Augusta kids killed (Another Homeschool Killing)

Helena Independent Record ^ | 8/27/2002 | CAROLYNN BRIGHT

[CholeraJoe]

Augusta kids killed
By CAROLYNN BRIGHT, IR Staff Writer - 08/27/02

Swanson faces 2 counts of murder.
A 46-year-old Augusta mother allegedly shot and killed two of her four children as they slept in their beds at the family ranch about 15 miles southwest of Augusta early Monday.
Jeanette Swanson faces two counts of deliberate homicide in connection with the shootings and is being held in the Lewis and Clark County Jail without bond.
Swanson was placed on suicide watch at the jail Monday afternoon while the bodies of her children — a 10-year-old girl and a 14-year-old boy — were brought to the State Crime Lab in Missoula, where an autopsy will be conducted, said Undersheriff Cheryl Liedle.
According to Liedle, emergency responders flocked to the Swanson Ranch just before 6 a.m. after Swanson called 911, reporting that she had shot her two children.
Swanson’s other two children — boys, ages 16 and 20 — were in the house at the time of the killing, but were unharmed in the incident.
Swanson’s husband, Gene, was sleeping in a camp trailer outside the residence when the shootings occurred, Liedle said.
According to reports, Swanson was waiting at the door of the residence when emergency crews arrived.
Her children were located in their beds inside — both were dead at the scene, Liedle said.
Liedle said a firearm believed to have been used in the shootings was recovered at the family home, but officials will await the results of the autopsies to determine whether it was, in fact, the murder weapon.
Court documents indicate that Swanson’s 20-year-old son reported to authorities that his mother had a .38 Smith and Wesson gun in her possession when she placed the 911 call, but Liedle would not confirm whether that was the same make of gun seized at the scene.
Lewis and Clark County Sheriff Sam McCormack said Monday morning that a motive for the killings was sketchy.
However, he said that Swanson and her husband had argued last week about Swanson’s decision to enroll the two children in school in Augusta — Gene Swanson wanted his wife to continue to home school the kids on the ranch while she wanted them to attend public school.
The children attended their first classes at school in Augusta last week.

[TxBec]

So, why is no one warning of the dangers of becoming a step-parent?

[TxBec]

Ok .. words of wisdom.

my son was looking over my shoulder..

son: uh.. mom aren't they blowing this out of proportion?

me: uh yeah.

son: and you are going along with all this?

me: :: silence ::

he's here laughing at me.

[RightOnline]

Re: Your #27: DAMN you for confusing this issue with facts!!!!!

[homeschool mama]

ppfffbbbbttt to Tx's son. :o)

[Dakotabound]

i much prefer to read to her and play dolls and teach her to cook, than to do MATH with her

There's one school of thought (pun intended) that would say at seven, that's probably what she would prefer doing with you and everyone else, too.

You sound like you could be an unschooler! ;-)

[Valpal1]

Oh thank you, thank you for that link. I have been unschooling for about two years now after 5 years of being captive to the "consumable workbook" monster.

[SEA]

Homeschooling does not lead to murder of children; there have been a couple of wacko moms who killed their kids who also happened to homeschool.

[xsmommy]

tell him to stop laughing or you'll throw him in SCHOOL!! LOL! i just know that CJ is going to post the follow-up article this AM and attempt to suck me back into this.

[xsmommy]

you've no idea where his hand has been

given what specialty of medical practice he is in, you are SO RIGHT!!!!

[TxBec]

LOL! I did threaten that yesterday (gasp!) They were with their dad Monday, so yesterday was our first day of school and we had to catch up a few items (cough!) Hopefully, today will go smoother.

On a brighter note, last night at Taekwando, they got their paperwork for blue belts (they are green belts.) They finally got their forms down and performed them beautifully. :: sniff ::

[xsmommy]

they sound like wonderful and disciplined boys. you are doing a great job! Mine are going for their first full day today, they had a half day on monday, just to get their feet wet. No homework yet, so everyone is still upbeat; i think it will take til next week for the bellyaching to start.

[TxBec]

you are so lucky. we started bellyaching 101 yesterday LOL

[xsmommy]

HA! bet they get A's in that!

[TxBec]

yup

[hobbes1]

I gave it to you twice. Go Back and find the NEA info link, (you cant post it as a link bc it is a PDF file, the page is 75 or 76.)

[hobbes1]

Illbay, the national average according to the NEA (so it may be understated) is 44,600. However, in the Northeast, the averages are closer to 50......somewhere earlier i tried to give 1l a link to NEA docs in pdf format that contains said info.

[ppaul]

I believe we are in the 21st century, things change.

Things do.
Human nature doesn't.

[hobbes1]

Sparky, As long as the state enforces compulsory attendance, and extorts tax dollars, they should be lawsuit liable, for failure to perform their end of their mandatory contract.

[hobbes1]

Well, it sorta defeats your 50k average argument, but...

No, rather it reflects that Texas teachers earn less than the Ntaional Average, however, I would submit, that once you consider actual costs of living, they come a little closer...

[CholeraJoe]

New Thread with updates.