Posted on 10/23/2002 1:48:15 PM PDT by Kuksool
OPINION -- When my husband and I served on the board of Christian Home Educators Coalition, nothing would create a knot in my stomach more than getting a phone call with the voice at the other end saying, "There's a truancy officer here, and he wants to look through my children's school work. What should I do?"
Not being an attorney, but a fellow home schooling mom, I would remind her that the law does not require her to submit her curriculum to the local public school for approval anymore than the law requires the local Christian or parochial school down the street to submit theirs for government approval. Home schools are considered private schools in Illinois.
That would be easy for me to say, since I wasn't the one facing the dreaded truancy officer face to face, with my children hiding behind me. But I can tell you, getting a phone call like that certainly riled me -- every single time. You don't try to threaten a mamma bear's cubs without facing the wrath of an angry, protective mamma.
And no matter how often we try to explain the situation to regional superintendents throughout the state, there continues to be wild-eyed people in office who are determined to "make sure that all children in their districts are being educated," including home schoolers over whom they have no jurisdiction. Illinois law requires that children "attend school," it says nothing about the quality of their education. That's another topic altogether.
But, it's happening all over again in Bureau County, about two hours west of Chicago.
I've been told by involved parents that Regional Superintendent Bruce Dennison and his truancy agent Mr. Horwedel, are clamping down on the biggest threat to Bureau, Henry and Stark County's future -- the dreaded home schooling families.
To date, eighteen families have been personally contacted by Truancy Officer Horwedel, a elderly man whose vision is so bad that he is not allowed to drive out of the county. He arrives at the doors of these families, and asks to interview the children in order to determine whether or not they are being schooled.
If the parents are fully informed, they refuse. He then slaps down a subpoena, demanding that the family come to a "pre-trial hearing" with their children's textbooks in hand, and appear before his boss, Supt. Dennison.
This week, several home schooling families were scheduled to appear before Dennison. Word is that no one showed up at the hearings. Next step, we're told, is that the local State's Attorney will be involved in pursuing warrants for these families to stand before a judge who will assess their home schooling curriculum.
While no one likes the thought of standing before a judge and pleading their case, it is better than the thought of allowing interested parties to make judgements on their competitors. Can you imagine if Dave Thomas was summoned in to present his Wendy's burgers before the owner of Burger King for evaluation and approval?
Having a home schooling family present their non-public school curriculum to a public school official for his approval would give Dennison unlawful authority over a competitor. And home schoolers are competing with the government school system.
Presenting the curriculum before an impartial judge is a completely different story -- there you just may get the opportunity for a judgement to be made not based upon self-interest.
Mr. Dennison, in his defense, needs more pupils in his district. At an average of $5500 per student, 20 or more home schooled students could bring in almost $110,000 in state funds to a local school. And in a depressed area such as Bureau County, those tax dollars for schools are coveted and precious.
A few weeks ago, Senator Patrick Welch (D-Morris), the current state senator for this area, stood before over sixty home schooling parents and inferred that he would "champion" their cause in the Illinois Senate if he is re-elected, and especially if he is in the Democratic Leadership. Everyone there was led to believe that he was sensitive to their rights to home school with the laws as they are currently in place.
Rod Thorson, his Republican challenger, made it clear -- he believed the state had no business in forcing parents to educate their children in any particular system or forcing parents to provide for their health care in a particular way. Thorson said that parents were responsible for their children's welfare. He promised he would stand with parents on these issues.
With election day just weeks away, there is no one on the ballot for Regional Superintendent running against Bruce Dennison in Bureau County. That's a shame. These parents will have no opportunity to express their outrage with these ridiculous high jinx, causing stress to families already maxxed out in teaching, caring and providing for their children every single day.
But they can express outrage at political candidates who make promises and then forget what they said.
Hang in there, home schooling families in Bureau County. For all your efforts to teach your children, to make the world a better place by dumping your heart and soul into their future, someone may wake up and come to your defense.
I'm one who has been awakened -- I think that's my phone ringing again.
_________________
Write your thoughts about this to Fran or express yourself by writing letters@illinoisleader.com.
Does he also inspect private & public school teachers' materials to ensure they're not lying?
If Janet El Reno and Tom Horne win in AZ in a few weeks, I'm afraid we will have a few fights on our hands as well. We may have to rejoin HSLDA again.
Not being an attorney, but a fellow home schooling mom, I would remind her that the law does not require her to submit her curriculum to the local public school for approval anymore than the law requires the local Christian or parochial school down the street to submit theirs for government approval. Home schools are considered private schools in Illinois.
But the difference is that private and parochial schools in Illinois are reviewed by accrediting authorities. Home schools are not. Again, I'm not advocating that home schoolers should have to go through an accrediting authority. I'm saying that there is some kind of independent quality check on private and parochial schools that there isn't on home schools.
And no matter how often we try to explain the situation to regional superintendents throughout the state, there continues to be wild-eyed people in office who are determined to "make sure that all children in their districts are being educated," including home schoolers over whom they have no jurisdiction. Illinois law requires that children "attend school," it says nothing about the quality of their education.
And how is the Regional Superindendent supposed to make sure that all children in the district are being educated, and attend school, if they don't even know if any school exists and any education is being done? How is asking someone to show them some textbooks and examples of lessons "wild-eyed"? Now, if the Superintendent started to impose his/her personal opinion on, say, the moral content of what's being taught, or how, that would be another story. But it seems to me that trying to find out if the kid has opened a math book in the last few years is reasonable.
Again, if you don't agree, please tell me what you think the Superintendent should do to ensure that all children in the district are being educated?
I have no idea. But that would seem off topic. The question at hand is, how should the Regional Superintendent ensure that home schooling families are meeting the requirements of Illinois state law?
Unless the law in Illinois is a lot different, it is not the superintendent's job to make sure every child living within a certain are is educated - it is his job to make sure that every child enrolled in his schools are being properly educated. Since these children are not enrolled in his schools, and Illinois law allows homeschooling, it is not within his jurisdiction to determine the quality of education these children receive. He is trying to assume jurisdiction where none exists according to the law.
Yes
Or should they take some steps to verify that these kids are actually being taught something?
No
In a day and age where reports of child abuse and neglect have reached all time highs, isn't it reasonable for the area's chief education officer to try to make sure that these parents aren't lying?
No
What would you suggest this man do?
I would suggest that he find something better to do with his time - maybe volunteer for a shift at the metal detectors in the publik skool of his choice.
Yes.
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