Posted on 06/06/2013 5:08:21 PM PDT by ShadowAce
Also as a minor, I am not allowed to know the entirety of the Judge's descion.
My name is Andrew Koch and I am 17 years old. I have been homeschooled all my life. I have lived in five states and have traveled the country. I love life and I love the gifts God has given me. Homeschooling is probably one of the greatest gifts in my life. It enabled me to go and learn various skills at a young age and test my abilities. I came from a somewhat Christian environment. In 2011, my father filed for divorce.
My world was crushed. I could not imagine life without a dad. It didn’t matter what I thought because it didn’t change reality. God had a bigger plan. The Hon. Sheri Y. Dean allowed us to move in temporary orders to the San Antonio, Texas area. We have been living here for two years and have found support with incredible friends and a loving church that have sustained us during this time. My family will unanimously tell you that San Antonio is our new home and we would never want to leave.
This past week about a month after the final hearing, Judge Dean made her decision. She has decided regardless of what the children and my mother think that my siblings should be placed into public school and and be forced to move back to Houston. She has taken away our constitutional rights by making a decision in this way. My three younger siblings Nathaniel, Benjamin, and Christiana are crushed by this judge’s choices for them. I am right now fighting her decision in whatever way God leads me.
I am pleading with any of you reading that you will consider writing this judge and telling her that she has dealt treacherously with my mom who never did anything to deserve this treatment. She never petitioned for a divorce it was all forced upon her. You can reach Judge Sheri Y. Dean at this email address sheri_dean@justex.net . Please address this issue as the the divorce case between David and Maurya Koch. You need to write before June 12, 2013 before the judge’s decision is signed.
Please write her and respectfully tell her that this is a free country and in this country we still believe in a person’s right to the pursuit of happiness. Again the this is Judge Sheri Y. Dean from Harris County District Court. If you are from Harris County please add that in your letter. Please stand up for homeschooling rights and personal liberty in Texas.
God has a plan still and it is our job to find it out. God can use these letters to change the heart of the judge or simply warn her of the spiritual and political ramifications of her judgement.
Again here is the email
You can use this template.
It has come to my attention that in the Divorce case between David and Maurya Koch you have denied Maurya Koch’s constitutional right to homeschool and you have told the family they must move back to Houston. Maurya Koch has committed no crime and yet is being treated as if she has. It will be harmful and unfair to the children to uproot them and force them to go to a school system they have never been in or want to be in. It has already crushed the children and Maurya Koch. Please change your decision for the sake of the children.
if you live in Harris County tell her that you will not vote for her re-election and will encourage others to do the same, if she chooses not to change her decision
All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing. ~Edmond Burke
Please pray for my father and his eternal state and pray for my mother that she will have the strength to endure this time.
Please rise up!
To: The Governor of TX Sen. Ted Cruz, Texas Sen. John Cornyn, Texas Judge Sheri Y. Dean of the 309th District Family Court Harris County, Hon. Sheri Y. Dean It has come to my attention that in the Divorce case between David and Maurya Koch you have denied Maurya Koch’s constitutional right to homeschool and you have told the family they must move back to Houston. Maurya Koch has committed no crime and yet is being treated as if she has. It will be harmful and unfair to the children to uproot them and force them to go to a school system they have never been in or want to be in. It has already crushed the children and Maurya Koch. Please change your decision for the sake of the children.This is not just about homeschooling but about constitutional liberties. Regardless what you think about homeschooling this judge has violated the rights of their mother and has treated her as a criminal without rights.
Sincerely, [Your name]
ping
Texas ping
My guess is that the ex-husband does not want to pay alimony high enough that the mother doesn’t have to get a job, so she can home school the children. I had a friend that the mother filed divorce and asked for the same thing. If the mother had her way, my friend would have had to “live in a tent by the river” until all of the children moved away.
Also, just guessing, that the father wants to be in the children’s lives, so they have to stay in the area.
Both excellent guesses. They were mine as well.
It is cruel that this judge allowed in temporary orders what she would not allow in permanent orders!
