Press Release From Action for Home Education

MEDIA INFORMATION FROM ACTION FOR HOME EDUCATION (AHEd)
(For immediate release, Monday 8 January 2007 )

AHEd WELCOMES BLAIR'S SUPPORT FOR PARENTAL CHOICE IN EDUCATION

Newly formed home education action group AHEd has welcomed the Prime Minister's unequivocal backing of the decision by his Minister for Women and Equality, Ruth Kelly to send one of her children to a private school where she believes his special educational needs will best be met.

Commenting on the controversy, AHEd Chair Barbara Stark said:

"Action for Home Education applauds the Prime Minister's comments reaffirming all parents' absolute right to 'make choices about their children's education which are best suited to their children's needs irrespective of who their parents are or what job they do. As home educators, we agree with the Prime Minister on this. Indeed, we have been making this point for decades.

"In the light of such unequivocal support from the Prime Minister, we suggest and expect that the proposed consultation on monitoring of elective home education will be scrapped. The money saved should be spent getting all Local Authorities to act within the perfectly adequate laws that already exist and in making it known that home education is as valid an option as school for ALL parents and children, 'regardless of who they are or what job they do'."

ENDS

For further information contact Barbara Stark at enquireahed@googlemail.com

NOTES FOR EDITORS
[1] ".... the Prime Minister supported absolutely the right of parents to make choices about their children's education which are best suited to those children's needs, irrespective of who their
parents were and what job they did." Morning press briefing from 8 January 2007


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(And below, a letter for MPs, DfES, anyone else you can think of).

Dear Sir/Madam

We read with interest today the Prime Minister's comments reaffirming all parents' absolute right to "make choices about their children's education which are best suited to their children's needs irrespective of who their parents are or what job they do". [1]

As home educators, we agree with the Prime Minister on this. Indeed, we have been making this point for decades.

In the light of such unequivocal support from the Prime Minister, we suggest and expect that the proposed consultation on monitoring of elective home education will be scrapped. The money saved should be spent getting all Local Authorities to act within the perfectly adequate laws that already exist and in making it known that home education is as valid an option as school for ALL parents and children, "regardless of who they are or what job they do".



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Source:

[1] "Secondly, the Prime Minister supported absolutely the right of parents to make choices about their children's education which are best suited to those children's needs, irrespective of who their parents were and what job they did."

Morning press briefing from 8 January 2007 at: http://www.number10.gov.uk/output/Page10699.asp