Posted on 11/19/2004 10:06:18 PM PST by SecurityMom
Marcus Wesson had 16 children.
He stayed home to tinker with a bus and boat, and to educate the children.
His wife and older daughters went to work. When they were with him in public, the women were quiet.
On March 12, nine members of his family, ages 1 to 24, were shot in the face in their Fresno, Calif., home. Wesson, 57, has been charged with multiple counts of murder.
Local school officials found no record of contact with the family.
Home schooling isn't recognized as an option in California law, so responsibility for oversight is ``very muddy,'' said Armen Bacon, spokeswoman for Fresno County schools. ``They can slip through the cracks quite easily.''
Perhaps if the children had been in school rather than home-schooled, one of them would have whispered to a teacher hints of incest at home. Maybe one would have revealed that Wesson was stockpiling coffins.
Just as the killing of 13 students at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colo., in April 1999 aroused fear that public schools were unsafe, questions are raised about home-schooling families after tragedies such as the Wesson case.
The U.S. Department of Justice knows how many crimes occur at school, on the way to school and at home. Statistics show that, despite the events at Columbine, public school buildings remain among the safest places for a child.
But the department keeps no records on children schooled at home.
Consequently, crime experts can't answer the question: Are home-schooled children more or less at risk of violence than other school-age children?
Many school officials and social workers believe that a growing number of parents are operating under the guise of home schooling although they have no interest in educating their children, may have psychological problems, or, worse, are a threat to their children...
(Excerpt) Read more at ohio.com ...
Just to clarify it. No, Bob, not in all situations. It depends on state regulations. For instance, in Michigan (which is considered, currently, as the friendliest state in the US for home schoolers) we don't even have to notify the school system that we ARE home schooling. However, if the FIA (Family Independence Agency) ever had reason to investigate, you would have to prove that you were educating your children in all of the age appropriate curriculum as mandated by the state department of education. And if you ever re-enroll your child in public or private education, the school has the right to test your child for grade level experience.
That's why we're thinking of moving.
Another frightening look at homeschooling here.
Thanks for the information. I assumed it varied between states but wasn't sure what the minimums might be.
Therefore, newspaper journalism should be outlawed.
The logic is similar to what this idiot is selling. Sheesh.
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.