February 2009  Upcoming Events:
January 31st, PCHEA High School Banquet, Donna Snyder
February 3rd & 5th, PCHEA Field Trips to Braum’s, Melissa Laiming
February 6th, PCHEA Skate Day, 10:30- noon, Ghislaine Washburn
February 10th, Oklahoma Home Educator’s Capitol Day, OCHEC.com
February 10th, Mom’s Night Out, Nancy Schwab
March 6th, PCHEA Skate Day


Leadership Opportunities with PCHEA

At the end of this school year 3 of our current leaders will completing their 2 year commitment.
Fredrick and Jeri Akin: Leaders
Teresa Burnett: Co-leader
Kim VanBebber: Treasurer
These positions can be filled by an individual or couple. If anyone is interested in filling these positions or would like to suggest someone they think would do a good job in one of these positions now is the time to let us know. Our goal would be for the
upcoming leader to work with us as we finish out this year and especially in the planning meeting. This will make the transition easier.

Two years ago PCHEA added a co-leader to help share some of the leader responsibilities. As leader, I have found this to be a great help both as Teresa and I divided up work, but also talked about ideas and concerns. One of the things we have felt would be helpful to the group would be and activities and field trip coordinator.
This person would not be responsible to plan the events, but would further divided the work of the leaders by keeping track of scheduled events and communicating with whoever has signed up to coordinate that event to make sure everything is going
smoothly, to remind them when their event is coming up and when they need to start getting information in the newsletter, send out emails etc. They would also be a resource for anyone who has committed to scheduling an event.  To ease the transition for the new leaders and co-leaders, Teresa and I have agreed to work as the field trip and activity coordinator next year.

If you have any questions as to what is involved in the positions feel free to email or call our current officers.

Leaders: Fredrick and Jeri Akin
Co-leader: Teresa Burnett
Treasurer: Kim VanBebber

note . . . Anyone willing to “step up for election” should submit a
Vision/leadership statements to the newsletter by February 15th. Check your PCHEA Constitution & By Laws for more specific information.

February 6, March 6, April 3
10:30 till noon at Star Skate in Shawnee (Highway 177 and 45th Street)
$5.00 per skater; 6 and under and adult "helpers" skate 2 for 1, Adults watch free
Plan to come! Contact Ghislaine Washburn.

Phys-Ed opportunity
Cyndi Seeley has been in fast negotiation with the wellness center at OBU.
Check with her immediately if your family wants to participate. We plan to begin February 5th (there is paper work to file prior to this - Cost determinate).

From the PCHEA Yahoo group:
“I have some good news! I have been in contact with OBU's wellness center about using their facility for a P.E. group. They are very excited about the opportunity to work with us (PCHEA). . . Our plan is to do this once a week, on Thursdays from 1:00 to
3:00. One hour on the court (for volleyball, P.E. games etc). Then one hour in the pool.  There will be life guards on duty. T here will not be an instructor, so, it's up to us mom's to plan the activities for the kids. . . If you have any questions please feel free to
email me or call me. Cyndi Seeley”


Tuesday, February 10th, 7:00 P.M.
Come to this enjoyable time of visiting and sharing ideas – Bring that special book/article, etc. which has influenced you in your homeschooling endeavor.  We will probably meet at Starbuck’s Coffee, on N. Kickapoo, in Shawnee.
contact : Nancy Schwab

Fifth Annual Legislative Prayer Gathering
Oklahoma State Capitol, Sunday, February 1st
The event will be held on the floor of both the house and senate chambers from 2:00 – 3:00 PM. Participants will be offered the opportunity to actually sit in the chair of their state
representative and/or senator and pray for that office holder (and others) for one hour.  The hope is to have each of the 101 seats in the house chambers as well as each of the 48
seats in the senate chambers occupied with citizens in prayer for that hour. To fulfill this goal, at least 149 participants are needed. Additional seating is available in both the house
and the senate gallery. Participants are encouraged to park on the west side of the capitol and enter the west side of the building through the doors under the green awning. Guides will be
present to provide direction. For more information contact: Dave Mehlhaff at 405-596-7141.

