today, he serves as chairman of the board of HSLDA, chancellor emeritus of Patrick Henry, and president and CEO of Alliance Defending Freedom. Throughout his career, Michael has defended human rights for freedom of religion and speech, promoted educational choice, and fought for the sanctity of human life.