Posted on 06/16/2003 3:21:35 PM PDT by webber
This one's so Outrageous, it makes our blood boil just to think of it. Take a look at his message:
ISSUE: Kim and George Bryant have been home-schooling their two kids, George (15) and Nyssa (13), much to the chagrin of the Waltham Public School (WPS) system. The Bryants thus far have refused to force their children to take a government-mandated standardized test to assess their education level.
The WPS empire struck back last year, obtaining a court order giving custody of the kids to the Department of Social Services (DSS), which ever since has been threatening to take the kids away from their parents.
As the MetroWest Daily News reported on Friday, "Both sides agree that the children are in no way abused mentally, physically, sexually or emotionally, but legal custody of the children was taken from Kim and George Bryant in December 2001." They were ruled to be "unfit" for not filing educational plans with the government.
Unfit. For not filing paperwork. With the government school system. Over the education of their OWN children.
In fact, George Bryant was actually ARRESTED six years ago for failing to comply with the government's dictates over the home-schooled education of HIS children.
Arrested!!...Thrown in jail!!...Like a criminal!!...For taking personal responsibility for the education of HIS kids.
This six-year legal battle exploded on Thursday as bureaucrats from the DSS showed up at the Bryants' home with police escorts at 7:45 a.m. and attempted to remove the children from their home and force them to take the mandated tests.
Once again, the Bryants told the government agents to pound dirt, resulting in a seven-hour standoff.
"This has been a six-year battle between the Waltham Public Schools and our family over who is in control of the education of our children," said Bryant.
How DARE these parents stand up to the government and defend their right to raise their children as they see fit? Who do they think they are?
At least, that's the attitude of one outrageous government bureaucrat involved in this brouhaha. "We have the legal custody of the children and we will do with them as we see fit," DSS trooper Susan Etscovitz told the Bryants Thursday morning. "They are minors and they do what we tell them to do."
It is near impossible to describe the rage I feel inside every time I read those chilling words. WE will do with them as WE see fit. They do what WE tell them to do.
The sheer audacity of a bureaucrat to make such a statement about someone else's children who are in no way abused in any shape, form or fashion is beyond comprehension to me.
Comrade Etscovitz maintained on Thursday that, "No one wants these children to be put in foster homes. The best course of action would be for (the Bryants) to instruct the children to take the test."
One can just imagine her words being delivered with a thick East German accent: "undt now, all vee need eez dee kidz!"
This isn't about education. It's about control. It's about an imperial government trying to crush a movement in its infancy which could one day spell the end of the public school monopoly over our kids' educations.
Home-schooling means children might start learning again. REAL learning. Not "whole language" and "self-esteem." Learning about radical notions such as freedom, liberty and personal responsibility. Notions such as limited government and the Constitution and the vision of our Founding Fathers.
Yeah, we can't have THAT!
ACTION ITEM: As it appears that DSS is getting its marching orders from the Waltham Public Schools, it seems the best place to start is with the School Superintendent there. Her name is Dr. Susan Parrella. She can be reached via email at:
parrellas@k12.waltham.ma.us
or by phone at:
(781) 314-5400
or fax at:
(781) 314-5411.
Emails are great... but nothing quite ruins a bureaucrat's day like dealing with a flood of phone calls. I know. I just called. The woman who answered the phone hung up on me when she found out what I was calling about. They do NOT want to answer any questions about this.
Oh, and by the way. I reached Ms. Etscovitz this morning. She was not a happy camper once she found out what I was calling about. Refused to comment on her "we will do with them as we see fit" statement, saying only, "I'm terminating this conversation now," before slamming the phone down.
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.)
-- Chuck Muth, ConservativeAlerts.Com
NOTE: The situation in Waltham has gotten WAY out of hand.
Outraged Americans across the country need to contact these bureaucrats NOW to express their outrage and demand they do the RIGHT thing. Be sure to forward this email to everyone you know who wants to help save parental choice in America, starting in Massachusetts. p> Thank you!
--Chuck Muth, ConservativeAlerts.Com
Sure. And since most states are now applying standardized tests to all their students, the same tests can be used. Heck, people use those test results to rate schools so they can determine which school districts they want to move into. This is not new. And those tests, by and large, are not PC weird at all. Just typical math, english, science, etc. Many states now let you download sample copies of the exams so you can see for yourself. I would strongly object if the homeschoolers where to be give "special" tests instead of the standard 3rd, 5th, 8th grade etc. exams. Otherwise, what the heck is the issue?
Actually, no. If you want to vaccinate your child, why should you care that my children are not? It should be a matter of irrelevance to you since your children "can't" get that disease. Does it matter if the vaccine makes my children deathly ill???? To the gov't, no, not until some "nut cases" took action. Does it matter if vaccines may cause autism??? No, there are not enough cases to bother about.
Also education. Is that too oppressive? Just take the standardized tests and shut up! But no, people want to thumb their noses at society, the society that provides safety and decent neighbors, and police and fire departments...
Just who decides what is on the "standardized" tests? The government who had such a great interest in your children (we won't even go there) or the parent who has a vested interest in the education of their child.
My kids were home-schooled, and voluntarily took all standardized tests - HOWEVER, I do NOT believe the government has a right to remove children from the custody of their parents over a test. Do you honestly think there are no "bad" public school teachers. There are, and we manage to cook along.
If you don't want to follow home-school threads, there is a solution. It is a little red X in the corner of your screen.
Nail on the head.
I don't agree with their total opposition to their kids taking a simple test, but if they object to the state's test, have an independent, certified teacher rate the children's level.
This is a good idea anyway for homeschoolers. We're just finishing my daughter's second year, and she's presently covering about two grades a year.
Have fun getting your kids into college. "Hey, my kids don't need to take the SAT or ACT!!! I swear they're well educated!" Yeah, good luck with that.
The problem is that there are some small number of home schoolers who are so paranoid about leftists and the social corruption in our society that they are willing to say: If it ain't in the Bible, it is wrong! And if it is the Bible, it is redundant. Therefore, the only book needed to teach from and learn is the Bible!
Which might have worked just fine in 1803, but is a great way of raising kids who are going to be a drain on the tax dollars of everyone else. Now my personal experience with homeschooling (and my kids are homeschooled) is that homeschooled kids are in general way ahead of public school kids.
[However, once they hit high school it is nice to be able to take advantage of the Honors classes, and the fully loaded science labs where the teachers have Masters degrees in the subjects they teach. I know darn sure my wife is not going to be teaching quantum physics, calculus, and AP biology, AP english, and AP chemistry when my kids hit 12th grade.]
Let's say that the police come into your house and search for drugs. You haven't done anything to provoke the search, but they tell you that if you don't cooperate, they'll assume you're a drug dealer and throw you in jail. That's what they do with HS families. Take this test and prove you're innocent. Otherwise, you're guilty.
The other problem is how the test results are dealt with. Yes, they test in schools, but they are mostly used for statistical purposes. If 5% fail, it's an acceptable number. They don't remove these children from the school and put them in a "foster school". If you only have two children and one doesn't test well, they attack your PARENTING, your family, your home, you're very way of life.
Let's say that the police come into your house and search for drugs. You haven't done anything to provoke the search, but they tell you that if you don't cooperate, they'll assume you're a drug dealer and throw you in jail. That's what they do with HS families. Take this test and prove you're innocent. Otherwise, you're guilty.
The other problem is how the test results are dealt with. Yes, they test in schools, but they are mostly used for statistical purposes. If 5% fail, it's an acceptable number. They don't remove these children from the school and put them in a "foster school". If you only have two children and one doesn't test well, they attack your PARENTING, your family, your home, you're very way of life.
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