Billi-Jean: Susan identified the organization in her comment.

In general: Thanks for all the trackbacks and passing along other jurisdictions where similar things have or are occurring.

What is disturbing is reading the same common links and problems about TO.
In Illinois, a few years back, a backroom deal was made with a regional office of education bully supt; Dennison. And when the first deal came to light, they had to face some music. The IL Leader doesn’t exist anymore but here is the quote from November 2002:
Dennison and Klicka agreed last week that if any family in Dennison’s jurisdiction of Bureau, Stark and Henry counties would become members of the legal defense group, HSLDA will become an agent providing what Dennison wants: “burden of proof” that they are, indeed, obeying the compulsory attendance law by having their children “attend school” from ages 7 to 16.
Carol Severson, home schooling mother in the area and Home School Coordinator for Eagle Forum of Illinois is not happy with the arrangement.
“While this may be a good arrangement for the families directly involved in this problem, what will happen to the other families throughout the state who aren’t members of HSLDA?” Severson asked today. “What will happen when Dennison tells his colleagues in the regional superintendents network what he was able to arrange?”

4 days later came the ‘denial’:
Contrary to a news report published after WND’s story, the Homeschool Legal Defense Association, or HSLDA, has not worked out a “deal” with Dennison regarding families who are members of the Virginia-based group.
HSLDA senior counsel Chris Klicka believes, however, that Dennison will not press the cases of the five families who are members of his group. The HSLDA also has made an exception to its policy, Klicka said, and will allow any of the other families under scrutiny to join. Normally, a family must be a member before it runs into problems with authorities in order to receive the group’s legal assistance.
Now which person could we believe is telling the truth? A local homeschooler in the middle of that horrid mess or Chris Klicka, who is “allow”ing others to join? What a deal!
And Carol Severson’s prediction about the fallout across the state was dead on. Unfortunately. HoDA, it is.

Very interesting post. Here in BC, we’re still enjoying legislated authority to homeschool as we wish. However, many homeschoolers were lured into ‘distance ed’ programs where they get $ for resources etc & now the requirements for reporting etc in those programs are tightening.

Our provincial hs organization is watching carefully to make sure that the right to really homeschool in the hands-off option is protected.

Ron draws an interesting parallel between HSLDA and government in the post Civil War era. One of the results of……