Homeschoolers in Michigan are contending with a legislative attempt to over-regulate them in the aftermath of one person's criminal activity.

A Michigan state representative has introduced legislation that would require homeschooled children to be annually registered with a school and physically inspected twice a year. The legislation followed the deaths of two Detroit children at the hands of an abusive mother who claimed their absence from public school was because she was homeschooling them.

Michael Donnelly, director of international affairs for the Home School Legal Defense Association, says some state lawmakers have tried to politicize the tragedy.

Donnelly

"There are politicians out there ... who don't like the idea of parents educating their children at home – and they look for opportunities to impose regulations. This is one of those situations," he states.

Democratic State Representative Stephanie Chang is sponsoring HB 4498/SB 284, which HSLDA describes as "ill-advised." Donnelly says it's fortunate that most Michigan lawmakers don't appear to be interested in debating Chang's bill.

"We're very glad that ... at least the leadership in the legislature in Michigan has said they're not planning to act on this," he informs OneNewsNow. "But the state Board of Education has passed a resolution in favor of Stephanie Chang's legislation."

The sole opposing vote on the state board was cast by Dr. Richard Zeile, who argued that homeschoolers across the state shouldn't be over-regulated because of a heinous criminal act by one person.

Under current Michigan law, parents report homeschooled children to their local school district on a voluntary basis.