Letter to the Editor: Submitted by Ann Fields

To the Editor:

Do you think all parents are competent educators? Would over $1550 per kid encourage you to homeschool your children? Who would know if you decided that history isn’t important, math is too hard, and kids could learn what they needed by working? Since there are no tests, no curriculum checks, or no home visits, what could go wrong?

Bill IAHF 2369 continues to divert public money away from public education. This bill pays public money to parents to homeschool their kids.

That’s right. The state would pay 20% of the regular program state costs per year per student for each homeschool kid. And parents can homeschool four non-related kids, as well.  A third party will be hired to administer the program, taking more money from the state’s budget.

The funds that will support this private homeschooling bill are coming from the Department of Education’s budget, leaving less public money for public schools.

Iowa was known for great public education, but Governor Reynolds and her supporters have decided that “educational choice” is also “educational roulette” - rolling the wheel to gamble that parents are good educators. There is no reporting, no evaluation or testing, and homeschooling parents are “exempt from all state statutes and administrative rules applicable to a school, a school board, or a school district.” (Code 299A.3)

This is a bad idea; Iowa will lead the nation to the bottom of educational attainment. Call your legislators now to vote no on House File 2369.​​​​​

Ann Fields
Lansing