Diploma discussion

The discussion of the Dept. Of Education nullifying the Category IV diplomas of private and homeschoolers across the state was the subject of discussion on yesterday's Michael DelGiorno show on WWTN SuperTalk 99.7 in Nashville. Many thanks to Michael and WWTN for allowing us to provide the audio of Michael's interview of Rob Shearer as VP of TACRS (Tennessee Association of Church-Related Schools). It's about 12 minutes long and is a very good overview of the implications of the Dept. Of Education's actions. Rob also explains that the bill that would reflect the previous will of the legislature which has been working fine for decades. HB1652 is still in the no-man's-land called the House Calendar and Rules Committee. A committee very much in control of the House Democrats, many of whom have already expressed their bias against education choices not directly controlled by the government school system when they voiced their opinions during the House Education Committee hearings on this bill and two others this year. Here's the audio in mp3 format.

Rob encourages people to contact their State Representatives and ask them to support this bill. I see the bill is first up on the Calendar & Rules Committee today. That Committee will meet after Finance Ways and Means is finished with their meeting. I'm told, though, by Rep. Mike Bell's gracious and patient secretary assistant, that the Legislative Plaza's power has just gone out and so there's likely to be a delay. (Insert joke about the legislature operating in the dark on a regular basis here.)

Rob Shearer blogs as RedHat Rob at Contending with the Culture and he's been tracking this legislation. Also you can find much more detail at TnHomeEd.com.