December MICHN Moment- A word from our President

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Dear friends,

In 2022, we continued to see more and more Michigan parents choosing to homeschool. It has been such an encouragement! Our hope and prayer is that families will experience the blessing of private home education and family discipleship. We see evidence of that happening and praise God for it! 

As the numbers increase, so does the need for support.

As an all-volunteer, nonprofit ministry our mission remains to serve the Lord Jesus Christ by equipping families to biblically disciple the next generation through home education, and by protecting and advancing private homeschool freedoms in Michigan for all.

We believe that parents have the right and the responsibility to teach and train their children as they see fit. MICHN works year-round to protect the freedoms of all homeschoolers in Michigan.

We believe that parents are the most qualified to educate their children well. MICHN provides events, services, and resources to support families on their homeschool journey and help them succeed.

We believe that independent homeschooling is the best educational model for families academically, socially, and spiritually. MICHN encourages family discipleship, helping parents raise up children for the Lord.

We believe that your children do not belong to the state. The Lord has entrusted them to you and will equip you for the task. Through the Lord’ s provision and the generosity of families like yours, MICHN helps parents thrive on their homeschool journey.

Friends, as important as home education and family discipleship are, we cannot take our homeschool freedoms for granted! In many ways, homeschooling is now more vulnerable than ever.

  • The surge of homeschool popularity, while exciting, invites scrutiny and potential regulations.
  • Introduction of bills and initiatives could threaten homeschool freedoms, whether directly or indirectly.
  • Homeschool misinformation online leaves parents ill-informed and open to unintended consequences.
  • Unauthorized and sometimes illegal requirements—to the point of harassment—are sometimes imposed on homeschool parents by education officials.
  • A false sense of security in the homeschool community can lead to complacency and a lack of understanding about the current and potential threats to homeschool freedom.

Because of the generous support of families like yours, MICHN tackles many of these issues year-round by providing accurate information and proactively guarding against any attempts to curtail our homeschool freedom. It is imperative that we continue that work into the new year!

A full legislative session will be held in Michigan during 2023 and there is great need for vigilance in monitoring proposed legislation, meeting with legislators, and possibly providing testimony during hearings to protect and advance Michigan's precious homeschool freedoms. 

Your donations are needed to help provide the necessary resources for these important efforts. In addition to financial support, you may be asked to contact your state legislators regarding proposed legislation. When MICHN gives the “call to action,” YOUR VOICE MATTERS! Strength in numbers makes a difference!

As you consider year-end giving opportunities, will you prayerfully consider partnering with us to safeguard our freedoms by making a generous contribution of $50, $100, $250, $500—or any amount you are able?

Homeschooling has come a long way in Michigan. Together, by God’s grace, we can ensure that our cherished freedoms will last for future generations.

“And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19 ESV).

We, at MICHN, pray you have a blessed celebration of Christ's birth and a safe, enjoyable New Year.

Mike Winter
MICHN President
for the entire MICHN Board

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  • Mike Kanitz

    Mike Kanitz

    What is the possibility of making a presentation to Homeschool groups regarding anti-indoctrination for learners? I have nothing to sell but a study script to share.

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📠🔔Legislative Update: Report From the Capitol📓✒
Report From the Capitol: Our legislative team attended the House Education Committee meeting this morning. Dr. Michael Rice (Michigan's Superintendent of Public Instruction) met with the committee. He is the one who has been pushing for mandatory registration of homeschoolers the past couple of years. We wanted to be present to see what is being suggested and give you an immediate heads-up! Fortunately, home education was not mentioned once during this meeting. However, it did give a window into some of their agenda. Dr. Rice would like all students to be REQUIRED to begin their formal education by age 4. This sentiment has been previously proposed by Governor Whitmer, and we will be on the lookout for this in Governor Whitmer's budget proposal that should be released soon. Changing the compulsory age for Michigan children is apparently the solution they are coming up with in lieu of the 3rd grade reading law we currently have. During the meeting, it was made clear that we currently have a situation where teachers are needing to be "coached" by professionals on how to teach literacy to their students. We taxpayers are paying for these "literacy coaches." There is, allegedly, not enough funding for this program and not enough "coaches" available. Our big takeaways from the meeting: Mr. Rice wants to require education to begin at age 4. This would change the compulsory age in Michigan from 6 years old to 4 years old. Michigan's public educators truly are not prepared for their professions upon graduation. More money and more government oversight always solves the problems, from their perspective. We are pleased that home education was not specifically mentioned during this meeting. We were also able to have conversations with new House Education Committee members, some of whom appear to be promising allies of home education and would help to push back if negative legislation is introduced in the future. We plan to continue to follow up on and nurture these relationships with new legislators on the education committee (as we have done since 1984). While MiCHN is a volunteer organization made up of concerned homeschooling parents just like you, we believe there is strength in numbers and there is cost involved in maintaining the presence we have had in the legislature for almost four decades, and keeping homeschoolers in the state networked and informed. If you would like to help protect and preserve homeschooling freedoms here in Michigan, please consider supporting our work through donations (we are a tax-exempt, 501-c-3 non-profit organization) and through annual memberships. **It is important you understand we can not act on a bill, unless one is introduced. At this time, there has been NO BILL introduced in committees nor the chambers that would stipulate more regulations on homeschoolers. With that in mind, MICHN would encourage you to prayerfully consider what you can do TODAY: Write a letter introducing yourself and your family. In the letter thank them for all their hard work and service to the people of Michigan. Tell them you are praying for them, ask them if they have any specific prayer requests they would like to share with you-be it work or family related. If they share a request-be sure to follow up with a 'Thinking of You Note' and see how they are doing. Pray for our elected officials. Considering using a resource like pray1tim2.org. Visit them in their local district office or in Lansing. Many legislators set aside certain times in their districts to meet with their constituents. Consider blessing them by taking a delicious treat with you or leaving a small gift like special "made in Michigan" food or decorative item. Send cards of encouragement throughout the year. Birthdays (usually posted on their website), 4th of July, Thanksgiving, and Christmas are all great opportunities to thank them for their service. Consider including a family picture and hand-drawn pictures or notes from your children to make it more personal. Invite them to homeschooling events in your area-picnics, programs, graduations, concerts, etc. Consider volunteering in their office or on their campaign. If you have confidence in what they stand for, offer your time to help: homeschoolers can assist with mailings, phone calls, placing yard signs, distributing literature door-to-door, marching in local parades, etc. -Your MiCHN Legislative Team