Pastor Gary Cox began advocating for Maryland families in Annapolis in the 1980s. FHM has maintained positive, working relationships with Maryland legislators and officials, and Gary has frequently been invited by the Maryland State Department of Education as a stake holder to provide input on home education regulations. 

FHM exists to answer the Biblical call to defend the family from any onslaught against the sole authority and right of parent to direct their children's education and instruction according to the dictates of their own faith and conscience.

"Be it therefore...enacted...that no person or persons whatsoever within this province...professing to believe in Jesus Christ shall henceforth be any ways troubled, molested (or disapproved of) in respect of his or her religion nor in the free exercise thereof..."

The Maryland Toleration Act, April 21, 1649

FHM monitors Legislation from the Maryland General Assembly in Annapolis; over the past 43 years, we have monitored over 100,000 bills (MD Senate and House Bills).

FHM monitors Maryland Administrative Regulations, which have the force of law. These are published monthly and if adopted become part of the COMAR (Code of Maryland Regulations).

FHM tracks state court cases which may have an impact on home education in Maryland.

FHM advises legislators and government officials through written and in person communication concerning issues affecting Maryland families, churches and private schools.

In a cooperative venture with WCFS, a Maryland-based homeschool academy, FHM oversees legislative internships for junior and senior high school students. We also hold an annual student legislative day in Annapolis which includes tours of the Capitol, stetting in on committee meetings, and reviewing bills. 

FHM provides general and specific information regarding Maryland homeschool legal freedoms through the periodic updates via email and social media. FHM liaisons with Maryland Association of Christian Home Educators (MACHE), and Home School Legal Defense Association. (HSLDA)

FHM staff seek to honor the command of 1 Timothy 2:1 "to pray for kings and all who are in authority that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life."

The Maryland Board of Education approved WCFS Superintendent Gary Cox’s homeschool program as a prototype for Maryland law and COMAR regulation regarding home instruction. 

FHM successfully amended the Mandatory Kindergarten for 5 Year Olds law to allow parents to opt out their children until age 6 if they believed their child was not ready for formal school.

Over a three year period, FHM successfully fought attempts by Maryland Human Health and Resources Administration to outlaw corporal punishment on private school campuses.

In 1994 FHM successfully stopped regulation to increase registration requirements for homeschooling.

FHM amended legislation to raise the compulsory school age from 16 to 18 by securing early graduation rights for homeschool students under 18.

In 1998 FHM worked alongside HSLDA to defeat President Bill Clinton's Federal Testing initiative. 

FHM helped gather 57,000 signatures to stop the anti-family "Anti-Discrimination Act"

FHM aided in the defeat of legislation which would have established "sexual orientation" as a religious belief-type and put a person in jail for up to 3 years for "forceful intimidation" of homosexuals inside a church building.

FHM helped to defeat HB 1798, legislation that would have mandated home visits for Maryland homeschooling families.