Posted on 01/20/2009 3:08:35 PM PST by Sopater
In September, an HSLDA member family in Sinton was visited by a social worker who had a list of allegations an anonymous tipster had called in. The list included that the family homeschools, that the children are sent to bed “really early” and do not play with neighbor kids, and that there are firearms in the home.
The family knew better than to let the social worker into their home and called Home School Legal Defense Association for help. Senior Counsel Chris Klicka took the call and advised the family to let the social worker see the children, so she knew they were fine. In addition, Klicka had the family tell the social worker that he would be contacting her soon to set up an appointment.
After the social worker left, Klicka had the family compile letters of reference from relatives and friends who could vouch for the care the parents provide. In addition, Klicka drafted a letter and sent it to the social worker explaining that all the allegations were false. Klicka did confirm that the family does indeed homeschool their children and also keeps firearms in their home (although locked and inaccessible to children).
The letter further explained that homeschooling is legal, and that the family followed the Texas Supreme Court’s guidelines for operating a homeschool program. Klicka also explained that the possession of firearms in the home was legal, and that the firearms did not present a danger since they were kept completely out of reach of the children.
The letter indicated that the parents would be willing to schedule a time for the social worker to visit their house and talk to them about their children. Klicka made it clear, however, that the family would decline any request to enter their home and interview their children since the family already let the social worker see, and talk briefly with the children, during the initial visit.
After receiving the letters from friends of the family, as well as the letter from attorney Klicka, the social worker arranged to meet the family later and was again able to see for herself that the allegations were false. Social services has since dropped the case.
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.
I doubt there’d be much need. The Texas Supreme Court is not too tolerant of their social services jackasses since the circus with the FLDS kids last year.
I was home schooled, sent to bed at 7pm until I was 10 then it was 8pm. At 16 up until either I wanted to or the family retired for the night. We had over 15 rifles, shotguns or pistols in the house. I knew how to use all of them by age 12. AND - knew the safety requirements on all of them. I could field strip all of them when I was 12 ..... of course having a marine as my dad and two brothers and an uncle in the army helped ...
They'd just love to have a "Reichsschulpflichtgesetz " (Reich mandatory school law), that prohibits home schooling, like Germany still does and enforces.
You forgot, in my case we had to get up at 5 a.m, milk a cow, throw papers, then go and work 2 hours at the local IGA grocery store, and then get to school by 8 am. We were REALLY abused.
Right - dad had to walk uphill both ways in five feet of snow to school then home to split four cords of wood ... but he said he had it easy ....
Goodness, when my boys were in elementary school they went to bed at 8 pm. They were allowed to read when they were old enough to read, but they were not allowed to get up (altho occasionally they would get up and come in and say, “I need...ummm....some......Water, yeah, some water!”)
A loopy lib once opined to me that a household without television would be child abuse!
Obama and Biden will require all schools of education to be accredited.
is directed specifically at eliminating home schooling.
Why did the social worker even respond, those allegations did not warrant any action. The person that called that garbage in should get a visit as well. Maybe a few days behind bars will teach them to harass innocent and law abiding citizens.
I suppose there were cases of men walking in 5 ft. of snow. I walked to school in 24 below zero....about 10inches of snow, and walked home in dust blizzards, of Kansas in 1955. Everyone else had parents come get their kids so they didn’t get lost at 2pm,...pitch dark. We didn’t cut cords of wood, but did pick up many tires along the highway, these burned well, but neighbors complained of soot on their linens left to dry on lines.
Now they will say a house without a picture of Baby Killer Obama (I am refraining form usng Hussein as McCain said we should not use his middle name) is child abuse. Or buying a dumbass collector’s plate of Obama.
“The person that called that garbage in should get a visit as well. “
Lots of police departments and Family and Children Services departments have answering machines to take messages. They are required to investigate all anonymous tips they receive in this manner.
Been home schooled so didn’t have to walk in snow but then it doesn’t much here in Seattle ... really feel for those kids in ND, MN, WI where the temps are sub zero ...
“One of Obama’s campaign promises:
is directed specifically at eliminating home schooling. “
I’d like to see BO take on the homeschool Moms. They are organized at the grassroots and they are as tough as an Army Ranger squad.
I must have walked on that same road as your Dad.
Obama and Biden will require all schools of education to be accredited.
is directed specifically at eliminating home schooling.
And their minions are already at it. NH HB 367 puts draconian testing requirements on home school students only. Homeschool students must take yearly achievement tests, administered by "credentialed educators". (The law prohibits the students own parents from administering the tests.) The school superintendent gets to decide is the student is making appropriate progress - using his or her own subjective opinion. Needless to say neither private nor public schools have a similar requirement. See HSLDA information on NH HB 367
Your dad too! I told my kids that all the time. Amazing how two people from such diverse background could have the same experiences. Small world.
Sometimes I think my kids are calling in these reports, except that they never have the number of children quite right ;-).
“Accusations” of actions/conditions that are not illegal should be thrown straight in the trash, not even meriting a phone call to the intended victims.
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