Homeschool Family Wins $5000 Magazine Contest

As reported by the Fayetteville Observer, Kelli and Randy Hill and their children Luke and Jeralyn of Elizabethtown have won the top prize in FamilyFun magazine's "Going Green" contest, with a design for a solar powered oven. Luke's presentation on the idea won the N.C. 4-H Gold Medal in 2007, said the article.

The proceeds from the contest are going to benefit Bladen County 4-H.

Tax Bill Could Result in 5800 New Homeschoolers

House Bill 335 provides tax credit to new homeschoolers (only)

The N.C. General Assembly's Fiscal Research Division, which studies potential costs and savings of specific bills, has released a ten page report on the possible effects of H335, the "Tax Fairness in Education Act", which would provide a refundable tax credit of $2500 a year to qualifying private- and homeschool families. By their estimate, the credit could encourage nearly 6000 students to leave public schools in favor of homeschooling.

However, those who are already taught at home are ineligible.

The measure is being promoted as a cost savings to state and local governments, which could avoid as much as $26 million a year in education expenditures if that many students leave public schools. To realize the savings, the tax credit would only be offered to students who were actually enrolled in public school for two semesters first. This means that students who are already homeschooled could not receive the credit, and neither could those who are homeschooled from the beginning or taken out of private schools.

The Fiscal Research Division does not believe many parents will "game the system" by sending their children to public school just to qualify for the tax credit.

The bill was introduced by Rep. Paul Stam (R-Wake), who distributed copies of the proposal at NCHE's Capital Fest this week.

(NCHSN Exclusive)

N.C. Apple Festival Opens Honor To Homeschoolers

"Apple Ambassador" also receives $2000 scholarship

From the Hendersonville Times-News:

The board [of the N.C. Apple Festival] met recently and decided to modify the process for selecting an apple ambassador, Festival Director David Nicholson said. In the past, each guidance counselor at area high schools selected two names, which were forwarded to the festival’s board. It then selected a winner.

“We said, ‘Let’s take that off (the counselors’) shoulders and take it over,’” Nicholson said.

Now the board has opened up the selection process, allowing home school and private school students to apply for Apple Ambassador.

The Apple Ambassador receives a $2,000 scholarship and the runner-up receives a $1,000 scholarship. To apply, entrants should visit the apple festival Web site www.ncapplefestival.org and fill out an application.

NCHE Capital Fest Draws Hundreds To Legislature

Semi-annual event continues to grow

About five hundred homeschoolers met with legislators and Supreme Court officials and visited Capitol-area museums today as part of "Capital Fest", a semi-annual event sponsored by North Carolinians for Home Education. The program is an expansion of NCHE's long-running legislative days, which always take place during the long session of each legislative term.

During the day, groups of homeschoolers took turns visiting lawmakers' offices and attending presentations at the state Supreme Court, hosted by associate justice Paul Newby. Nearly 300 attended an afternoon session which included remarks from Senate Minority Leader Phil Berger (R-Rockingham) and House Minority Leader Paul Stam (R-Wake) along with several other legislators.

Rep. Stam, a longtime supporter of homeschooling, brought copies of his legislation to give tax credits to parents who take their children out of public school in order to homeschool them or enroll in private school. Of more interest, though, was a bill like the one sponsored by Sen. Jim Jacumin (R-Burke, Caldwell), which would open public school athletic programs to participation by homeschoolers. Rep. George Cleveland (R-Onslow), fielding questions on the concept, said that school officials he had approached were adamantly opposed.

"They not only said 'Go away', they said, 'Go away and die.'" He said that would not deter him from supporting the bill. "I'll introduce it again next year," he said. "I'm used to introducing bills year after year after year."

The legislators in the afternoon meeting all praised homeschooling parents and students for their diligence and success in home education. Rep. Hugh Blackwell (R-Burke) said he was "impressed by the frequency I see homeschoolers in the paper receiving awards and scholarships, and -- while I probably shouldn't say this -- frankly, outshining the students in the public schools."

"You parents deserve all the respect and commendation we give you," Blackwell said.

Rep. Curtis Blackwood (R-Union) said that his daughter was homeschooled for a time, and he said that homeschoolers' excellent test performance "pull up the average for the state of North Carolina." Rep. Jeff Barnhart (R-Cabarras) is the only legislator whose children are currently homeschooled; he was unable to attend this afternoon's session.

