Dear Fellow Homeschooling Parent

April 21, 2010

The choice you’ve made to take responsibility for the education of your children was not easy. But as Ruth Ann and I found out many years ago, the commitment to homeschool our six kids was one of our best life decisions.

When I first ran for public office seventeen years ago, it was out of a deep concern about the increasingly invasive role of government, and the steady erosion of personal liberties.

It wasn’t too long ago when the idea of parental responsibility in education was not a value respected by most of the political elites. This disconnect couldn’t have been more obvious than in my statewide travels in the 1990’s to fight and defeat “Outcome - Based Education.” We won that battle because of engaged and alert parents like you!

I think you will now agree, that because of the policy changes we have achieved together, the home education movement is now synonymous with excellence and good citizenship. We’ve come a long way, but as many of us have learned, the opponents of home education and school choice are relentless and unyielding. We must remain vigilant.

As a member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, I authored the Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) law, a measure that has allowed tens of thousands of kids to escape failing schools. Beyond that, I supported laws to expand charter schools, and have always defended the rights of parents to make decisions for the education of their children.

I’m running for governor because like no other time in my public service, I feel an enormous sense of urgency to confront the challenges we face. From high taxes, runaway spending, a heavy regulatory burden and persistent threats to life and family, Pennsylvania ’s next chief executive must have a sense of moral purpose and courage.

If you give me the privilege of serving as Pennsylvania ’s next governor, expanding educational freedom will be a top priority. We simply cannot lose an inch of the ground we’ve gained for families.

If you’re able to become involved in my campaign for governor, please sign up today www.SamRohrer.org or email our staff at info@samrohrer.org. I’d be grateful for your help.

Respectfully,

Sam Rohrer
Republican Candidate
for Pennsylvania Governor


Homeschool Supporters: Michael Farris(National Homeschooling Leader) • Jim and Sue Means(Allegheny County) • Howard Richman(Armstrong County) • Bruce and Mary Ann Eagleson(Dauphin County) • Michael and Janet Preston(Erie County) • Susan Geer(Lancaster County) • Larry and Ellen Kramer(Lebanon County) • Steve & Dilonna Coran(Lycoming County) • Laura Paxton(Mercer County) • Terry and Pauline Johns(Montgomery County) • Edward and Connie Reed(Montgomery County) • Diane Gramley(Venango County) • Mark and Maryalice Newborn(Westmoreland County)• Mark and Corie Moore(Dauphin County) • Scott and Lee Ann Burkholder(York County) • Susan Loncar(Lebanon County) ...and the list is growing.

:

Sam Rohrer Endorsed by Homeschool Leader

Sam Rohrer has been representing Bucks County since 1992. That translates as being elected and re-elected nine times, a good job performance approval from his constituents. This comes as no surprise since he has been an outspoken supporter for timeless constitutional principles evidenced by his record. And there can be no more explosive issue today than the protection of time-honored traditions and practice.

Posterity depends on education and is a universal campaign hot topic.

As a home educator by choice and by default - and later by conviction, I owe a debt of gratitude to Sam Rohrer. He is a courageous homeschool father who continues to work hard to protect the rights of parents to teach and train their own God-given charge.

I am pleased that Michael Farris of the Homeschool Legal Defense Association has come out to endorse him for all his efforts.

"As homeschooling parents of six, Sam and Ruth Ann have led by example. Take a closer look at Sam Rohrer’s record on parental rights and education. If you’re a homeschooling parent, the old license place slogan applies – 'You’ve got a friend in Pennsylvania'!”

Join the growing grassroots movement “to energetically support him in every way possible. His election would be a tremendous victory for the cause.”
MikeFarris4SamRohrer

:

David Barton Endorses Sam Rohrer for Governor

“There is no stronger advocate for faith, family, and freedom than Sam Rohrer. Sam Rohrer is a man of deep commitment to his faith and to the Constitution, and I am pleased to endorse him for Governor of Pennsylvania.”~David Barton

David Barton, Founder and President of WallBuilders (a national pro-family organization that presents America’s forgotten history and heroes, with an emphasis on our moral, religious and constitutional heritage)

:

Pennsylvania Needs Sam Rohrer for Governor

The Republican Party Should Stop the Endorsement Practice

I am making a bold statement here but I'm compelled to uphold the sacred right of each voter. Sadly in my ignorance, I was part of the system before I realized the injustice of the practice.

Every election cycle, we have committee members in State and County levels who vet every candidate running for a particular office. Each of these candidates fulfill the legal requirements to be included in the ballot. However, an endorsed candidate who usually is already part of the establishment gets campaign help from the party.

While State and County Republican Committee members are elected (albeit, non-paid) positions, it is not their job to pick our candidates for us. Primary elections are for the people to decide who they want their party to endorse as a candidate; then come election time, those candidates put forth by each party competes for everybody's vote.

Not all patriotic consciencious citizens or super voters (faithful exercisers of their right and responsibility to vote) are aware of this matter. Many better and exemplary candidates have gotten knocked out of the race partly because of this process.

Primary Elections are important. Let me reiterate this by saying that courageous citizens who has stepped up to the plate to challenge bad politicians are unable to justly and fairly compete because right off the bat, they're weeded out of the game. It is a big disservice to us.

True. Any candidate can proceed without party endorsement.

True. There are advantages to the practice, I do not deny that.

However, if we are truly to have a government of the people, by the people, and for the people, no power-holding select group of people should take away the right of the citizenry to be acquainted with anybody and everybody who wants to come forward offering their services to the public.

:

Join CHAP on Facebook

Visit Us on Facebook!Do you have a Facebook account? If so, be sure to join CHAP's Facebook page--and share it with a friend! Network with us! Facebook is a social networking site with user-contributed content. Children should not visit the site without parental supervision.

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Palmyra-PA/CHAP-Christian-Homeschool-Association-of-Pennsylvania/59238074435

Calling All Homeschoolers and Supporters of Homeschooling

It has come to my attention that Representative Dan Moul, 91st district, sent a memo to every PA state representative concerning the introduction of a bill on February 5th. The memo was titled Co-sponsorship of Legislation Homeschool Evaluations. He is looking for co-sponsorship. This bill would essentially remove the requirement that home education programs be evaluated by public school superintendents in order to determine whether students were receiving an appropriate education.

Current law not only requires parents to obtain an evaluation of their program by persons with qualifications prescribed by statute at their own personal expense, it also requires local superintendents to conduct virtually the same evaluation to also determine whether an appropriate education is occurring. The proposed bill would require parents to submit to the local superintendent only the written evaluation and certification from the qualified evaluator that an appropriate education was occurring. The superintendent would be free to focus on their duties related to the public school rather than wasting countless hours re-doing what a qualified evaluator has already done. This bill will be beneficial for taxpayers, our public schools, and homeschoolers. It is costly, unnecessary, and time consuming to review the portfolios twice. Re-reviewing thousands of portfolios every year is not only burdensome for school districts, but also wastes resources that could have been used for our public school students.

I urge you to take a strong stand in support of homeschooling parents in your district and in Pennsylvania by asking your local Representative to co-sponsor this bill and work to enact it. Pennsylvania's laws pertaining to homeschooling are among the strictest in the nation. Easing this one portion of the regulations would show that the Pennsylvania state motto of Virtue, Liberty and Independence is more than just a saying from our forefathers, but also stands as a true testament to the desire of the people to live free of control by others.

To know more, visit:
http://pahomeschool.embarqspace.com