Talk:Home School Legal Defense Association

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[edit] "Critisims"

I removed the following section, entitled "Critisims":

Some say that the HSLDA's grassroots lobbying system consists of highly charged "e-lerts" that dictate position and action to recipients, often resulting in a barrage against legislators, which puts homeschoolers in a bad light. [4] The HSLDA is also critisized because it mixes causes and has an agenda well beyond the promotion of homeschooling. These other agendas include religion or divisive social issues like gay marriage.

Some also assert the HSLDA's policy positions are an attempt to restrict a child's access to open and varied media as to reproduce a politically and religiously hegemonic generation.

Since homeschooling laws are state specific some believe that statewide homeschool associations are most often the best source of information about homeschooling laws and are better suited to lobby their state legislatures.

Its main transgression is that it is unsourced. It is an egregious offender in Wikipedia's policy regarding the use of weasel words. If there are reliable sources criticizing the organization, fine, put it in and source it. But the section above is simply not acceptable in an encyclopedia. Aplomado ^talk 06:30, 13 May 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Expand -- politics, religion.

This article does not mention the organisation's right-wing religious orientation. It runs Generation Joshua and Patrick Henry College, the latter of whose almus are very active in the U.S. Republican party and as White House interns. They see all this as part of an effort to remake American political culture (and culture, period) in the image of fundamentalist Protestantism. While we must be careful not to be biased in discussing this, this deeply important aspect of the HSLDA must be discussed. --Zantastik talk 09:06, 3 October 2006 (UTC)

Actually, HSLDA doesn't run Patrick Henry College - and I don't think it runs Generation Joshua. However, the involvement of HSLDA and HSLDA leadership in starting PHC and GenJ might be worth mentioning. --Tim4christ17 ^talk 14:14, 3 October 2006 (UTC)

Touché; while HSLDA doesn't run Patrick Henry College, its chancellor is the president of the HSLDA. As for Generation Josha, its website describes the group as a "branch" of the HSLDA. Also, if one reads Mike Farris's articles in the Washington Times and other media, it's clear that he sees these three organisations as being part of the same movement, striving towards similar (politico-religious) goals. --Zantastik talk 20:18, 3 October 2006 (UTC)

Actually, Dr. Farris is the Chairman and General Counsel in HSLDA - he resigned as president to start Patrick Henry College. Thought you might find this quote interesting, though - it states the official relationship between PHC and HSLDA. It does look like GenJ and the HSLDA PAC are run by HSLDA. Feel free to include stuff about the relationship between the organizations...just double-check your facts first, okay?  :) --Tim4christ17 ^talk 23:06, 5 October 2006 (UTC)

7. What is HSLDA’s relationship to Patrick Henry College (PHC)?

In 1997, the HSLDA board of directors approved the concept of founding a college that would emphasize the apprenticeship model of education and positively impact our culture. Patrick Henry College is the culmination of that decision.

Patrick Henry College opened its doors on September 1, 2000 to prepare and develop leaders who will fight for the principles of liberty and our home school freedoms through careers of public service and cultural influence. The College's distinctives include a deliberate outreach to home schooled students; practical apprenticeship methodology; financial independence; a general education core based on the classical liberal arts; a dedication to mentoring and discipling Christian students; and a community life that promotes virtue, leadership, and strong, life-long commitments to God, family and society.

Structurally, the PHC board of directors and the operation of the college are separate from HSLDA. On July 1, 2000, Michael Farris resigned his position as president of HSLDA to become president of Patrick Henry College. However, he is still a part-time HSLDA employee, serving as our General Counsel and directing our litigation and federal legislation efforts.

Although Patrick Henry College and HSLDA are separate and distinct organizations, our board’s purpose for founding the college remains the same and HSLDA continues to support Patrick Henry College financially and structurally. Specifically, HSLDA donates net publications revenues, use of facility space, and scholarships for students that are from HSLDA member families. This support is based upon our belief that it is not enough to rely solely on the defense of homeschooling in the courts and in the legislatures in order to maintain our freedom to homeschool and control the upbringing of our children in the future. We must be proactive in providing virtuous leaders in government and other key spheres of influence in order to preserve our freedoms.(See also Michael Smith's Washington Times op-ed "A New Generation of Moral Leadership")

Link to above quote.