Although every legislator in both houses was invited, only Republicans came to the afternoon "meet and greet" session. Participants did report favorable receptions from Democratic legislators they met privately.

(NCHSN Exclusive)

N.C. House Bill Would Halt Standardized Testing

Homeschoolers not affected

House Bill 609, introduced in the N.C. General Assembly this week, would halt development and use of standardized tests in the public schools for two years, "except for those required by federal law or as a condition of federal funding." Republican lawmakers have criticized the state's testing program, saying it does not accurately compare North Carolina students' performance with their counterparts in other states. The bill currently has twenty-five sponsors.

Homeschoolers, meanwhile, will continue to administer a nationally-standardized test on an annual basis, as always.

NCHE Capitol Event "Not A Protest"

For many years North Carolinians for Home Education has sponsored a Legislative Day, now called "Capital Fest", during the long-session years of the N.C. General Assembly. The event scheduled for March 24 was planned months before the Mills divorce case became news, and NCHE has posted a request on their website for participants to keep Capital Fest a positive event -- not a protest rally:

CAPITAL FEST 2009 IS COMING ON MARCH 24th.

IT IS A DAY FOR CELEBRATING HOMESCHOOLING AND NOT A DAY FOR PROTESTS.

NCHE wants to remind all participants in Capital Fest that our purpose for Capital Fest 2009 is show our support for our homeschool laws, educate our legislators on the success of homeschooling and to show our legislators how much we love homeschooling in North Carolina. NCHE strongly encourages participants to conduct themselves in a positive manner and to refrain from any protests. By educating our legislators on the positive success of homeschooling, you build a foundation for many future years of successful homeschooling in North Carolina.

The statement appeared on the NCHE home page, http://nche.com/. Some media reports have not made a distinction between possible protests over the divorce case and NCHE's event.

NCHE Releases Written Position On Homeschool Divorce Case

The following press release was issued by North Carolinians for Home Education on Saturday. NCHE President Spencer Mason had already commented to Raleigh TV station WCNC (NBC 17), as reported on NCHSN earlier this week.

Sat Mar 21, 2009 6:38 pm (PDT)

*FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE -- March 21, 2009*

**

*Recent Divorce Court Ruling Does Not Threaten Homeschooling Says NCHE*

**

(RALEIGH) –

Recently a Wake County divorce court judge issued a ruling which will require a mother to place her three homeschooled children into the public school system at the beginning of the next school year. This is a civil divorce court decision that awarded joint custody of three children to parents that disagree on a number of issues concerning the rearing of their children. One of those disagreements is about how their children will be educated. The ruling does not interpret any law dealing with the well-established parental right to homeschool in North Carolina. Furthermore, it does not decide the superiority of any one educational methodology over another.

North Carolinians for Home Education (NCHE) is aware of divorce cases since the late 1980s where families were forced to stop homeschooling, and these rulings have had no ill effects on our homeschool statutes as a result of these decisions. Therefore, we believe this ruling represents no threat to our right to educate our children at home.

###############

*North Carolinians for Home Education * was founded in 1984 to protect the right to homeschool in North Carolina, to promote homeschooling as an excellent educational alternative, and to provide support and encouragement for families interested in home education. For twenty five years, North Carolina homeschoolers have joined member-supported NCHE for information, assistance, networking, and more. To find out more about homeschooling in North Carolina, contact our Raleigh office at (919) 790-1100, e-mail *NCHE@nche.com*, or visit our website, *http://nche.com/*

*Contact:* Spencer Mason, President -- *President@nche.com* or (919)790-1100

Scholarship Offered In Homeschooler's Memory

The Morgan Gray Scholarship is awarded annually in memory of Morgan Gray, a Rowan County homeschooler who was killed in an auto accident in 2001. Deadline for application is March 31; more information is available at www.rchsa.com, and an announcement appeared in the Salisbury Post.

Popular Novelist Works and Homeschools in N.C.

Nicholas Sparks, author of The Notebook and Message in a Bottle, described life at home in New Bern for an Indianapolis television station, WISH-TV8:

Sparks writes 2,000 words a day ... despite all the distractions.

