Posted on 11/11/2008 2:51:52 PM PST by Sopater
The Smiths (named changed to protect privacy), an HSLDA member family in Miami, received an unexpected note on their front door from a social worker asking them to call the number on an attached business card. Little did they know, this was the beginning a nightmare they would not soon forget.
The father, a doctor, telephoned as requested. The social worker to whom he spoke asked to meet the family. Dr. Smith requested that the meeting be at a neutral site at a time that would minimize interruptions in his busy work schedule at a medical clinic. The social worker refused, and declared she would arrive at the Smith home the next morning to “enter the home and interview the children.”
Dr. Smith then asked what the allegations were. The social worker refused to answer, but indicated she knew the family homeschooled. Sure enough, when the social worker showed up at the Smiths’ doorstep the next morning, she again refused to explain what the allegations against the family were. This clearly violated federal law, which states that social workers must reveal allegations at the initial time of contact.
The social worker also did not have a search warrant, so Mrs. Smith initially refused to let her enter the family home. This prompted the social worker to call for two police officers.
With this intimidation, Mrs. Smith allowed the social worker to start talking to the children on the front porch. During the first interview, the social worker went so far as to lift up the shirt of the Smiths’ 9-year-old daughter, which greatly embarrassed the girl. Later, the family learned that the allegations had nothing to do with their 9-year-old.
At this point, Mrs. Smith called HSLDA, desperate for help.
Senior Counsel Chris Klicka took the call and asked that the phone be handed to the social worker. The social worker refused to talk with Klicka, so Klicka told Mrs. Smith to put him on speaker phone. Klicka then explained to the social worker how she was violating federal law by refusing to tell the family the allegations against them. Skeptical, the social worker went to her car to call her supervisor and ask if she really had to tell the family the allegations. At least she was out of the house.
Of course, Klicka was right, and the social worker grudgingly went back to the house to explain to Mrs. Smith that the allegation was from an anonymous tip concerning a situation from eight months earlier!
Soon after this, Dr. Smith arrived home, and both parents explained to the social worker that the allegations were mostly false. At the advice of Klicka, the Smiths gave the social worker names and phone numbers of their daughter’s medical doctors who have been treating her for depression. They explained to the social worker that the daughter’s fragile condition was being treated regularly in therapy. They explained that the traumatizing visit from the social worker would make their daughter's condition that much worse.
Klicka then explained to the social worker that the family would be standing on their Fourth Amendment right to not allow the social worker to enter their home or talk with the children individually. While the police officer agreed to an interview with the children in the parents’ presence in the family’s driveway, the social worker refused. The social worker treated the situation like an emergency, even when she knew the situation was eight months old and the daughter was under medical care.
To make matters worse, the social worker had one of the police officers move toward Dr. Smith, and she told the officer to handcuff him so she could remove his children from the home.
After being threatened to this extreme, the family felt they had no choice but to let the social worker into their home to interview the children, who were now crying and wailing. During the interview, the social worker would not let the witness the family provided be present. She also proceeded to lift the shirts and clothing of each child, even those whom the allegations did not concern.
The social worker found nothing—but said still she wanted the family to “undergo a formal psycho-social assessment.”
When the Smiths asked “Why?” the social worker replied, “This is done in all investigations with homeschooled children!”
Needless to say, the Smiths declined the assessments, and relied on HSLDA to take care of the rest.
Klicka sent the social worker a letter outlining all the ways in which she had broken the law:
Klicka explained that the case should be closed immediately, as there was no evidence against the family. He also explained that the daughter’s issues with depression were being handled adequately by medical experts and psychologists familiar with the situation.
The family has not been hassled by this social worker since, and the case is closed. HSLDA is considering a civil rights suit.
HSLDA Social Services Contact Policy
We desire to advise our members in every contact with a social worker and/or police officer in investigations resulting from allegations of abuse or neglect. If homeschooling is an issue, we will represent our member families until the issue is resolved. On Fourth Amendment unreasonable search and seizure issues, HSLDA will advise our members whenever the privacy of their home is violated by forced or coerced entry for the purpose of an unsubstantiated investigation. HSLDA membership benefits do not extend to court actions resulting from non-homeschooling matters. However, in circumstances where there is a clear violation of the Fourth Amendment, HSLDA may, as we have done in the past, choose to take the case in an effort to establish legal precedent.
Welcome to Obamamation.
Let’s take the assumption of social worker’s everywhere (that the state has to screen every family for possible defects before it is allowed to go on being a family) for granted, just this one time. Do they really think they can tighten every loose cog in the social machine? Are they really that megalomaniacal?
no kidding!
Is the social worker a lesbian?
I'm being serious.
Nanny State, Home School, School, Moral Absolutes, ping
fyi
1. Have your lawyer return the call.
2. Leave your house for vacation before call is returned.
3. Any interview would be videotaped, at lawyers office.
Social workers are among the most depressed people I know. When reality finally hits them, it hits them hard. Many have invested their careers and their lives in an illusion
Home school dad here. The yearly HSLDA check is one that I never mind writing. Money well spent!
having grown up in social services though foster care I can honestly say that social workers do not have a clue what is best for the children.
I know of one kid who killed himself because of their ignorance and because of them wanting to put a child into a home with homosexuality going on.
I my self was physically abused and had to say ion that home due to social workers not wanting to do more paper work
I know of many other cases and I cannot stand them.
This was a blatant intent of harassment. They know parents are getting sick and tired of liberal agenda being pushed on children and they know more parents are getting their children out of useless teachers with liberal agenda.s.
So in Ca they tried to get a law making home schooling illegal. Social workers are trying to intimidate parents into not taking their child out of the public school system so they are not brainwashed.
I am sure more of this will happen under our dictator and his new flag
I’m a homeschool dad as well, and we just opted for the lifetime membership this year. Money well spent even if we never need their help.
This was going on when I started homeschooling years ago. Welcome to the world of overzealous social workers.
Probably eighty percent of social workers are nothing but a plague on society.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.