Sponsored by:
Rep. Mike Reynolds, Sen. Jim Reynolds, Prayer Force One, Bott Radio Network, Barnabas Ministries Inc., Reclaim Oklahoma for Christ, Oklahoma Conservative PAC.
The Oklahoma Family Policy Council, www.PrayerMetro.com

Oklahoma Home Educators' Capitol Day
Feb 10, 2009 - State Capitol, Oklahoma City
Program information and registration available at OCHEC.com
To protect the right, granted in the Oklahoma constitution,
of parents to home educate their children; To bring home education to the legislature, demonstrating that it is a viable option for providing an excellent education and that regulation is not necessary; and To build positive relationships with our lawmakers, allowing them to meet and visit with homeschooling families and students.
. . . We cannot over-emphasize the importance that positive, face-to-face communication with legislators has on protecting our liberties. A polite, articulate parent or child can go a long way toward persuading legislators that homeschoolers are worthy of their freedom. You and your family can be an integral part of putting a “face” on home education for our state legislators. This year it is our goal to have Every District Represented. Each year we hear from
legislators that they attended the luncheon but no one was there to meet with them, therefore they get the impression that if it is not important enough for us to attend, then the legislators don't want to waste their time coming to the luncheon. Let's pull out all the stops this year and let our legislators know how important our homeschooling freedoms are to us.

Make your plans now to attend Capitol Day 2009!

PCHEA February ’09 Newsletter
Coordinator Notes:
Many of you are aware that there are 2 Senate bills before the Oklahoma
Legislature that would seriously threaten the homeschooling freedoms we
enjoy in this state. These bills have been introduced and are scheduled for First
Reading on February 2nd.

I have condensed some of the information we have received from HSLDA (Home
School Legal Defense Association), and OCHEC (Oklahoma Christian Home Educations
Consociation). Briefly:
Senate Bill 472, introduced by Senator Mary Easley, would require
homeschoolers to notify school districts of our intent to homeschool and require us to
submit a report of academic progress after each semester. Think about it. This could
lead to having to get permission to homeschool; The school districts determining how
we monitor progress, what is adequate progress, and the list goes on.
Senate Bill 308, introduced by Senator Jim Wilson, would allow local police or
certain public school officials to take temporary custody of any child who was taught at
home. Under both SB 308 and SB 472 whenever a child is away from their home
without an adult present, a police officer or school official could pick them up and
temporarily detain them. Currently under Oklahoma law children who are taught at
home cannot be picked up and detained, they are exempt.
Some of you may remember that in the 2007 legislative session Senator Jim Wilson
introduced a bill that was virtually identical to current Senate Bill 472. That bill,
Senate Bill 375, was successfully defeated by the prayers and hard work of families all
across Oklahoma. By those efforts again, we pray that we will again be able to defeat
these attempts to restrict the freedom of home education in Oklahoma.
First, we all need to pray that these bills are defeated and for
homeschooling freedom here in O.K. and in our country. We need to be
thankful that we are free to homeschool. Years ago sacrifices were made by many
of those who choose to follow the path they believe God had led them and bring their
children home for schooling. Now, homeschooling is legal in all 50 states and Oklahoma
experiences great freedom. We have organizations like HSLDA who actively watch for
legislation that could potentially encroach on parental rights and homeschool freedoms
at the Federal and State level. We also have OCHEC, at the state level, with a
legislative liaison that closely watches what goes on in Oklahoma and works with
HSDLA to keep us informed. We need to thank God for these people, many of which are
volunteers, and ask Him to guide them. We need to remember that much potentially
harmful legislation has been diverted, and helpful legislation has been introduced by
the diligent efforts of homeschoolers like us who have contacted their elected officials
when these bills come up.

NOW, once again, we need to act. I urge you all to make the phone calls suggested
below. I guarantee you they will take less time than it would to comply with the bills
if they pass. If you can only make 2 calls, call the Senators who introduced the bill.
OCHEC is also working against these bills and asks that you contact our legislators
as soon as possible. To view a copy of these bills, go to:
http://webserver1.lsb.state.ok.us/2009-10SB/SB472_int.rtf
http://webserver1.lsb.state.ok.us/2009-10SB/SB308_int.rtf
I have heard that the senators are not getting the large influx of calls opposing these bills.

1. Please call and email Senator Mary Easley, the sponsor of Senate Bill 472,
and give her this message in your own words: "Please remove Senate Bill 472
from consideration by the legislature immediately. Under the Oklahoma constitution a
parent may provide for "other means of education" to their children. Study after study
has shown that children taught at home on average do above average academically. This
bill is an unacceptable infringement of parents' rights to direct their child's education."
When calling Senator Easley's office understand that they will probably be receiving a
lot of calls. Please be courteous but firm in your opposition to Senate Bill 472. Please let
her office know if you live in her district and are one of her constituents (District 18).
Senator Easley is also on the Senate Education Committee.
Senator Mary Easley
Capitol Address: District Address:
2300 North Lincoln Blvd., Room 429 106 S. Cherokee Lane
Oklahoma City, OK 73105 Grand Lake Towne, OK 74349
Phone: (405) 521-5590, E-mail: easley@oksenate.gov

