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Freedom for Children to Grow |
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The Law Relating to
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Visit to MPs SurgeryEurope doesn't like anomaliesNick Clegg is the MP for Sheffield Hallam and by all accounts a riding star of the Liberal Democrats. Some of the wealthiest parts of Sheffield are in his constituency.At 9.00 am we were in his surgery awaiting his arrival and chatting to a local councillor about home education. Funding for 14-16 year old places at local colleges is to end, and Carole a local home educating parent had contacted her MP to make her views on this known. Carole quoted the European Convention on Human Rights, Ist (Paris ) Protocol, Article 2 which says in principle that parents should be free to choose the place and content of their children's education. [Read full quote] We expected to have 5 to 10 minutes and had honed down the points we thought we could make in the time allowed. In the event we had over half an hour and covered a whole multitude of issues. The MP asked some good questions and listened carefully to our answers. His enquiry about at what age children had to be registered to be home educated reminded me what a lot of work we need to do to bring the people making the laws up to speed about present legislation. We left heartened by the meeting and with an undertaking by the MP to contact the Secretary of State about our concerns. Parting shot, from a former MEP, " You are an anomaly and Europe doesn't like anomalies". Which is a shame because I'm sure lots of famous, gifted people who helped push back the frontiers of human endeavours of all kinds were also anomalies. Don't be afraid to visit your MP's surgery. MPs are in Parliament to represent the views of the people in their constituency. Make an appointment, take a little written material with details of what you are concerned about to give to them. Think about the point you want to make and offer to send further information later if you are not sure of the answer to questions your MP asks
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