It is a travesty that most states mandate that the custodial parent cannot move outside the COUNTY of the non-custodial parent with the children - no matter who filed or what the circumstances were. The non-custodial parent can move ANYWHERE! Freedom has been diminished in many quiet ways.
I pray for this mom and her children. They will in all probability have to move back to Houston area.
She will have to work if she wants to stay in San Antonio and not Houston, unless she’s staying with relatives in San Antonio.
Then if she’s staying with relatives, then the homeschooling is solved, as well as living quarters.
Need more info before getting involved in this one.
Just wondering why can’t she homeschool in Houston just as easily as San Antonio? Seems like it would be easier Houston is bigger more cosmopolitan and there are more socio-cultural opportunities and opportunities to connect with other like minded homeschoolers.
This comes after the final ruling?
And if Maurya had support from friends and church so she and her family could live in San Antonio and not Houston, then the homeschooling and living quarters were being handled already.
Looks like what the other poster said, that the father doesn’t want to support the children, and after what the dad did in initiating the divorce, she doesn’t want to be around the guy.
I would set up a contribution to her church and help that way.
Then not get involved by writing the judge.
Not sure what ramifications that will have.
Need more info also.
Probably hasn’t any support system there; article says there are friends in San Antonio.
Still need to have more info on this; why not set up a contribution to her church and help that way?
She could homeschool easier if she didn’t work; the divorce has made it very much harder for her to do this.
I don’t know if it would be possible to homeschool part time and work part time, but part time wouldn’t pay for living quarters in Houston.
So the bigger problem is, where does she get the money for living expenses?
If the child support as it is now can cover some of the expenses and a part time job the rest, then she could home school the rest of the time.
How old are the other kids? Someone would have to look after them while she’s at work.
Messy situation; need a church based contribution set up, rather than a judge getting letters.
How DO judges react to getting emails from non-constituents concerning cases?
I might write her, but am unsure, due to more information needed.
About the moving restrictions:
Absent a violence problem between the two parties, judges should restrict the non custodial parents from moving away till all the children are on their own.
Another totalitarian judge.
Thanks, Ace. Pinging the Texas group now.
This ping list is for articles of interest to homeschoolers. I hold both the Homeschool Ping List and the Another Reason to Homeschool Ping List. Please freepmail me to let me know if you would like to be added or removed from either list, or both.
The keyword for the FREE REPUBLIC HOMESCHOOLERS’ FORUM is frhf.
Yeah, I was not allowed to move out of state. I had a job opportunity that would have put my son closer to his dad, but it would have been in another state. I had to have his permission. He said no, out of spite.
Windflier, above is the link to the original blog posting by Andrew.
Even though I have questions that I have raised in this thread, I will see if the email link works in post #1.
I read the comments at the blog link, and found that thslc and hslda will NOT get involved in divorce cases, just in cases between the homeschooler and the STATE.
That did it for me; the route we now have could be a combination of these:
Set up a contribution system to their San Antonio church to bridge the gap between dads child support and living expenses while home schooling in San Antonio.
Write the judge and ask her to reconsider.
Looks like there needs to be grassroots advocacy groups* for this type of situation and the laws should also be changed.
*not necessarily tax exempt; start off like we’re doing now, write the people that may have some leverage, and contribute to the family’s local church.
“Aim small, miss small” in a NON-violent way.
Ping to post; comments at blog site changed my mind.
Writing short note to judge and my congresspeople including Cruz.
Metmom, windflier,all
I wrote and sent the email to the judge; my Texas reps are getting a copy as soon as I can find their email addys.
Here is what I wrote:
“Your Honor,
I learned of the divorce case between David and Maurya Koch,where there was a temporary arrangement for Maurya and her four homeschooled children to live in San Antonio for the last two years.
And recently the temporary arrangement has been changed,requiring that the family must move back to Houston and the children be put in public school.
They are Christian,homeschooled all their lives,and have not been exposed to the non-religious environment of a public school,which is inimical to the nourishment and practice of their religion.
I respectfully request that the move and public school placement decision be reconsidered so as to allow Maurya to continue homeschooling her children in San Antonio and raising them in the Christian environment; there are people and a local church in the area that have assisted and now are assisting the family.
Respectfully yours,
(My first name My last name)
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