Practical Homeschooling columnist and Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA) Senior Counsel Chris Klicka just sent us this email:

Recently, Home School Legal Defense Association was contacted by Anthony White, the homeschool leader in the State of Victoria in Australia. Their state is facing a bill that will cause homeschoolers to be placed under the Department of Education's arbitrary authority.

At this time, out of five states in Australia, Victoria has the best law. Homeschool parents have the freedom to train their children without any regulations. Unfortunately, this is about to change.

Our brothers and sisters in Victoria are few and not currently organized. As a result, these homeschool restrictions cannot be stopped...unless there is an international outcry from the homeschool community. HSLDA is asking you to help our homeschooling friends "down under" when they need us most. Take a moment and write an email as soon as possible.

HSLDA will send the email, under your email address, to 131 members of the Victorian Parliament.

You have made the difference before on behalf of homeschoolers in foreign lands. Please read our "Background" below to see examples of other countries where homeschoolers in America have stopped bad laws and help lift restrictions on fellow homeschoolers.

ACTION REQUESTED:

Please write an email to the members of the Victorian Parliament in Australia and give them this message in your own words:

Please keep homeschooling free in Victoria and amend the proposed Education Bill. Homeschooling works and parents and parental freedom to homeschool without these unnecessary proposed regulations is needed to protect parental liberty. We urge you to remove the need for home educators in Section 2.1.1(b) and Section 4.3.9 to register and comply with the Department of Education administrative regulations. If this is passed homeschoolers will be subject to arbitrary regulations by the Department of Education who has a prejudicial interest in homeschooling.

Also, amend Section 2.1.1(b) so that the attendance requirements are in line with current legislation of the Community Service Act of 1970. The current legislation already allows the Victorian government to prosecute families if they are not doing a good job of delivering "regular and efficient instruction" as is mandated by the code requiring homeschoolers to provide "regular and efficient instruction" is all that is needed to protect the welfare and future of the child. In fact, the current law in Victoria is similar to laws in the various states in the United States.

If it's not broken, there is no need to fix it. Homeschoolers in Victoria have been doing a good job training their children. Let homeschooling remain free in Victoria.

You can also add a paragraph about the tremendous success academically and socially you are experiencing with your own homeschool. Personal anecdotes of success are very effective.

   Use our online form to send your email.
   http://www.hslda.org/elink.asp?id=2863

Your email to Parliament needs to be sent immediately because one of the key votes is taking place on Monday, February 27. Since Australia is essentially 14 hours ahead of us, their Monday is our Sunday, so please send your emails immediately!

BACKGROUND:

Australia needs your help. You can make a difference for the fledgling homeschool movement in Victoria.

You can view some of HSLDA's work in other countries by visiting the international section at http://www.hslda.org/hs/international .

In the past, U.S. homeschoolers have had similar opportunities to help struggling families in other countries. We have seen some dramatic results.

South Africa: two homeschool parents were freed from prison and, eventually, homeschooling was legalized.

Germany: a case against a homeschool family was dropped.

Ireland: home visit legislation was defeated.

Thank you for helping your brothers and sisters in Australia.

Sincerely,

Christopher J. Klicka, Esq.
HSLDA Senior Counsel