ACTION ALERT!!! Homeschooled Kids in Massachusetts Now in Legal Custody of State

Conservative Alerts ^ | 6/16/03 | Chuck Muth

[Revelation 911]

while Im all for the individual right - I have to ask what exempts these parents from what is presumably the law? - Ive no problem with homeschooling and consider public school a den of demons (I was abused in one)- but a standardized test is a condition of graduation - why the stiff neck? - Granted DSS and the administrators comments are infuriating - however, it doent excuse anyone from meeting the obligations set forth in the State Laws - If they dont like it - remove them from office, petition to change it or move. The first two would make a wonderful civics lesson

[moyden2000]

Liberals are evil.

[yankeedog]

Waltham Assistant City Solicitor Howard Rock agrees that no law requires the couple to submit a lesson plan, but he said the School Committee has the right to create legal requirements by its own authority.

If the above quote is true, there is no State Law the couple needs to obey. And I can't believe, even in the People's Republic of Taxachussetts, (where I was born: Chelsea), that any Committee, school or otherwise can create laws on their own authority(read: tyranny), that the State would be bound to enforce.

[VRWC_minion]

Before I get sucked into one of these things again, I would like to hear "the rest of the story". We have had several reports like this where after getting the details showed the parents were not acting in their childrens best interests.

Is there evidence to believe that these children are not being given access to an education and the parents are ignoring that ? The problem being that the details of a case where minors are involved cannot be disclosed.

Do we trust the judge involved to be making reasonable descisons ? Is this really a parental rights issue or are the children at risk ?

Personally, I have seen too many times that we get suckered into something that isn't what is advertised. And if it is, the anger is being directed to the wrong place. It should be directed to the law makers and not those charged with carrying it out. Otherwise your just wasting your time and at the same time putting the kids thru crap just for an ego trip.

[tbpiper]

However, if there is a chance the kids would fail any touchy-feely part concerning relativism, diversity, or revisionist history...

Part of an annual employee evaluation form I was supposed to fill out asked how much I 'valued diversity'. I don't exactly remember the answer selections, but they went something like; extremely important, very important, and important. Try as I might, I couln't find the 'total BS' selection. Your point about a loaded test is well taken.

[Cinnamon Girl]

There's no way I'd let things go so far as to let the state take custody of my kids.

[SERE_DOC]

Yea just bend over and drop trou, like a good little automatron

Moron

[VRWC_minion]

There's no way I'd let things go so far as to let the state take cstody of my kids.

It depends on my mood. There are times when my wife and I would call to have them picked up.

[yankeedog]

Waltham Assistant City Solicitor Howard Rock agrees that no law requires the couple to submit a lesson plan, but he said the School Committee has the right to create legal requirements by its own authority.

Well, Solicitor Rock may have meant no City of Waltham Law, and not a State law specifically. Either one would still be enforced at the point of the State's gun.

[Charles H. (The_r0nin)]

That's the key part! And a judge upheld it...

[justshutupandtakeit]

Statements like that will get you on the Enemies List post haste.

[Mr. Bird]

What do you suggest, jackass? Send a letter? Call the press? How about a Million Homeschooler March with the Bryant kids on posters? Yeah, that's the right thing to do. Let's build a circus around these kids, let them rot a while in a foster home, and call ourselves patriots. Maybe you'd prefer armed resistance? Kill a few bureaucrats and take the kids back? Bulldoze the courthouse?

And I'm the moron? Right...

[jmc813]

I think it would really bug her if a lot of people called (781) 641-8500, so please, please don't rattle her cage, OK? That number not to call again to reach Susan Etscovitz is (781) 641-8500. That's (781) 641-8500. (You could also fax her at 781-648-6909.)

I like this guy's style.

[SERE_DOC]

"And I'm the moron? Right..."

That would be correct and I agree with you, you are a moron.

And willing to give up liberty for a feel good world.

How trite, how amusing, how about you quite huffing methane from the source and try thinking for a change

[yankeedog]

That kind of thing just makes me crazy. I was a "Ward of the State" in Mass. from the ages of 7 to 18. I've seen them up close. I saw this play itself out once: A couple who regularly took in foster children over the years became divorced. There was a foster daughter whom they had had since she was 21 days old. (Her mother had given her up for adoption in the hospital in Boston.) She was 8 years old at the time of the divorce. Well, a female social worker decided she couldn't live there any longer. She couldn't stay with the woman she thought of as her mother, because there was no longer a father living in the house. (Though he did visit.) The child was never removed, although threats were made. A lawyer was hired and all the proper paperwork got done.

[jmc813]

I agree with you that the kids should at least be sent to stay with some out-of-state residents for the time being.

[Charles H. (The_r0nin)]

That's one of the reasons why, anytime I hear that Al Qaeda or China or somebody is threatening California or Massachusetts, I hesitate for a moment before saying that we have to stop them...

[kjam22]

They should have taken the test. In my state (Oklahoma) all kids have to pass a standardized reading test to receive a drivers license. I fully support the parents right to homeschool their kids. It is commendable that they choose to invest that much time in their kids lives. So just demonstrate that they've done a good job and let the kids show their ability by being tested.

They dont' give GED's or entrance to colleges to people who don't pass tests, so it is inevitable that testing is going to come up.

[Bob Buchholz]

I have a very simple question. If a child that goes to public school takes the standardized test and fails it what do they do with the children?