Posted on 03/13/2009 8:15:42 AM PDT by Between the Lines
RALEIGH -- Home-school groups and conservatives across the country are infuriated by a Wake County judge's declaration that he will make a North Raleigh mother stop teaching her children at home and send them to public schools.
As part of a continuing divorce case, Wake District Court Judge Ned Mangum said last Friday that it would be in the "best interests" of Venessa Mills' three children to go to public school this fall.
Mangum said at the hearing that while the children are "thriving," they need to be exposed to the "real world."
"It will do them a great benefit to be in the public schools, and they will challenge some of the ideas that you've taught them, and they could learn from that and make them stronger," Mangum told Mills at last week's court hearing.
Mills said Thursday that she will appeal the order, saying that her children, ages 12, 11 and 10, are doing well academically. She said two of her children are learning two grades above grade level and the other is at grade level.
"I couldn't believe how he overlooked all the facts to legislate from the bench," Mills said.
Mangum's ruling and the reasons he gave ignited Web sites after the comments were reported Wednesday on WorldNetDaily, a conservative news Web site. An organized campaign is calling for Mangum to be removed from the case or for the judge to change his mind.
District court officials said they had received more than 25 complaint calls Thursday. Other Wake court offices also received calls about the decision.
Hal Young, a member of the board of Johnston County Home Educators, a support group for home-school parents, said it is upsetting that a judge can so radically alter a family's lifestyle.
"It's like the judge not only told them to change schools but to move to the West Coast," Young said. "They're losing everything they know."
Mangum was skewered online.
"If his idea of socialization includes the need to challenge the Christian ideas their mother has taught them, then he not only interferes with her natural right to raise up her children, he tramples on one of the most important elements of the free exercise of religion," wrote Alan Keyes, a frequent Republican presidential candidate, in a column that appeared on his Web site Thursday.
Mangum declined to comment Thursday, saying he couldn't speak until he issued a formal written order.
It started with a split
The court case began in October when Venessa Mills filed for divorce against her husband, Thomas.
Thomas Mills raised concerns in court documents that the children would be sheltered and not ready to socialize with their peers if they continued being home-schooled. They had attended public schools before Venessa Mills began home-schooling them in July 2005.
Mangum agreed with Thomas Mills at last week's hearing.
"I do think that in the interests of the children being well-rounded that public school will be a great option for them," Mangum said during the court hearing.
Venessa Mills said in court papers that her children interact with other kids at home-school activities. She repeatedly stressed their academic success.
"These kids are doing well," she said Thursday. "That's why it's such an injustice. It was an injustice for the kids."
Venessa Mills and her supporters also counter that Thomas was a bad parent who committed adultery. In an affidavit, Thomas Mills admits to having an affair.
"He wants to bring attention to home schooling to put less attention on his adulterous affair," said Robyn Williams, a friend of Venessa's who set up a Web site, www.hsinjustice.com to publicize the case.
Thomas Mills could not be reached for comment. His attorney, Jaye Meyer, declined to comment.
Cult accusations
During the case, accusations have been hurled about Venessa's involvement in the Sound Doctrine Church, which encourages its followers not to celebrate birthdays and holidays. Thomas Mills accused his wife of being in a cult, which she denied.
Venessa's father, Dan Lewis, filed an affidavit on behalf of Thomas saying he was concerned about his daughter's involvement in the church. Venessa said she was hurt by the accusations.
Because of the accusations, Mangum ordered Venessa to undergo a mental health evaluation.
Despite the outcry, Ian Slatter, a spokesman for the Home School Legal Defense Association, a Virginia-based group that backs home-school parents, say these kinds of custody cases are more common than people realize.
"It's a tragedy of divorce, but we don't see any broad implications," Slatter said.
Fight that STUPIDA**ED ORDER.
YO, ACLU ... seeing that the NAZI’s aren’t marching somewhere, here’s a good SUBSTITUTE CASE FOR YOU
Yea right.. those marxists wouldn’t touch this one that’s for sure.
“Mangum said at the hearing that while the children are “thriving,” they need to be exposed to the “real world.”
Spoken like a true fascist in a black robe.
This could become a precedent from which grow even more corrupt rulings.
