(I prefer the picture with the Clinton storm trooper barking and the little boy screaming.)
Posted on 12/16/2007 5:12:57 AM PST by Man50D
A homeschooling mom in Utah has been ordered by a judge to enroll her children in a public school district within 24 hours, and have them in class tomorrow, all because of a paperwork glitch that very well could be the fault of the district.
The mother, Denise Mafi, told WND that she already has enrolled her children in the district, under the threat from Judge Scott Johansen, who serves in the juvenile division of the state's 7th Judicial District, that he would order her children taken away from her.
As WND has reported previously, such threats are becoming more and more common in Germany, but that nation still lives by a Nazi-era law that makes homeschooling illegal.
Mafi told WND that not only is homeschooling legal in Utah, she's been at it for nearly a decade.
So what's the problem here?
It seems that an affidavit she faxed to the local school district for the 2006-2007 school year, documenting her homeschooling plans, was lost by the district. So when she went to court with her juvenile son to have the charges dismissed (under a case held in abeyance procedure) stemming from a clash among children, she suddenly was presented with four counts against her for failing to comply with the state's compulsory education requirement.
She thought she was meeting the court's demands earlier when she enrolled her two youngest children in classes, and put her two older children in an online curriculum connected to the public school.
(Excerpt) Read more at worldnetdaily.com ...
Many homeschoolers don’t want to use anyone else’s plan or enroll in any school, even a virtual one. My parents decided against using a high school diploma service because they didn’t like the requirements. For instance, say the requirement says the kid will learn Biology in grade 9 and Chemistry in grade 10, but the parents have good reasons for wanting to do it the other way around. Or they’ll study World History in the spring and American History in the fall but the parents think something else will work better for their kid.
The strength of homeschooling is that the coursework is tailored for each individual kid. Enrolling in some virtual school eliminates that. And takes away a lot of freedom.
When I have kids and homeschool I don’t intend to use any packaged curriculumns or virtual school stuff. It goes against my philosophy.
Good question - why would the state care? I happen to live in a state that doesn’t care (so far), so we can do whatever we want. Other states aren’t as easy. For example, in my state, homeschool parents make up their own high school transcripts. Young teens can take college courses without an “official” high school diploma. Other states might restrict homeschoolers from doing those things.
In addition to the reasons already given by other homeschoolers here, another reason we’ve opted not to use a cyberschool or correspondence school is the expense. I’ve checked into them. Many cost thousands of dollars each year per child. I could put my kids in a private school for what some of them are asking.
The least expensive one I was able to find costs around $500/year per child (if I remember correctly). We discussed that one: We could stretch our budget and manage to afford it for our three children, but then they wouldn’t be able to do all of the other activities - homeschool cooperatives, sports, etc. - where they meet with other kids.
Another problem is that, if we spend a lot of money on one entire package, we’re stuck with that package, even if it’s not working for our child(ren) that year.
But cyberschools/correspondence schools do work for many other homeschool families. Many do use them.
What needs to change is the law. The idea of compelling any American to do anything is just wrong. There should not have to be any report to the state that you are homeschooling your children. Parents are to be responsible for their children not the state, and not the federal government.
I hope that the people of Utah will stand against this judge, and against the law that is clearly treading on individual rights. It does not matter if her son got in trouble, which I know nothing about one way or the other, it is still wrong for the judge to take her rights like that.
Every study that I have found home school vs. Public school, the children that are educated at home surpass public school kids by 4 grade levels. And the cost effectiveness.. yeah, we won’t go there.
The woman has now taken her children and has fled the state. I hope that she finds a state with a governor that will protect her from the compulsion laws.
The father and mother are separated, and by lose custody, he meant that the state will get the children.
One would hope that there would be charitable individuals that would help her through her family, extended family or church, so that she doesn’t have to depend on the system that is taking her rights.
I hope that the people of Utah will stand against this judge, and against the law that is clearly treading on individual rights. It does not matter if her son got in trouble, which I know nothing about one way or the other, it is still wrong for the judge to take her rights like that.
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If the son is in trouble then the judge needs to address that using the law applicable to boy’s problem. He must not be allowed to use a homeschooling paperwork glitch to accomplish some other end.
Our family made that expensive mistake twice: Once on the Calvert School correspondence program and again on the Brigham Young University high school program. They were everything that we were trying to avoid by not using the government schools.
Why homeschool if all the parent is doing is recreating in the home everything that is wrong with the institutionalized classroom?
What needs to change is the GED. Any child of any age should be allowed to take the exam at any time. The government teachers in our state resist this every year. Hey! Bright government schooled kids would flee the government schools and head immediately for college at the first opportunity. That would mean fewer jobs for the teachers.
And what would that have to do with homeschooling or being forced to put your kids in government indoctrination camps.
It isn't as though public school kids NEVER get in trouble...