"I have three dogs, I have a wife at home, I home school my three kids at home, there's a teacher there, there's a manager. So the phone is ringing, the dogs are barking, people are coming and going," said Sparks.

His next novel, called The Last Song, is coming out late this summer. And he manages to read close to 100 books a year, 60% novels.

"The other 40% are history, biographies, anyone except entertainers, and uh celebrities and economics," said Sparks.

Sparks' official website is http://www.nicholassparks.com

Divorce Ruling Focuses on Church, not Homeschooling

Wake County Judge Ned Mangum on Tuesday released his written decision in the divorce case between Venessa and Thomas Mills, as reported in the Raleigh News & Observer on Wednesday. The full order is posted on the N&O website.

Mangum's decision centered on the couple's conflict over Venessa's membership in an out-of-state church which some former members described as abusive and manipulative. As a result of this conflict, Mangum carried out his proposed order requiring the three homeschooled children be enrolled in Wake County public schools beginning this fall. The judge wrote:

"It is clear to this Court that all three children are intelligent and have thrived academically by performing at grade level while in home school and have participated in valuable extra curricular activities, as evidenced in sworn affidavits ... "

"As previously stated in open court ... this Court clearly recognizes the benefits of home school -- and any effort to characterize it differently is incorrect ..."

Both North Carolinians for Home Education and the Home School Legal Defense Association have declined to enter into the dispute, saying the case was fundamentally about divorce and not home education. Venessa Mills plans to appeal the decision.

Southern Baptists Weigh In On Homeschool Divorce Case

Raleigh's NBC-17 reported on Tuesday that the Southern Baptist Convention had called for direct political action to oppose Judge Ned Mangum's ruling in the Mill divorce case.

On Wednesday, though, the SBC's Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission, which often takes stands on current events, published an editorial by commission president Dr. Richard Land, calling for a different response:

Please pray for this mother and those who are trying to help her overcome this judge’s ruling. Remember this family that is being torn apart by divorce. The final order in this divorce case has not been written. Please pray for our nation’s leaders and policy makers that they would value and protect families, in general, and parental rights, in particular.

Land says that "It is not the judge's business to make sure these children have a 'well rounded education'" and that the decision "is an example of what happens when judges run amuck, and it is reflective of a growing assault on parental rights in this country."

NCHE Takes Position On Divorce Case

President says judge is "biased" but case is "not about education. It is really about a divorce."

In a story by NBC-17's Julie Henry, Spencer Mason, president of North Carolinians for Home Education, said the organization is not looking for a battle with Wake County divorce judge Ned Mangum, who has stated that the homeschooled children of Thomas and Venessa Mills should be enrolled in public school next year.

"We really think this is a lot of ruckus and fuss about something that is really not about education," said NCHE President Spencer Mason. "It is really about a divorce."

Nevertheless, in a statement in the video report, Mason expressed concern with the ruling:

"It does appear that the judge has a bias when it comes to home schooling. The judge felt that for the kids to be prepared for high school or college, they needed to go to the public school and be exposed to a variety of children and backgrounds. That is not the case."

The Home School Legal Defense Association has already declined to take part in the case, as related by spokesman Ian Slatter last week. HSLDA does not get involved with custody battles, because the great latitude given to family court judges makes a positive, precendent-setting outcome difficult or unlikely.

According to NBC-17, the Southern Baptist Convention has taken a different position:

The ruling last week by family court Judge Ned Mangum has prompted a backlash from the Southern Baptist Convention, which has called for homeschoolers "around the world" to contact the judge, legislators and the governor to "fight the battle."

NCHSN will provide more details in later updates.

=====

UPDATE 1: Expanded Spencer Mason's remarks

UPDATE 2: The Southern Baptist position mentioned in Julie Henry's story was from Rev. Wiley Drake, a former SBC official in California who has covered the case on his radio program. Thanks to Ms. Henry for sharing her souce with NCHSN.

UPDATE 3: NBC-17's story was updated this morning to read: The ruling last week by family court Judge Ned Mangum has prompted a backlash from folks in the Southern Baptist Convention, who have called for homeschoolers "around the world" to contact the judge, legislators and the governor to "fight the battle." See other news, above.

