SALT LAKE CITY — A throng of parents and students gathered in the Utah Capitol on Wednesday to advocate for the importance of the freedom to homeschool.
But that wasn’t all. Wednesday marked the launch of the Utah Home-education Organizations for Parental Empowerment Coalition, which calls itself UHOPE. The nonprofit advocacy organization was founded by Utah Parents United and the Utah Home Education Association, among others.
“As a homeschooling mom of five, I’ve seen firsthand how powerful and life-changing homeschooling can be,” said Britany Sproul, chairwoman of the UHOPE Coalition and homeschooling mom of eight years. “It’s not just about academic freedom; it’s about empowering parents to create the best environment for their children’s growth.”
Sproul said that she believes UHOPE is necessary as the right to homeschool “is under attack” both nationally and in Utah.
“Proposals like requiring state evaluations, waiting periods or parental qualifications threaten the flexibility that makes homeschooling effective,” Sproul said.
Some of the specifics, she said, include requiring parents to have a GED or high school diploma to homeschool their kids and being “waitlisted” if they decide they want to pull their kids from the public education system.
Utah requires a homeschooling parent to complete and file an affidavit with their local school district stating their intent to homeschool, according to the Utah State Board of Education. Once the affidavit is filed by the parent, the students listed on the affidavit are withdrawn from their public K-12 schools and exempt from Utah’s compulsory education law.
Additionally, the state currently does not mandate records for attendance or curriculum, assessments are not required, and parents or guardians can teach their children without further credentials, such as a GED.
Sproul, a former public education teacher herself, said that the topic of requiring a parent to possess a GED or high school diploma is an interesting one, but she doesn’t see it as necessary.
“Most parents want the best for their kids, and they don’t need a high school diploma to prove that or to help them get the best education for their kids,” Sproul said. “Many homeschool parents never had that background, didn’t have the training, however … everyone has it within themselves to either teach their kids, or they could manage their kids’ education and get good teachers if they don’t feel capable.”
Some Utah politicians certainly agree with Sproul’s sentiments, too. Among them, Utah House Speaker Mike Schultz.
“As we all know, education is not a one-size-fits-all. It’s not. And I think that’s a good thing. We actually should celebrate it,” Schultz said. “Everybody’s unique and has different qualities and learns in different ways.”
Schultz said that the Utah Legislature’s role as lawmakers is to create and support an environment where parental choice is honored, and he vowed to continue working to ensure parents have the tools and freedom to make the best decisions for their children.
Sproul sees UHOPE as a critical cog in Utah to protect the basic notion of a parent’s right to homeschool.
“Everyone can do it in different ways, but that core part we all agree on; we’re all very much united in this. I’m excited and very honored to be able to represent all of those voices,” Sproul said.
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