HomeSchooler.org.uk

Dear Gregory Campbell,

I wish to seek your support in opposing the reforms to current practice
proposed by Graham Badman in his “Report to the Secretary of State on
the Review of Elective Home Education in England”. The recommendations
were based on his review of the situation in England, but will be
applied in full in Northern Ireland, without further study or
consultation.

The Badman Report into Home Education was published on the 11th June
2009. It was commissioned amid wild allegations of a link between
home-education and child abuse, so a balanced and fair report was never
expected. The report itself makes alarming reading, and has been
accepted in full by the Government. Amongst its recommendations are
some which are deeply worrying for anyone who cares about our right to
family life, civil liberties or our children's best interests.

- The right to inspect the premises of education... which we fear may
mean the right of entry into our homes without suspicion of wrong-doing
- The right to interview our children without adult support - again
without suspicion of abuse or risk to them
Compulsory registration for all home-educators, which can be withdrawn,
and therefore is more like a license/permission. A very broad range of
reasons for the issuing of 'SAO's or School Attendance Orders is given.
It is feared that these powers will translate into a loss of the
parent's right to dictate the form of education their children receive.
Slurs against autonomous education, a well-established and recognised
educational philosophy, which is described as 'little better than
child-minding'.
- Requirement for a 12 month plan, against which 'progress' will be
measured (this is anathema to autonomous educators since they follow
the child's interests and cannot predict in advance what those might
be). Even for structured home-educators this sets a standard higher
than state-schools are held to - children who do not progress are not
forced out of school into home education!
- Further allegations of a high incidence of child-abuse in
home-educating families, without any evidence. To date NO examples of
'hidden' (not known by Social Services to be at risk) abused home
educated children have been given. All the recent, tragic,
high-profile cases have concerned children who were well-known to be at
risk, the authorities had adequate powers to protect these children
under current law.

These issues affect ALL parents, not just home-educators. If these
recommendations become law then the state effectively becomes the first
choice guardian of our children, when they should be the last resort.

Logically there is no distinction between assuming that children are
unsafe with their parents in school-hours, and assuming they are unsafe
during holidays, at night or before they reach compulsory school age.
Parents should not have to prove that they are not abusers.

This is important enough to turn many of us into single-issue voters.

We look forward to hearing from you.

Yours sincerely,