Hang in There, Bureau County Home Schoolers, Someone May Wake Up Yet

The Illinois Leader ^ | October 18, 2002 | Fran Eaton

[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.

[dd5339]

It looks like this needs added to the homeschool ping list.

Semper Fi

[Kuksool]

California's Jihad against homeschooling has reached my home state of Illinois! Is this the kind of tyranny California homeschoolers face?

[RonF]

Hm. The way I read this, it would seem that the Regional Superintendent is trying to ensure that there is some evidence that the children of these 18 families are getting some kind of education, as per the state law quoted.

Look at it this way. Here are 18 families keeping their kids home from school. When contacted by the Truancy Officer (the officer in charge of seeing why chronic absentees are not going to school), he is informed that the children are being home-schooled.

Fine. This is, and should be, the right of these families. However, tell me this: is the Truancy Officer and the Regional Superintendent supposed to just take these families' word for it? Or should they take some steps to verify that these kids are actually being taught something? 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? What would you suggest this man do?

I think this is being blown all out of proportion. Don't threaten a mama bear's cubs, indeed. No one's coming in to abuse these kids. They want to make sure they're learning something, which is the law and their job.

I also suspect the veracity of this entire story:

"Truancy Officer Horwedel, a elderly man whose vision is so bad that he is not allowed to drive out of the county."

I am a resident of Illinois, and I've had occasion to study the law on the topic (no, I've never had my license lifted, or been threatened with such). There is no classification of restriction on a Driver's license that limits you to driving in a geographic area based on failing vision. Either you pass the vision test or you don't. If you pass, you can drive, anywhere in the state. If you don't, you can't. And that seems reasonable to me: if you can't see well enough to drive in the next county, why would you be able to see well enough to drive in your own county? The kind of driving restriction stated here doesn't exist in Illinois. This sounds like some kind of ad hominem characterization of this person just to make him sound incompentent. So, maybe then this whole story is bogus.

[Sloth]

isn't it reasonable for the area's chief education officer to try to make sure that these parents aren't lying?

Does he also inspect private & public school teachers' materials to ensure they're not lying?

[hsmomx3]

I'm afraid that we will see much more of this because every state is short on cash. Anything to get those kids in the govt. schools for those fed. $$$.

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.

[RonF]

The logic here is a bit flawed, too:

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?

[hsmomx3]

Isn't this same thing happening in MI and CA? Seems to me I'm reading more and more of these stories lately.

[RonF]

Does he also inspect private & public school teachers' materials to ensure they're not lying?

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?

[hsmomx3]

On the other hand, if homeschoolers begin to show "proof" of curriculum and work, whose to say that they may say the curriculum is not acceptable? This will not sit well with the unschooling crowd.

[Poohbah]

These folks had better watch out--if Mr. Horwedel is not under any sort of restriction in his driving, they've just defamed him.

[ladylib]

Here is an analysis of the law. Maybe the parents should present the truant officer with it and he can take it to the district attorney who can read it for him since the poor guy is apparently as blind as a bat:

http://hslda.org/laws/analysis/IL.asp

[ladylib]

In order to avoid truancy actions, home schoolers who are contacted may wish to file a "statement of assurance" with the local school district or send form ISBE 87-01, (the "Nonpublic Registration, Enrollment and Staff Report") to the Illinois Department of Education in order to show their good faith. This statement of assurance and the form, however, are voluntary, and parents are not required by law to initiate filing either of them. Parents who fill out either of these forms when contacted by school authorities do so simply to indicate that their private school meets the standards required above, distinguishing themselves from actual truancy violators."

Apparently, all homeschoolers have to do is file this form and that's the end of it. If the form is filed, the superintendent has no right to question it.

I remember reading that in Texas, parents let the schools know that they are in compliance and that's the end of it. Some parents also send in a letter stating that if they are harrassed by school authorities after going to the trouble to let them know that they are in compliance, the homeschoolers will bring legal action against them.

Hopefully, these parents will contact HSLDA.org and let them hash it out with the truant officer and the school superintendent.

[Kuksool]

If education neglect is such a concern with these gov't educrats, then why don't they focus on improving the public school system instead of violating the civil rights of homeschoolers?

[CA Conservative]

And how is the Regional Superindendent supposed to make sure that all children in the district are being educated...

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.

[ladylib]

HSLDA.org should make a couple of phone calls and set the truant officer and the superintedent straight. It might be one thing if someone makes a complaint, but from what I gather a truant officer or a superintendent can't go on a fishing expedition.

[don-o]

Fine. This is, and should be, the right of these families. However, tell me this: is the Truancy Officer and the Regional Superintendent supposed to just take these families' word for it?

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.

[TotusTuus]

However, tell me this: is the Truancy Officer and the Regional Superintendent supposed to just take these families' word for it?

Yes.

[RonF]

Because his job apparently encompasses both public schools and home schoolers, and he has a job to do for both. How are the civil rights of these homeschoolers being violated?

Let me be clear:

1) I think that people have a right to remove their children from public school and educate them themselves.

2) It appears to me from what I've read in the thread header that there's a Illinois state public official whose job it is to see that all children in his district attend school and get an education, no matter what kind of school that is, public or private.

3) Said official would then seem to have a legal obligation to verify that home schooled kids are getting basic instruction in English, math, etc.

4) Said official would have absolutely no business in specifying the type, amount, etc., of any moral content in such education, or requiring that the order, etc., of the education match that of the public schools.

[RonF]

Thanks for that informative reference! So, it seems that the law in Illinois is that children in home schools must be instructed, in the English language, in those subjects that children corresponding to their age are taught in public school. It also seems that the law is that parents who are homeschooling must upon request file some kind of paperwork with the state, assuring the state that they are in fact following the above law.

What's left open is what kind of assurances are given in the paperwork. Is it just a one paragraph "I promise I'm following the law", followed by the parents' signatures, or do you have to give explanations of what you're doing, attach some lesson plans, list books used, etc.?