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Lawmakers push for homeschool reform after two children found in freezer
WXYZ Detroit ^ | April 17, 2015 | Jennifer Bisram

Posted on 04/17/2015 4:37:50 PM PDT by Tired of Taxes

(WXYZ) - A new homeschool bill was introduced this morning after a young brother and sister were found dead in their mother's freezer last month.

If passed it would require every child being homeschooled to be registered with their school district. The schooling would be able to take place at any appropriate location.

"I believe this bill not only will have a part in monitoring children's education. ..in some cases, save lives," said Stephen Berry and Stoni Blair's grandfather John Blair.

John was standing with family members and state and local leaders outside of the Spirit of Detroit Statue at the Coleman A. Young Municipal Building in downtown Detroit on Friday morning.

"I believe this bill is the start of fixing things that have been needed in Michigan for years," said John Blair.

His daughter Mitchelle Blair is in jail on murder charges after Stephen and Stoni's bodies were found by an eviction officer March 24. They were there for two-years. She told people her kids were being homeschooled all that time.

"Michigan is one of only 11-states that does not require parents homeschooling their children to initiate to any contact with the state about the kids being homeschooled," said State Representative Stephanie Chang.

Chang is the author of the bill and, if passed, it would be named after Stephen and Stoni.

Parents or a guardian who choose to homeschool would have to provide their address and the names of their children being homeschooled to their school district.

There would also be two visits to the home every year from either a doctor, teacher or social worker.

(Excerpt) Read more at wxyz.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society
KEYWORDS: education; frhf; homeschool
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To: Tired of Taxes

Can someone tell me exactly what part of homeschooling caused these deaths?

BTW, that is a rhetorical question.


21 posted on 04/17/2015 4:49:55 PM PDT by Bryan24 (When in doubt, move to the right..........)
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To: ConjunctionJunction

So it is safe to assume the education bureaucracy is going to demand more money for this?


22 posted on 04/17/2015 4:50:20 PM PDT by MSF BU (Support the troops: Join Them.)
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To: 9thLife

We homeschool in California...no registration requirements here other than to tell the State the name of our school and for us to keep records that the local school district cannot access.

I fail to see how this law would have prevented a deranged mother from killing her kids. So what other purpose would it serve? Do you want the state having the right to supervise how you educate your kids? If so, then you might as well send your kids to public school.

So the grandfather didn’t find it odd when he didn’t talk to or see his grandkids for two years? Sounds to me like he should be looking at his own actions rather than intruding on the rights of homeschooling parents.


23 posted on 04/17/2015 4:51:30 PM PDT by The Unknown Republican
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To: Tired of Taxes

Not registering my kids.


24 posted on 04/17/2015 4:51:36 PM PDT by demshateGod (The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God.)
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To: 9thLife

It’s the first step to making it difficult to homeschool, with an eye of eliminating it.


25 posted on 04/17/2015 4:51:53 PM PDT by Jonty30 (What Islam and secularism have in common is that they are both death cults)
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To: cripplecreek
This has nothing to do with homeschooling.

Don't tell the Communists that, it goes in one ear and out the other. More like out the hole where the sun don't shine.

26 posted on 04/17/2015 4:52:55 PM PDT by wastedyears (I may be stupid, but at least I'm not Darwin Awards stupid.)
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To: cyclotic

Time to do some research. I’m betting we’ll find that these kids were already being supported by the state and somebody there wasn’t doing their job.


27 posted on 04/17/2015 4:53:33 PM PDT by cripplecreek ("For by wise guidance you can wage your war")
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To: Tired of Taxes

I beleive they need to make a law to make it illegal to murder your children. Oh, there are laws for that already!? Wow!
Blaming homeschooling, how leftist-elitist of them.


28 posted on 04/17/2015 4:54:54 PM PDT by vpintheak (Call the left what they are - regressive control-freaks)
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To: The Unknown Republican

At best, somebody would have found the bodies sooner.

Kids just as dead.


29 posted on 04/17/2015 4:58:35 PM PDT by digger48
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To: Jonty30
Yeah, everyone was saying that back then, including myself. They haven't eliminated it yet and it was far easier for the kids to transition into a public high school later then college.

