UPDATE – we have talked to Woolley’s office and they have agreed to update the bill! We will change our position to “in favor” as soon as the amendments are added to the bill. The below discussion represents our position prior to the amendments.
Homeschool Oklahoma opposes HB-2950 as it currently stands. HB-2950 supports equal ACT requirements for both homeschooling students and public school students. While we agree with the effect of the bill, the way it is presented creates problems for the homeschooling community.
Homeschooling is currently covered in Oklahoma law by the “education by other means” clause in the Oklahoma constitution. Homeschool Oklahoma has worked hard to protect homeschooling freedom by prohibiting definitions of homeschooling or even “education by other means.” Such definitions will necessarily restrict homeschooling freedoms in the long term. When we use these phrases for perks or differentiation, it encourages further clarification either by the legislative or judicial branches in the future, and that clarification is what will limit homeschooling freedoms.
A better option, which is demonstrated in SB-1975, is to stop trying to classify students when referring to everyone. SB-1975 shows that we can create fair behavior by just referring to “all students” rather than trying to name every type of student individually. This bill could have said that ACT score requirements should be uniform no matter what the student’s education path was. This would have been even more fair, and also prevent trying to subdivide, define, and pick apart parental education choices.
Our position is that we are against the bill as it stands, but would be in favor of the bill if the wording was appropriately changed.
