Claiming it will curb child abuse and neglect in homes, Democratic leaders are planning to force those who homeschool in the state to sign onto a mandatory registry.
But Scott Woodruff of the Homeschool Legal Defense Association (HSLDA) is sure that "solution" will not help with that issue.
"The Mayo Clinic has a list of risk factors for child abuse and neglect. Homeschooling is not one of them," he notes. "The U.S. Centers for Disease Control has a list of risk factors for child abuse and neglect. Homeschooling is not one of them. The World Health Organization has a list of risk factors for child abuse and neglect. Homeschooling is not one of them."
Based on figures from the Federal Commission to Eliminate Child Abuse and Neglect Fatalities, "between four and eight children die in America of child abuse and neglect every day," Woodruff relays. "We owe it to those kids to find solutions that will actually work."
This unnecessary red tape, he asserts, will not accomplish that. He likens it to compiling a list of drivers as a way to reduce auto injuries.
"Putting people's names on a list doesn't protect them from anything, and yet that is precisely the argument that a few Democratic leaders are making right now," he says. "It simply can't stand any test of logic."
If Democratic policymakers were serious about helping kids in danger, Woodruff submits they would start by addressing the well-established risk factors, "and homeschooling is not one of them."
Some parents say a crackdown is more likely now that Democrats run the Michigan Legislature, and they suspect a registry could be just the start. Impose curriculums, testing, and even home inspections on families could follow.
A Washington Post analysis shows that homeschooling is the fastest-growing form of education in the country. There are currently between 1.9 million and 2.7 million homeschooled students in America.