“...and they will challenge some of the ideas that you’ve taught them,”
They must be indoctrinated by the State where the kids may (based on other educrats including Al Gore) with high pressure statements like “your parents don’t know everything”, “your parents are wrong” (which undermines ALL parental authority in the home), and “your parents grew up in an era of racism and cling to old ideas”.
Yea! Like the one idiot judges inhabit!
He’s being upfront that her kids are hereby sentenced to government re-education centers.
PARENTS have the PRIMARY right to educated their children. Period!
why not?
she has nothing to lose, but lots to gain.
the idea that governments should control education is wrong.
Ummm...seems like the kids have already been exposed as the judge wants. They've had more social exposure than home schooling by a factor of 4.
And BTW...the dad's an asshat for even bringing this issue up in the first place. Obviously he and his shyster felt this would be a good weapon against the mom.
There are a number of faiths recognized in America that discourage celebration of non-religious holidays and birthdays. Islam is among them. Jehovah's Witnesses as well.
**He’s being upfront that her kids are hereby sentenced to government re-education centers.**
That’s DOUBLEPLUSGOOD!!!
Room 101 for the whole lot of them.
By similar logic, it might be in the best interest of Wake District Court Judge Ned Mangum to serve a year in jail.
The “As part of a continuing divorce case” part troubles me...
I would need to know more details.
District Court Judges (919) 792-4800
Move along. The kids’ father should have no opinion on how his children are raised, nor should his opinion matter in court.
For your lists.
Mom will fight order against home schooling
Sound Doctrine Church, which encourages its followers not to celebrate birthdays and holidays. Thomas Mills accused his wife of being in a cult, which she denied.
There are a number of faiths recognized in America that discourage celebration of non-religious holidays and birthdays. Islam is among them. Jehovah’s Witnesses as well.
Doesn’t Obama support this practice? Speaking of that, when was the last time he went to church?
Major dittos!
The children are thriving,
but they are not being properly indoctrinated.
THAT’S the problem.
Crap like this will lead to another “shot heard round the world”.
>>Mangum said at the hearing that while the children are “thriving,” they need to be exposed to the “real world.” <<
Gee, I can think of a few places in Somalia that are pretty “real”.
What a turd. I really have almost no respect for the “authrity” figures in this country.
It is worse than crap - it is tyrrany from a feudal lord imposing his will for no reason other than he disagrees with the parent.
Yeah thats what they need. Idiot, exposure to your “real world” is the problem.
Since when do these philosophers in dresses get to play God with our children? Leave our children (who are NOT being harmed) alone you over-litigious jackasses!
Translation: "Your kids don't need an education, they need a re-education."
>>...and they will challenge some of the ideas that you’ve taught them, and they could learn from that and make them stronger,” Mangum told Mills at last week’s court hearing. <<
Folks, that is LITERALLY re-education camp talk. Pure and simple.
She should move outside his jurisdiction.
My concern for the father’s opinion goes away when he leaves his wife and family for another woman. If he’s not willing to behave like a father should why should he get a say?
They claim that the daughters don’t get Christmas presents, they “buy something” for the whole family instead.
And I haven’t heard a thing about him finding a new Church in Washington DC. The last service I heard that he attended was at a unitarian church in Hawaii when he went out there for the second memorial service (the one months after her death) for his grandmother. It was specially scheduled for Mr. Obama and yet it was at a Unitarian church. His mother was an agnostic, his grandmother who raised him was non-observant for awhile and apparently became a Unitarian later in life.
We know that Mr. Obama lies about being a Christian (when and where was he baptized?) but he persists in lying to the masses.
Typical “know better” leftist.
[insert Henry Bowman reference]
“it might be in the best interest of Wake District Court Judge Ned Mangum to serve a year in jail.”
Yeah. Judge Mangum could share a cell with Crystal Mangum. I’m sure he’d “be exposed to the real world.”
this whole acronym thing is quite useful/efficient 
Our family homeschooled for 4 years, went to Montessori school and went to public school. In my opinion, public school is the worst place for “socialization”. Public school is a fake world where a kid has few options during his day. NOBODY should be able to tell a parent what to do with his kid’s time unless the child is being abused. Period.
The judge made sure that would never happen.
