Update on Goochland County Religious Exemption Homeschool Policy

Image:  This picture appeared in the email sent out by The Family Foundation of Virginia concerning the Goochland meeting.  A small group listens to a livestream of the meeting from CRBC's Doug G.'s phone out in the overflow hallway.

Note:  This article appeared as a prayer update in the 1.15.15 Vision:

There was an incredible outpouring of visible support for the Pruiett family and opposition to policy change on religious exemption homeschooling at the Goochland County School Board Meeting on Tuesday evening (1.13.15). A number of CRBCers were present and Brian O. and Michelle B. represented us well by speaking during the session.  As a result the board voted to amend the policy.   You can read about the outcome in this Fox News article and in this Richmond Times-Dispatch article.

Here also is a note that Doug Pruiett sent out the day after the meeting:

Dear Family & Friends:

FIRST, to those of you who came to the meeting in support, THANK YOU for being used of God.  Those who could not come but who were praying for us, it was evident that God was moving through your prayers.  God bless all.

The meeting was standing room only in the main board room, three overflow rooms filled, and the hallway full of people, hundreds in attendance.  There were thirty people who spoke, only two of which were for the policy.  Those two people showed open hostility to home schoolers and religious people and were not very gracious.  The remaining speakers ALL had powerful points, just amazingly powerful as God clearly moved.

After three hours of public comments, the board voted 4-1 to repeal the offensive policy and replace with a very simple one (that was acceptable to the crowd).  The new policy removes the need for child affidavits, no mention of application, no renewals, no interviews, just a statement from the parents saying on behalf of themselves and their children, they attest to the religious training being done.

It was amazing how God brought people from near (many) and far to this meeting.  Just an absolute blessing.  HSLDA, HEAV, the Family Foundation, and other home school organizations were there.  Lawyers, mothers, fathers, young adults, children, all spoke.  Also, to add frosting, they voted to suspend enforcement action on current folks like us until the “second reading.”  The singular motion to repeal and replace must go to a “second reading” and before the whole crowd we got the board members to vow that they would vote the same way on the second reading.  HSLDA may provide some input on slight tweaks to the new policy.

There were TV cameras rolling from a couple stations.

God absolutely amazed us through this process, local news coverage, national news coverage, hundreds of people coming out, anointed speakers, and touched hearts on the board.  To GOD alone be the glory forever!

Safely in Jesus,

Doug & Carla Pruiett & Family

"Tebow Law" in Virginia gaining ground?

The AP had an article yesterday reporting that with Republican control of the senate in the Virginia General Assembly that there will be another effort to pass a so-called "Tebow Law" in Virginia that would allow homeschoolers to participate in public school sports, as they do in 15 other states.  The VHSL is fighting tooth and nail against it.  Here's part of the article from the Virginia Pilot (note the debate in the comments; it was in today's print version of the Daily Progress):

For years, a bill that would open public school sports teams to home-schooled athletes living in their attendance districts has come before the General Assembly and just as often, it floundered, usually before the Senate Education and Health Committee.

But with the Senate under new conservative management with this month's disputed Republican takeover, three bills by Republican House members revive the issue. Sponsors call it the "Tebow Law," named for Tim Tebow, an evangelical former homeschooler who won a Heisman Trophy and led the Gators to a 2008 national title at the University of Florida, then quarterbacked the Denver Broncos into this season's NFL playoffs.

"These people pay taxes that support their public schools. You can't just shut them out from the facilities and activities they're paying for just like everybody else," said Del. Rob Bell, a 44-year-old Albemarle Republican who sponsors one of the bills and is burnishing his conservative credentials for a 2013 race for attorney general.

Florida is among at least 15 states across the country that put no restrictions on home-schooled students who want to play interscholastic sports at public schools in their communities, according a state-by-state summary from the Home School Legal Defense Association. At least 13 states allow home-schooled children conditional or partial opportunities for extracurricular involvement at public schools.

JTR