Does HSLDA Really Need Your $105 Each Year?

In a March 8, 2004, New York Times article it was reported, "By 1997, however, most of the association's state battles had been won and its membership growth had slowed to about 12 percent a year. Mr. Farris began looking for a new frontier."

The state [court and legislative] battles had been won and membership growth was still clicking along at a very strong 12% per year. Shouldn't this unit growth, along with less demand for lawyers needed to engage in state court and legislative battles, prompt a reduction in your annual membership fees? Is $50 annually more appropriate?

Jim Ryun is a former Congressman from Kansas. His son Ned Ryun is a past employee of HSLDA. He left there in the summer in 2007. On his way out he wrote, "I think HSLDA members need to ask, 'Is the defense of homeschooling still the priority for HSLDA, or are there other things that are priority? And really, what are membership dues being used for?'"

When was the last time you heard of a major legal issue regarding the legality of home-schooling in your state? This is not referring to a minor scrap with social services, which $1,000 (9 years of HSLDA dues saved up) of legal fees could get most innocent families out of. No, we're referring to a real battle regarding the legality of home-schooling in your state? They are mostly over with. Even so, why couldn't state home-school groups develop a trust account, with professional trustees over-seeing it, to fund legal fees for any such minor scraps or major battles in their state? Membership rights could be established and charged to home-school families in their state.

It strongly appears that HSLDA has become the money engine for a variety of pet projects which Farris chooses to fund, some of which Ned Ryun implies are not consistent with what many HSLDA members think their money is being used for. Remember this the next time HSLDA asks you to renew. Better, if you are now convinced it is time to stop subsidizing Michael Farris' expensive lifestyle and his often misguided political projects, when your renewal comes up send him our new HSLDA payment voucher found here . Better yet, print off several copies and pass them out at your next home-school gathering.