Homeschooling in England; Under Attack

In North America, we enjoy the right to educate our children outside of school with little or no interference from the State. In England, home education has always been seen as an acceptable route to go- up until now.


Kelly Green is a Canadian monitoring the situation closely. She reports that a few days ago the "independent expert" stirring up all the trouble gave evidence before a Parliamentary Select Committee. This individual is the same one wrote the report recommending that all home educators should have to supply a complete educational plan a year in advance for each child, force their children to display "evidence" to Local Authorities that the plan had been followed, and allow their children to be interviewed, alone, with no trusted adult present, to ensure that they were "voluntarily" being home educated.

In her email message Green notes that home educators in England are living a nightmare; they are being accused of child abuse by this man, the Under-Secretary of State for the Department of Children, Schools and Families and many of the nation's biggest newspapers.

Green writes that many home educators are now planning to flee the country, but others intend to stay and fight, or have no choice to leave. They are now working out their next steps, and there may be things we can help with.

She urges us to read the following blogs to find out more about what is happening to them;
http://threedegreesoffreedom.blogspot.com/2009/10/childrens-right-to-speak.html?showComment=1255447798276#c5185852642476695258


http://www.renegadeparent.net/post/Wave-goodbye-to-home-education.aspx#top


http://www.patchofpuddles.co.uk/archives/2886/again-with-the-numeracy-lessons-for-people-who-should-know-better

This organization is one of the ones leading the fight:

http://ahed.pbworks.com/

A blog about what kids themselves have to say:

https://heyc.org.uk/

Meanwhile, an email to Ed Balls, the Minister of the Department for Children, Schools and Families, letting him know that this is becoming an international issue of civil and human rights, would be a worthy act of support and solidarity. info@dcsf.gsi.gov.uk Also, you can email the Chairman of the Parliamentary Select Committee, Barry Sheerman, through his web site: http://www.barrysheerman.org.uk/

Check back at Freedom and Choice in Education--BC for updates. http://facebc.pbworks.com/