Even though Mr. Mills makes $9,400 per month, the judge required him to make the lowest monthly child support payment the law would allow, $1,383.75. That figure is only $300 more than the mortgage payment of the Mills home which the judge ordered that Mrs. Mills must pay. If she does not pay the mortgage payment Mr. Mills can pay it and deduct the amount from his child support payment. Even if Mrs. Mills chooses not to live in the home!
That leaves her with $300 to feed and cloth the children for an entire month, and insures that he will not face any financial repercussions from loosing the home. It also insures that she must get a job to support the children and that would leave no time for homeschooling.
"Parents" (plural) or "Parent" (singular)?
In this particular case, the mother insists on homeschooling and the father insists on public school.
Which parent, then, has the "primary" right when they disagree? The mother? The father? A combination of both?
Has the Judge involved himself with any other homeschooling family where the parents agree?
No.
This case is less about homeschooling than it is about conflicting parental rights.
Up to now, the mother has had things her way. The Judge has essentially ruled that, next year, the father will have things his way.
Divorce does crazy things to people’s minds. The Bible says that God hates divorce because it hardens people’s hearts. I see that all the time in situations where demands are made that make no sense. Case in point, my SIL’s husband of two years gets to see his two sons, ages 12 and 14 for a total of four days a MONTH. He makes 35K a year, his ex-wife makes over 80K a year as an engineer. Recently, he took each of his sons for a quick ride around the neighborhood on his new motorcycle. The ex found out about it and decided to punish him by making a demand via the court for even more child support. He’s barely getting by as is. She just wants to assert her control and see him punished for not asking her permission first. Hard-heartedness trumps logic and common sense.
>>There are a number of faiths recognized in America that discourage celebration of non-religious holidays and birthdays. Islam is among them. Jehovah’s Witnesses as well.<<
Well, what is really creepy are those religions that have actual weekly “cult” gatherings where they participate in their “ritualistic worship” of some sort of deity. Usually on Sunday mornings (some on Saturday).
Oh the horror!!!
Tell us how murders and child molesters opinions should matter in court.
The truth is:
The father is a piece of crap and his opinion is crap!
Divorce violates the very nature of God.
Father/Son/Holy Spirit
Father/Mother/Children
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That leaves her with $300 to feed and cloth the children for an entire month, and insures that he will not face any financial repercussions from loosing the home. It also insures that she must get a job to support the children and that would leave no time for homeschooling.
Thank you for filling in the gaps. This case is less about parental rights than $$$. The father sounds like a real piece of work. First he cheats on his wife who is a SAHM, then he shows he doesn't care about the welfare or education of his kids.
this is a divorce case.
The father wants the children in school. The mother wants to homeschool.
This is not about homeschooling, this is about divorce.
This is going to hurt the homeschooling movement because it will be used by divorce lawyers as a custody fight tool.
Rulings like this should scare the hell out of everyone...not just home schoolers.
Homeschooled kids outperform those in public schools by a wide margin....and do not have to put up with the silly peer pressure from other kids and the government-doctrinaire teachers.
Also, these kids are now old enough to be in middle school, or almost middle school age. That is the worst time in any developmental period to take them from home school to a public school.
It is sad that this father is so petty in this divorce case. If he really had his kids interests at heart, he would not fight the homeschooling
So we'll start here.....
Mangum said at the hearing that while the children are "thriving," they need to be exposed to the "real world."
*real world*? Like sitting in a classroom with other kids your age, being told what to do, where to go, and when to do it, when a bell rings, and having to ask permission to talk and go to the bathroom, is the "real world"?
It was probably *socialization* with their peers that entered into the decision to homeschool. If those kids are like most homeschoolers, they can socialize with ANYONE, regardless of age. Socializing with their peers would come just as naturally.
...The Judge has essentially ruled that, next year, the father will have things his way.
I think, by his statements, the Judge has loudly declared his social engineering mindset; his reasoning for the change. The father is about power; the Judge is about indoctrination.
She has everything to lose and nothing to gain by putting her kids in public schools.
Homeschooling is a win/win situation for the kids in it.
The merits of homeschooling aside, are you claiming that women should have a right to choose any lifestyle they please, even if it requires her unemployment, and that men should have a corresponding obligation to pay for their lifestyle choice whether they agree with it or not?
If divorcing Dad wants to quit his job to homeschool, should divorcing Mom then be legally required to work to support his lifestyle choice even if she disagrees with it?
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