Wealth & Servitude OR Liberty?
By Carolyn Martin (CHEC Director of Government Relations)
Just the other day I opened my property tax bill and was shocked to learn that I pay almost $1,000 a year to my local school district. As a homeschooling family, imagine what education materials that money could provide for my children. Instead, I’m paying into a school system that can’t teach almost 60% of third graders to read or do math.[1]
We are experiencing an educational crisis. As the legislative session heats up, lawmakers are scrambling to use the abundance of education dollars they expect to flow into the state coffers. Some are even looking to provide funding for homeschoolers. When thinking about how money can impact freedom, consider this quote from Samuel Adams:
“If you love wealth more than liberty, the tranquility of servitude better than the animating contest of freedom, depart from us in peace. We ask not your counsel nor your arms. Crouch down and lick the hand that feeds you. May your chains rest lightly upon you, and may posterity forget that you were our countrymen.”
Homeschooling has been an island of freedom in Colorado since the homeschool law was passed in 1988.[2] Around CHEC we often refer to it as a life raft for those whose children are drowning in the public school system. It cannot be stated more emphatically – government funding threatens the autonomy and freedom of homeschooling. It may not happen right away, but you can be assured that it will happen. History shows us that money corrupts and that as government grows it seeks more control which ultimately leads to servitude.
Several bills have been introduced in the legislature which directly impact homeschooling. One (SB22-039 Funding for Educational Opportunities) seeks to fund homeschooling giving the Colorado Department of Education the ability to make rules and regulations around the funding. While this bill is extremely concerning, CHEC and HSLDA are working with the sponsors to keep us out of this bill. If any action is needed, we will contact you! Stay tuned.[3]
The other (SB22-071 Learning Pods for Home-school Programs) opens up the homeschool law (which could lead to the insertion of further regulation and oversight into the law) and inserts a definition of learning pods. It is our contention this bill is not necessary, and we are working to change it.
If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to reach out to me!
In need of His wisdom and grace daily,
Carolyn Martin, CHEC Director of Government Relations
carolyn@chec.org
About the Author: Carolyn Martin
[1] See the 2019 state testing results: https://www.cde.state.co.us/assessment/cmas-dataandresults-2019
[2] Check out the history of homeschooling in Colorado: https://chec.org/about-chec/history/
[3] See https://chec.org/chec-blog/legislative-update-january-5th-2022/ and https://chec.org/chec-blog/legislative-update-september-1st-2021/
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