Rebecca Anderson

I am a RSA193-A unsubsidized home educator and I oppose this bill as written in its latest iteration. The vast majority of the testimonies for HB1268 are from people who don’t understand the current home ed law and have not seen the actual HB1268 text. They have clicked a button to submit a form testimony because someone they trust told them to, and all they know about the bill is from propagandistic analyses — I am referring to BOTH Support and Oppose sign-ins here. So, where does that leave the rest of us, the parents who have chosen the RSA193-A pathway because we want to avoid government intrusion into our family’s education. This bill has thrust those who just want to quietly raise and teach our children into the middle of a battle between School Choice evangelists who want the street cred of turning NH into a “top homeschooling destination,” and leftist opponents who hate parental rights, think Home Educators receive public money, and would just as well make all homeschooling illegal. My peers and I did not ask for this bill. Please consider us as you draft the final amendment. We are the ones who will be attacked by the other side in the years to come. Since you are able to bring OPTIONAL Certificates of Completion into statute, please also include OPTIONAL notification letters of intent to participating agencies (nonpublic schools) and OPTIONAL recommendation to keep portfolios of student work for at least two years. We heard today that NH Home Education advocates and even HSLDA would still recommend parents keep good documentation of their children’s education as a protective measure. By laying out these methods in statute, it will serve as guidance for parents who are trying to safeguard their family. It would be as simple as changing the words “shall” to “may” in those sections. I also believe that the language in current law surrounding notification and assessments was written very carefully and intentionally by Home Education advocates in years past. If enemies of home education attempt to introduce new regulations in the future, it would help if language that focuses on families’ rights and autonomy was still present in law. I would much rather that they try to switch back to “shall” in the future, than start with a blank state and come up with their own ideas on how to evaluate a homeschooling student. Liberty-focused Republicans will not be in control forever. Please consider those of us who still have a decade or more left until our children have graduated. Thank you.