Divorce Judge Grants Time for Suggestions

The parents have until Sunday to propose changes to custody order

Keung Hui of the News & Observer continues his series of reports on the Wake Co. divorce case where the homeschooled children may be ordered to enroll in public school next year.

RALEIGH -- A Wake County judge has given both parties in a highly publicized divorce case until Sunday to propose changes to his plan to require three North Raleigh children to leave home schooling in favor of public schools.

In a message sent Friday, Wake District Court Judge Ned Mangum told Venessa and Thomas Mills that they can suggest things they want to add to the temporary child custody order that he'll be writing.

While Thomas Mills has asked that the children be sent to public schools, his wife said she'll continue to ask that she be allowed to home school them.

"The only thing I can do at this point is voice my objections to the judge," Venessa Mills said. "I highly doubt he's going to look at my objections." ...

(Full story here)

Mills Case An Example of Bad Law

Delma Blinson of The Beaufort Observer, an online news publication in Washington, N.C., uses the Mills case as an example of problems with state family law:

North Carolina has a compulsory education law. Parents are required by law to see that their children get a basic education up to the age of sixteen. They may comply with this duty either by sending them to a public school, a private school or by homeschooling them. The homeschooling option has certain stipulations that safeguard whether the child's interest is being met in the home schooling environment, such as testing, attendance etc..

We're not talking about the general merits of home schooling vs. public schooling. We're talking about a process the state has established to verify whether an individual child is being educated. Given that provision, it would seem obvious to us that the standard (of whether the mother was meeting the state's homeschooling requirements) should have been applied by this judge and "findings of fact" entered to validate a conclusion (order) that this mother was not adequately educating these particular children as required by the state's homeschooling standards. No such order was issued according to the advocates supporting the mother. Indeed, it is reported that what little evidence that was presented tended to show that the students were doing just fine ("thriving" was the description at the hearing) with their homeschooling. The judge just felt "they need to be exposed to the real world." Say what?

Who is a judge to decide what the "real world" is and more particularly what in the "real world" a child is required by law to be exposed to?

N.C. Judge Ordering Homeschoolers into Public School

World Net Daily reports this morning that Wake County Family Court Judge Ned Mangum is ordering three homeschooled siblings to enroll in public school next year.

The three children, aged 10, 11, and 12, are academically above grade level and active in a large support group in Johnston County. Their parents however are going through a divorce, and the judge told WND that the father does not support the mother's desire to continue homeschooling:

"I thought Ms. Mills had done a good job [in homeschooling]," he said. "It was great for them to have that access, and [I had] no problems with homeschooling. I said public schooling would be a good complement." ...

... "[Their homeschooling] accomplished its purposes. It now was appropriate to have them back in public school."

A family friend has set up a website, http://www.hsinjustice.com/, to chronicle the situation.

UPDATE 1: The mother's publicist, Adam Cothes, has a press release posted on Christian Newswire.

UPDATE 2: Keung Hui of the Raleigh News & Observer covers the story here.

Governor Perdue Declares Home Education Week

A PROCLAMATION:

WHEREAS, the State of North Carolina is committed to excellence in education and to public policy that strengthens the family; and

WHEREAS, the State of North Carolina recognizes parental choice in pursuit of that excellence and the importance of parental involvement in education; and

WHEREAS, the State of North Carolina appropriately and statutorialy recognizes home education as a viable educational alternative; and

WHEREAS, parents have the ultimate authority and responsibility for the care, upbringing, and choice of education for their children; and

WHEREAS, it is appropriate that North Carolina home educators and home educated children be recognized and celebrated for their contributions to the diversity and quality of education in this great State;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BEVERLY EAVES PERDUE, Governor of the State of North Carolina, do hereby proclaim March 22-28, 2009, as "HOME EDUCATION WEEK" in North Carolina and call upon all citizens of this State to observe this week and recognize the continued growth and importance of home education in the State of North Carolina.

SPORTS: Wake Forest Basketball Teams Honored

The Lighthouse Eagles basketball program in Wake Forest celebrated its season at their annual awards banquet last Friday night. The full write-up with team pictures is on the Learning Together blog.

Like the Surry Runnin' Patriots, the varsity teams will be competing at Liberty University later this month.

SPORTS: NCHE Champions Travel to Tennessee

The Surry Runnin' Patriots girls basketball team, fresh from their NCHE title win, traveled to Knoxville to compete against two Volunteer State teams last weekend.

