Christian Coalition Targets MHRN
In the last issue of the Christian Coalition's state newsletter, Director Laurie Koutnik wrote an editorial explaining the Christian Coalition's legislative agenda. In the editorial she said, "It is increasingly apparent that a good portion of our legislative efforts this session will focus on opposing the efforts of the Montana Human Rights Network." Koutnik went on to specifically identify the Network's efforts to assure that homosexual Montanans receive equal treatment under the law, which the Christian Coalition opposes.
Koutnik also referenced the Network's continuing concerns that some home schools in Montana fail to provide even a minimum level of education to children. Organizations in the right wing have consistently opposed any effort to assure that home-schooled children are being educated. Montana is one of only two states which provide virtually no review of the quality of home school education.
The Network's concern flowed from work with Floyd Cochran in 1992. Cochran was a former recruiter with the Aryan Nations who left the hate movement and began working with human rights groups. Cochran pointed out to the Network staff that some racist activists are attracted to Montana and Idaho because of lax rules governing home schooling. This was part of the reason Randy Weaver moved from Iowa to Idaho.
Home schooling did not make the Network's top priority list for this year's legislative session (see related article).