PRINTER'S NO. 750
No. 66 Session of 2003
INTRODUCED BY PICCOLA, HELFRICK, CORMAN, COSTA, THOMPSON, WAUGH,
JUBELIRER, ERICKSON, CONTI, DENT, WENGER, BOSCOLA,
BRIGHTBILL, ORIE, O'PAKE, GREENLEAF, TOMLINSON, LOGAN,
KITCHEN, A. WILLIAMS, ARMSTRONG, D. WHITE AND SCARNATI,
APRIL 24, 2003
REFERRED TO EDUCATION, APRIL 24, 2003
A RESOLUTION
1 Designating the week of May 4 through 10, 2003, as "Pennsylvania
2 Home Education Week."
3 WHEREAS, The Commonwealth recognizes that healthy families
4 are the fundamental building blocks of a strong society; and
5 WHEREAS, The Commonwealth recognizes that parental
6 involvement in and commitment to their children's nurture and
7 education are essential elements of a healthy family; and
8 WHEREAS, The learning alternative generally referred to as
9 home education requires parents to be actively involved in their
10 children's education and upbringing; and
11 WHEREAS, The practice of home education boasts a long and
12 notable history in our nation, having been the primary mode of
13 learning when our nation enjoyed its highest level of literacy;
14 and
15 WHEREAS, Such respected Americans as Thomas Edison, Franklin
16 D. Roosevelt, Woodrow Wilson, Mark Twain, Andrew Carnegie,
1 Abraham Lincoln, Booker T. Washington, Patrick Henry, George
2 Washington and, more recently, Congressman Vernon J. Ehlers,
3 State Representative Jeff Coleman and NFL defensive lineman
4 Jason Taylor received home education; and
5 WHEREAS, The United States Supreme Court repeatedly affirms
6 the role of parental responsibility in the lives of their
7 children with statements such as:
8 The child is not the mere creature of the state; those
9 who nurture him and direct his destiny have the right and
10 the high duty, to recognize and prepare him for
11 additional obligations;
12 and
13 WHEREAS, The Commonwealth acknowledges this principle with
14 the following statement in the Public School Code of 1949:
15 It is the policy of the Commonwealth to preserve the
16 primary right of the parent or parents...to choose the
17 education and training for such child;
18 and
19 WHEREAS, The Commonwealth statutorily recognizes home
20 education as an educational option and accords it equal standing
21 with public and private education; and
22 WHEREAS, The 105th Congress of the United States commended
23 home education as "...a valuable part of our nation's efforts to
24 prepare its youth for the demands of society at the edge of a
25 new century" and passed legislation protecting the rights of
26 home-educated graduates who apply for Federal college funding or
27 enlist in the military; and
28 WHEREAS, More than 1.5 million children are in home education
29 programs, including more than 24,000 Pennsylvania residents; and
30 WHEREAS, Home education is growing dramatically each year and
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1 attracts families from all walks of life, including members of
2 Congress and the Pennsylvania General Assembly; and
3 WHEREAS, The academic success of home education is well
4 documented at the elementary, secondary and postsecondary
5 levels; and
6 WHEREAS, Home education is an excellent setting for healthy
7 socialization and well prepares children to successfully
8 contribute to society by providing many opportunities for real-
9 life activities within communities, interaction with people of
10 all ages and backgrounds and a learning environment which
11 incorporates values in the curriculum; and
12 WHEREAS, Home education offers the many benefits of tutorial
13 learning, individualized, flexible instruction and a safe,
14 nondistracting learning environment; and
15 WHEREAS, The academic performance of home-educated students
16 is not dependent on the level of their parents' education or
17 income, nor is it dependent on the degree of regulation imposed
18 by the State; and
19 WHEREAS, Families who educate their children make a
20 tremendous contribution to this Commonwealth by financially
21 providing for their children's education and molding responsible
22 citizens who will lead our nation in the 21st century; therefore
23 be it
24 RESOLVED, That the Senate, in recognition of the thousands of
25 students and families involved in home education whose hard
26 work, dedication and accomplishments contribute to the success
27 of our State in this new millennium, designate the week of May 4
28 through 10, 2003, as "Pennsylvania Home Education Week."
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