Surry beat Nashville Home School 50-35 before a one-point loss in double overtime against Knoxville Home School, 65-64.

The team will next go to the east coast homeschool tournament at Liberty University in Lynchburg, VA.

The complete write up appears in the Mt. Airy News.

NCHSN Digest -- 03/08/09

Highlights from this week on N.C. Homeschool News:

COMMENTARY: We point out that some community college programs are not homeschool friendly.

PEOPLE: A homeschooler was honored by Charlotte public schools -- really ... the Garner paper noticed a homeschooler working as a Senate Page ... the New Bern paper profiled a typical non-typical teenage homeschooler ...

US: and NCHSN got a "thumbs up!" from Homeschool Nation

Read about homeschooling in the state throughout the week on N.C. Homeschool News ... thanks!

Not All Community College Programs Are Homeschool Friendly

The Moore County Pilot reports that Sandhills Community College, like others across the state, is seeing a surge in enrollment this year. One observation, though, needs clarification:

Current high school and home-schooled students take college courses through Sandhoke Early College, Dual Enrollment, the First Step/Huskins program, and the Learn and Earn program.

While dual enrollment is indeed popular with homeschoolers, to our knowledge no homeschoolers have been able to utilize the Huskins program. This policy, enacted by the General Assembly several years ago, allows schools to contract with the community college to have a college instructor present classes for the school. While several homeschool support groups have investigated this idea as a sort of co-op program, we have heard no report of success with their applications.

"Early College" and "Learn and Earn" are both public school programs, a joint effort of the Department of Public Instruction and the community colleges. While homeschoolers may enroll, when they do so, they become public school students, and DNPE may close the homeschool involved. This is not always explained clearly, and some community colleges actively recruit homeschoolers to enroll in their DPI-sponsored programs. Online versions of some classes may be allowed, but with limits on the number of credits taken. Caveat emptor.

Maybe Not "Typical" After All

The New Bern Sun-Journal says that 17-year-old homeschooler Sara Hand is "a typical teen", but then shows why she's worthy of a news story. Sara is involved in several charitable activities, including one she founded, and is active in student and community drama including one production she directed. She is considering attending the N.C. School of the Arts to become a theater teacher, she said.

Page Duty for Homeschoolers

Homeschoolers have been popular with legislators, the governor's office, and the people who run the House, Senate, and Governor's Page programs. The Garner News reported that Austin Parks Hunter, the son of Les and Beth Hunter of Garner, served as a Senate Page recently.

Track Back

Homeschool Nation gives a "thumbs up" to N.C. Homeschool News. Thanks!

Pardon The Interruption

To NCHSN Readers:

Sorry about the pause in daily postings to N.C. Homeschool News. We had a medical emergency involving our newborn daughter last week and spent several days in the ICU. Thankfully, the situation seems to be under control now and we are resuming our regular activities. There may be some delayed posts in the next few days -- thanks for your support and understanding!

Hal

Homeschooler Honored by Charlotte Public Schools?

In an interesting twist, a homeschooled student in Charlotte has been honored by a program sponsored in part by the Charlotte-Mecklenburg School system.

Although the initial story in the Charlotte Observer did not identify the student by name, 12-year-old homeschooler Zeke Bey was recognized by Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools and the Charlotte-Mecklenburg police and fire departments in their "Do The Right Thing" program last night.

While on a walk last month, Zeke discovered a house fire just starting and alerted residents, allowing six adults to escape injury.

NCHSN Digest - 3/1/09

This week in N. C. Homeschool News:

LEGISLATION: The state Senate proposes opening high school athletics to homeschoolers, but NCHE is opposed on principle (2/26) ... meanwhile the House wants to lower compulsory attendance to six years old, which would require earlier formal homeschooling, testing, and record-keeping (2/25) ...

COLLEGE: Piedmont Baptist College offers an education degree with homeschoolers in mind (2/25) ...

SPORTS: Surry "Runnin' Patriots" score six positions on NCHE All-Conference squads (2/26) ...

PEOPLE: A Charlotte homeschooler wins a $10,000 scholarship in the same national competition his sister won last year (2/24) ...

You can read it in full, as it's posted, on N.C. Homeschool News every day. Thanks!