2. Please call and email Senator Jim Wilson, the sponsor of Senate Bill 308,
and give him this message in your own words: "Please remove Senate Bill 308
from consideration by the legislature immediately. Under the Oklahoma constitution a
parent may provide for "other means of education" to their children. This bill is an
unacceptable infringement of parents' rights to direct their child's education and
determine what is in their best interest. Children who are not in violation of the law
should be exempt from being picked up by local officials simply because they are taught
at home."
When calling Senator Wilson's office understand that they will probably be receiving a
lot of calls. Please be courteous but firm in your opposition to Senate Bill 308. Please let
his office know if you live in his district and are one of his constituents (District 3).
Senator Jim Wilson
Capitol Address: District Address:
2300 North Lincoln Blvd., Room 533C 708 W. Shawnee
Oklahoma City, OK 73105 Tahlequah, OK 74464
Phone: (405) 521-5574, E-mail: wilson@oksenate.gov

3. Please call and email the Senate Education Committee members listed
below and give the following message in your own words:
"Please oppose Senate Bill 472 and Senate Bill 308. Under the Oklahoma constitution a
parent may provide for "other means of education" to their children. Study after study
has shown that children taught at home on average do above average academically.
These bills are an unacceptable infringement of parents' rights to direct their child's
education.
Senate Bill 472 will create unnecessary paperwork for public school officials and
parents, wasting time and money.
Both Senate Bills 308 and 472 would violate the child's fundamental 4th Amendment
rights. Many children 16 and older who are taught at home attend educational activities
outside of the home with the consent and under the direction of their parent."
If you find that your State Senator is on the Senate Education Committee please let
him or her know that you are a constituent. You can find a list of the Senate organized
by district here: http://www.oksenate.gov/Senators/directorybydistrict.htm .
Senate Education Committee Members:
Senator John W. Ford (R)- Chair (Has called to report his opposition to both
SB308 and SB472, There is no further need to contact him.)
Senator Clark Jolley (R)- Vice Chair
Phone: (405) 521-5622
Email: jolley@oksenate.gov
Senator Cliff Branan (R)
Phone: (405) 521-5543, Phone: (405) 521-5602
Email: branan@oksenate.gov
Senator Bill Brown (R)
Email: brownb@oksenate.gov
Senator Kenneth Corn (D)
Phone: (405) 521-5576
Email: cochran@oksenate.gov
Senator Judy Eason McIntyre (D)
Phone: (405) 521-5598
Email: easonmcintyre@oksenate.gov
Senator Jay Paul Gumm (D)
Phone: (405) 521-5586 and local (580) 924-4717
Email: gumm@oksenate.gov
Senator Jim Halligan (R)
Phone: (405) 521-5572, Email: halligan@oksenate.gov
Senator Richard C. Lerblance (D)
Phone: (405) 521-5604 and local (918) 297-2501
Email: lerblance@oksenate.gov
Senator Mike Mazzei (R) (Has called to report his opposition to both
SB308 and SB472. There is no further need to contact him.)
Senator Susan Paddack (D)
Phone: (405) 521-5541
Email: paddack@oksenate.gov
Senator Jim Reynolds (R)
Phone: (405) 521-5522
Email: reynolds@oksenate.gov
Senator John Sparks (D)
Phone: (405) 521-5553
Email sparks@oksenate.gov
Senator Gary Stanislawski (R)
Phone: (405) 521-5624
Email: stanislawski@oksenate.gov

Other ways we can be proactive in retaining our homeschooling freedom:
Plan on attending the Oklahoma Home Educators' Capitol Day on February 10th. This
will provide you with a great opportunity to impact these bills, to get to meet your
legislator(s) and to create a positive impression for home education. For more
information on the upcoming Capitol Day go to:
http://www.ochec.com/Categories.aspx?Category=5c4ab515-3abc-448b-9362-ae17f4ab7091 .

Join HSLDA. They would provide legal representation should your homeschool ever be
investigated and they also help fight for greater parental rights and homeschool
freedom in Oklahoma and nationally. http://www.hslda.org/join/apply.asp .
We can pray for and work on electing godly people who will desire to protect our
freedoms and rights as parents. Train up our children concerning government and
parental rights. Some great helps in this area are the Future Statesman classes offered
by OCHEC on Capitol Day and training offered by Teen Pact http://www.teenpact.com.

Remember, “All it takes for evil to prosper is for good men to do nothing.” and act, but
do not despair, for we serve a mighty God who is greater than all these concerns.
Grace to you and Peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Jeri Akin