Without records recognized by the school system, it could have been a real hardship for them.

30 posted on 04/17/2015 4:59:17 PM PDT by 9thLife ("Life is a military endeavor..." -- Pope Francis)
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To: cripplecreek

They had different non-supporting baby daddies. This has nothing to do with homeschooling whatsoever.


31 posted on 04/17/2015 4:59:34 PM PDT by mrsmel (One Who Can See)
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To: cyclotic; 9thLife
When you look into it, you can bet these people were already in the system and under some sort of suspicion.

Exactly. The children went to school until two years ago. While they were enrolled in school, there were two CPS visits:

http://www.wxyz.com/news/region/detroit/report-details-abuse-in-detroit-home-of-mitchelle-blair-mom-of-two-children-found-dead-in-freezer

So, apparently, these children were being abused while enrolled in school, and no one did anything for them.

She didn't claim to be homeschooling until two years ago, just around the time that she committed the first murder. She continued to collect child support and government assistance the whole time.

32 posted on 04/17/2015 5:00:06 PM PDT by Tired of Taxes
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To: wastedyears
Mitchelle Blair, mom of kids found dead in Detroit freezer, involved in jailhouse fight, sources say

The 7 Investigators found a history of abuse at the hands of Blair involving all her children, according to state records, before and after the deaths.

If she had a history of abuse, she was already in the system and the state dropped the ball.

VIDEO: Mom of kids found in freezer escorted out of court after outburst

Documents detail abuse of two children found dead in Detroit freezer (Warning: Graphic details)

The 17 year old daughter lived there and damn well knew.
33 posted on 04/17/2015 5:03:50 PM PDT by cripplecreek ("For by wise guidance you can wage your war")
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To: Tired of Taxes

How would two visits a year prevent someone who wants to murder their kid? I’m sure someone else is going to say this as I read the thread.


34 posted on 04/17/2015 5:05:58 PM PDT by firebrand
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To: 9thLife

You are offering an opinion in ignorance. You might want to see to that.


35 posted on 04/17/2015 5:07:04 PM PDT by hopespringseternal
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To: Tired of Taxes

The left, liberals see mankind as a pool of humanity with linked arms taking care of not only ourselves, but the shortcomings of our bretheren as well. The left, liberals believe they know better than anyone else how life is to be administered no matter the aspect, thus “it takes a village”.

The best thing humanity can do for itself is teach liberalism that all would know it, and teach avoidance.


36 posted on 04/17/2015 5:08:08 PM PDT by rockinqsranch ((Dems, Libs, Socialists, call 'em what you will. They ALL have fairies livin' in their trees.))
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To: cripplecreek
From one of the links I posted above:

Both children were examined at Children's Hospital. Officials say it was determined during that examination that they had been abused throughout their childhoods by Mitchelle Blair.

That means the whole time they were in public school, they were being abused. And no one did anything about it. CPS visited twice and did nothing then, either.

She didn't claim to be homeschooling until two years ago, apparently around the time she committed the first murder.

37 posted on 04/17/2015 5:09:43 PM PDT by Tired of Taxes
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To: mrsmel

This really looks like the state may have been fumbling the ball in the first place.

Sounds like she pulled the kids out of school when the school started talking about child abuse. The school should have called protective services then. Either the school didn’t call protective services, or they did and protective services dropped the ball.


38 posted on 04/17/2015 5:09:48 PM PDT by cripplecreek ("For by wise guidance you can wage your war")
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To: Tired of Taxes

The state agencied repetedly fumbled the ball and are now desperately trying to regain even tighter control of it.

I’m no fan of Bill O’reilly but this story is right up his alley for raising hell over.


39 posted on 04/17/2015 5:12:00 PM PDT by cripplecreek ("For by wise guidance you can wage your war")
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To: cripplecreek

From what I read, one of the fathers said that every time he tried to have his court-appointed visits, the woman would refuse and refuse to let him in the house to see his kid. You’d think in two years he’d have gotten curious enough to call in law enforcement.


40 posted on 04/17/2015 5:13:38 PM PDT by mrsmel (One Who Can See)
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