In this issue:
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I would like to wish one and all a blessed and prosperous 2000.
OK, so it is a bit late, but since this is the first newsletter of the new millenium it is my earliest opportunity to do so. And for those who still have not noticed: The World Did NOT End! Wow! Who would have thought? After months and months of all the Y2K turmoil Nothing happened! Of course most of us knew the whole thing was mostly media hype, but isn't it nice finally to be able to watch the news without hearing the dire predictions of computers crashing, power failing, and overall chaos? I must say, January is one of the best months a home schooling parent can have. It is the month when we don't read the Back to School Specials ads, we don't wear our feet and pockets out buying long lists of essential bits and pieces that somehow make learning possible, and we don't lament with our neighbors over the high cost of school uniforms and the fact that Johnny has already outgrown his brand new Toughees bought only last January. In fact, January is the month everybody has left our favorite holiday resort to get their kids back to school, so we can have our holiday in peace and quiet. Annual General Meeting. Are you worried about your child's tertiary education and choice of career? Then make sure you attend our annual general meeting that is scheduled for Saturday the 26th of February at 14:00. You may remember that the initial date published for this meeting was the 19th. Unfortunately we could not get the hall for that date. We apologize for any inconvenience caused by this! |
Our guest speaker will be Mr. Aldrin Links of the Centre for Student Counselling and Development at the University of Stellenbosch. He is an experienced career guidance councellor and will speak about choosing the right career, choosing the appropriate school subjects, and the role his department can play in helping your child to make the right choices. Be sure to bring all those questions you were always too afraid to ask!
Leendert van Oostrum of the Pestalozzi Trust will give a report on the current situation on the law and the new national policy, and then there will be the usual business of choosing a new executive committee. If you want to be part of the committee or know of someone who does, please let us know!
| Date: | Saturday 26 February 2000 |
| Time: | 14:00 |
| Venue: | Norton Hall, Marsh Memorial Homes (Map) |
| Entrance fee: | Members:Free, Non members: R30 per family |
New national policy published.
The new policy for registration of learners for education at home was published in the Government gazette on 23 November 1999. According to this policy, home schooling families who do not register have to be prosecuted. Last Sunday's Sunday Times reported the Gauteng porvincial minister of education addressing a meeting in Soweto on Saturday - under the heading "Bad parents warned". During the meeting, he stressed that parents who do not send their chidren to school would now be prosecuted.
Hannah K received a visit from two senior officials of the Gauteng Education Department on the first of February. They had come "to check if her son is at school". Hannah informed them that he was not at school, and that she did not intend to send him to one. Dr Schoeman from the GED told Hannah that she (Dr Schoeman) had no choice but to "have a warrant of arrest issued" against Hannah.
The next day a reporter and two detectives arrived at her home. Apparently the detectives had no plans to arrest her but they told her that a criminal investigation was being conducted against her. Fortunately, the Pestalozzi Trust lawyer was available on the telephone to speak to the detectives.
Comments by Leendert van Oostrum:
It has been evident since March last year, that Hannah K. was targeted as a test case for home school prosecutions in Gauteng. The events of this day tend to support this. It seems that education departments make a habit of targeting the weak and vulnerable families first.
It has been clear for some time, also, that the Gauteng Education Department believe that the decision on whether or not someone is arrested lies with them. They must have been very disappointed to find that, without a court order, such a decision is at the discretion of the police.
Evidently Beeld had been tipped off, most probably by the education authorities. Considering the speech by Isaacs in Soweto last Saturday, the surprising attention given to Hannah by Beeld today supports the impression that Hannah K. had been set up for a high profile action against home schoolers.
I wonder how it came about hat the first case as serious as this should, from all the places in the country, happen a few streets from where I live?
Visit the Pestalozzi Trust website now!
The Happy Home Schoolers Network: Phone Juliette @ 6899695
If you would like to meet with other home schooling families to share your joys, aches, frustrations and solutions then you have to get connected to the Happy Home Schoolers Network! It is a support group for home schoolers by homeschoolers like yourself, and they do the most amazing things. Their short term program looks something like this:
| 19th of February | Meeting |
| 10th of March: | Visit to the Koeberg power station (for ten year and older kids) |
| 7th of April: | Visit to Kleinplasie, Worcester |
| 7-8 April: | Family Camp, McGregor |
Upcoming events still to be finalised: Butterfly Farm in May, Chocolate Factory in June, Soundroom of the Baxter in July or August, Kirstenbosch in September and so forth. So, pick up the phone and contact Juliette, she will give you more detailed information.
Juliette is organising a talk by an internationally renowned Christian therapist on "Brain Rewiring: Neuro cognitive reconstructive therapy. A lasting breakthrough that will help change the destiny of your child". If your child has a learning difficulty or disability, then please phone her at the same number .
E-POS ADRESLYS
Ons wil graag hê dat soveel moontlik belangstellendes ons E-BRIEF ontvang. Indien u weet van iemand wat dalk sal belangstel, pos asb vir ons sy/haar e-pos adres na wlouw@global.co.za.