HomeSchooler.org.uk

***Good news**

The Petition has now been signed by over 1000 people - 1026 to be exact!
well done to all who signed, anyone who has yet to do it here's the link;
http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/EHEreview/

Our Database of MP's who have heard from a HE parent now stands at 109. That is great but there are still many more who need a letter or e-mail
- make contact with your local MP SOON, PLEASE.

A POEM BY MICHELE'S GRANNY (age 72)

Education

Education, education, that's the name of the game,
At school or at home its' all the same,
If your children are happy and learning too,
We don't really see the problem - Do you?
Home educators we salute you all,
You really have your eye on the ball,
Please don't give up, fight on and on,
Until all the "knockers" have packed up and gone.

"Nan"

- *Gold Star for Nan*

TOPICS DISCUSSED TODAY

LA LETTER
This is still being drafted and discussed.

ED BALLS REPLY TO OUR E-MAILS
(message 2476) Astrid points out that they should not add our complaints and comments to the Consultation as they are COMPLAINTS about the way the review was carried out and as such they should be treated AS complaints and registered on Public File as 'complaints against the review'.

SO. Should we reply to Ed Balls' e-mail Saying " NO! You will treat my letter as a COMPLAINT against the review/report and RESPOND APPROPRIATELY. I will also be responding to the consultation separately as it is outrageous etc...."

- do we collectively swamp his e-mail box again with these replies?

DAWN PRIMAROLO on CYPNOW

The comments continue to flow - mostly about Bad Man's Report. There was a particularly interesting message from a Canadian HE parent- Kelly Green, read it here;

http://community.cypnow.co.uk/forums/p/1272/3390aspx#3390

SOUTH AFRICAN HE LEGAL DEFENCE ORGANISATION

A poster on Badman Review Action Group forwarded this:

I've just applied to join the audience for 2nd July in Cambridge; the question I would like to ask is;
"Should all children in this country be made Wards of the State "for their own safety"?"

Here below is how to apply with details of where the program is to be recorded over the next few weeks;
if lots of us apply, may be a couple might get to ask questions about what is happening to the relationship between citizen and the State; where we do ask questions I think it is very important to keep them wide-ranging, even to avoid refering to home-education; Badman wants to put us into a box marked "dangerous freaks". What we need to do is to engage with parents across the country and to gently point out that what is happening radically affects us all, home-educators and others alike.

Please note viewers can only apply to appear on a programme no more than two weeks in advance of the broadcast date.

Apply to join the Question Time audience
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/question_time/1858613.stm

Future locations

18 June - Sunderland

25 June - Newquay

2 July - Cambridge

9 July - Manchester (Salford)

16 July - location tbc

23 July - location tbc

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=7FN02SW4ktRkEvwLtk0BWg_3d_3d

If your children could fill this in it would be a real help - we need a better representation!

Copied from the Badman Review Action Group, with thanks.

1) Write to your MP

2) Visit your MP

# Don't do one or the other, do both, and that will underline the seriousness of
your intent. When you see your MP, leave them with something on paper; perhaps
something of your own, but it need not be if you're not good at writing or
haven't the time (goodness knows, we've all been forced to waste a lot of time
we should have been spending on other things, not least our children's
education). There are plenty of good things from various websites you could
print out and leave with your MP.

# Close your conversation with them, if they are in sympathy, by asking them to
DO something: vote against it if/when it reaches the Commons, tell their
colleagues, write to Ed Balls, initiate some delaying tactic – anything, but
he/she is your elected representative, and it's action you want, not just
sympathy.

When you have contacted them, please enter the details on
badmanreviewactiongroup@yahoogroups.com in the database section, so that we can
keep track of how many MPs have been contacted and their response.

3) Add your own comments to the Lord Lucas blog (and be cheered by reading the
comments already posted)

http://lordlucas.blogspot.com:80/2009/06/home-education-good-man-badman....

4) Contact Ed Balls direct

dcsf.ministers@...

5) Sign the petition

http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/EHEreview/

6) Complete the HE National Survey

http://spreadsheets.google.com/viewform?hl=en&formkey=ck0wQ25ZZnQ3QWtVNV.....

7) Here's a survey for your children to complete (closes 30th June)

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=7FN02SW4ktRkEvwLtk0BWg_3d_3d

8) Respond to the Badman Review itself

http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/consultations/index.cfm?action=consultationDetail...