ALWAYS the very first thing a parent contemplating home schooling needs to do. They know the law, can cite the law - Supreme Court Law that allows for home schooling, and they will take care of legal fees...
the gendarmes don't usually mess with parents who show they are a member of the HSLDA
Well, we can't know from this end - but I had an organization that fought these Gestapo Agents from the government indoctrination schools for many years - we WON. And in Maine, you don't even need 'permission' to home school - indeed, you don't legally need it in any state - the Supreme Court so ruled...
and I suspicion you haven't been too involved in the issue?
(I prefer the picture with the Clinton storm trooper barking and the little boy screaming.)
and of course we know everything would be solved by forcing the kids into public school where NO child EVER gets in trouble - shot, maybe, but never in trouble.
BTW, I didn't see any mention of police
I did read that the judge is biased per: "Johansen told her homeschooling fails 100 percent of the time and he would not allow it.:
He's flying the face of a Supreme Court Ruling -
See my post # 8 on 'sister' thread to this story -
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1942641/posts?page=8#8
I agree wholeheartedly! I know my 12yo could pass the GED test easily right now. But, unfortunately, most people think "high school dropout" when they hear that someone holds a GED. In our state, the younger homeschooled teens just take the placement test for community college, and then they can earn dual credit there. But I'm not exactly sure how it works.
Also, I read recently that our state will issue a "state-issued diploma" to any student age 16 or above who has earned a GED and a minimum number of college credits.
Wallace T. makes a good point Amelia, when is there going to be an organization to protect parents with kids already enrolled in the government schools? Hey, look at the kid charged with a felony just for having a steak knife.
And regarding your comment:
Since kids in the government indoctrination camps get in trouble should judges FORCE these kids to homeschool? Should judges put these parents in prison if they refuse to homeschool, or take their kids away?
As for having to be members of the HSLDA, I highly recommend it! We had truant officers at our door twice and a social worker once! Of course, we were among the pioneers and I did not know about the organization at the time. It would have saved us a LOT of worry.
And,,,In my opinion, if citizens need legal representation on permanent retainer to protect them from a oppressive, stupid, and sometimes evil government workers then it time to overthrow the oppression. It is one, among many reason why government schools must be shut DOWN!
Compulsory government schools mean police power with real bullets in those guns on the hip, ( Just ask John Singer), and the power to imprison parents and students and send kids into foster care.
This is what government schools are! And,,,once they get hold of a child they subject him to a curriculum and to indoctrination camp policies than can NEVER be religiously, culturally, or politically neutral.
I compare government school to the movie “Gremlins”. It looked sooo cute, warm, and fuzzy in the beginning. But,,,underneath were the sharp teeth of anti-First Amendment and armed police oppression.
“When I have kids and homeschool I don’t intend to use any packaged curriculumns or virtual school stuff. It goes against my philosophy.”
We see that a little differently, and that’s fine.
The reality from my perspective is that colleges, military, and future employers do put some value on having a HS Diploma. Now, having seen the recipients of this lofty document struggling to make change would of course lead one to question it’s actual value. But here’s the reality we face; the piece of paper does have value to certain organizations that children will likely have to deal with during their lives. It’s a not a home education world just yet.
In my view, so long as the piece of paper can be obtained for relatively low cost and aggravation, why not get it while you’re at it?
“The problem comes when a parent wants to remove a bright child from government school and enroll him in college. By the time he finished the homeschool high school courses he might just as well finish high school ( for free).”
Each situation is different, but for parents who started out home educating their children at a relatively young age, too many organizations put value on that document. It isn’t a home education world just yet.
I understand that some parents can’t really afford it or their own situations are such where it doesn’t make sense. If your kids are ready for college (as they were in your case), I wouldn’t see the logic in going and getting the HS diploma, either.
Neither my husband nor I had a certified piece of paper but both of us got into the colleges of our choice, as did our siblings so far. My brother is about to go ROTC and they aren’t asking for a “certified” diploma. Yes, it’s an easy way to satisfy the requirement but it’s not the only one. It all depends on the value system of the family involved. For you, obviously, the cheap and easy diploma has a high value. For me, the freedom of doing my own thing is more important. The nice thing about homeschooling is that both models are valid.
The issue that I have is that future employers, the military and colleges still do put value on that HS Diploma. I agree that when government HS graduates can’t parse a sentence or deliver correct change that calls the value of that HS Diploma into question. It just isn’t a home education world yet.
The value of that HS diploma varies on the situation and available resources to obtain it.
Out of curiosity, do you recall which programs impressed you as being a relatively good choice?
“For you, obviously, the cheap and easy diploma has a high value.”
I wouldn’t exactly say it has “high” value. It is true that I put value on avoiding future hassles where I can reasonably do so. If various institutions want some silly piece of paper that I can provide them without much grief or expense, then I’ll probably choose to do it.
There is also the issue of the child that does not choose to go to college. I would want them to have the documents necessary to go as far as they can.
Yeah, the college diploma solves all those issues but not everyone goes. It didn’t end up being an issue for my family as all of us have or will attend college but it could be a concern for others.
But I hope you can see why many homeschoolers don’t want to use virtual schools or diploma certification programs. They’ve done their cost/benefit anaylsis and come down on the other side of it.
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