By CHEC Legislative Liaison Carolyn Martin
This fall brought many changes in the political landscape of our nation. A billionaire business man will shortly be the leader of the free world. Where this will take us as a country, only time will tell, but many remain hopeful.
In Colorado, not so much has changed. We remain a state with a divided legislature – the Colorado House continues to be led by the Democrats (with a slightly bigger majority) and the Colorado Senate maintains a Republican majority by one seat. Of greater concern is the direction the State Board of Education will take under the new leadership of the Democrats.
What This Means for Us
What could this mean for homeschoolers? Those in charge, whose worldview is not biblically grounded, continue to see the state and their experts as the answer to the societal problems that plague us. With that in mind, the belief that more control equals better outcomes is rampant. We will continue to see efforts to bring parents under the control of the state.
In the latest iteration of the national education bill, the states have been given more latitude in the areas of assessments and standards. The movement is toward better ways of evaluating what they define as education and how it ties in with the workforce. For now, we need to be watchful and make ourselves knowledgeable on the direction they are going and how they are redefining words to mean very different things from the past.
How You Can Help
The highest activity for good concerning the future of homeschooling in Colorado is our continued efforts in prayer. God has been faithful to the homeschooling community in Colorado, and I believe He will continue to be as we come before His throne regularly.
Specifically, I believe we need to pray that God will protect homeschoolers from any scandals that could bring unwanted attention to homeschooling. Pray that our leaders will be drawn closer to the Lord and that they will seek His knowledge above man’s wisdom. Prayer is also needed for protection, wisdom, and guidance for all who seek to boldly and courageously stand on the truth of God’s Word and bring it before our leaders.
The Colorado Prayer Caucus will be holding a Prayer Rally on the West Steps of the Capitol Tuesday, January 10th, at 2:00 pm. Please, consider joining me at the rally or praying during that time for our leaders and God’s direction for our state and our country. You can read the Prayer Proclamation at prayusa.com.
The Colorado General Assembly begins its session on Wednesday, January 11th. As Legislative Liaison for CHEC, I will be examining the bills that are introduced for any egregious changes in the law and voicing our concerns with legislators regarding homeschooling freedoms, parental rights, and religious liberty. Every two weeks, the CHEC blog will feature an update on how things are going in Denver. Subscribe to the blog here. If immediate action is needed, CHEC will send an email alert to those on its email list.
My encouragement to you all is to be involved in any way that you can. Small things can have a greater effect when many are doing them. Prayer is essential and is the key to any work of God, so don’t neglect it. Send your legislators an encouraging note, or arrange to meet with them and let them get to know your family. (Click here to find out who your legislators are and get their contact information.) Pick a current issue and become knowledgeable about it, then share your knowledge with others.
Mark your calendars now and plan to attend the CHEC Day at the Capitol! It is being held on Friday, April 7th. We are delighted to welcome Chief Justice of the Alabama Supreme Court Roy Moore as the keynote speaker for the rally to be held at 12 noon on the West Steps of the Capitol. So much more is being planned that you won’t want to miss. The schedule will be posted soon and registration will begin January 16th.
Learn More About Day at the Capitol
Please, feel free to contact me if you need help arranging a trip to the Capitol or requesting a meeting with your legislators or if you desire to help in any way! Stay tuned and hold on; I am confident the Lord is at work.
Trusting in the mighty power and grace of Jesus,
Carolyn Martin, CHEC Legislative Liaison
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