One reason I choose the homeschool group that I did, many years ago, is that I could be sure that they would stay aware of the political situation concerning homeschool. Several weeks ago they sent out a warning and now we have received an official notice from HSLDA. So below is a warning for those who homeschool in Alabama.

Controversy over “Attendance” at Church Schools

A memorandum from the Alabama state superintendent of education to all city and county superintendents dated September 24, 2009, has sparked a controversy regarding the church school option employed by parents providing home instruction to their children. The memorandum from Dr. Joseph B. Morton reiterates Alabama’s long-held position that the only legal means of “homeschooling” is by a private tutor who is certified to teach in the public schools. Morton’s memorandum recognizes attendance at a church school as an option for complying with Alabama’s compulsory education requirements, but any such arrangement is not recognized as “homeschooling.” The memo makes specific reference to the “enrollment and attendance” language of Alabama law as it relates to the filing of a church school enrollment form with the local public school superintendent. Merely being enrolled in the church school is not sufficient to fulfill the requirement that the student attend the school. …

Hopefully, the letter from HSLDA has resolved this issue and it won’t come up again. But there is no way the present government administration nationally will keep out of the homeschool issue.