Posted on 05/08/2015 8:52:28 AM PDT by Jan_Sobieski
It all started with an unwanted knock on the door by a government worker and it’s being answered with a $60 million lawsuit. A New Jersey family is suing the state child-protection agency after it allegedly sent a caseworker to their home to interrogate them on everything from their son’s homeschool education to questions about vaccines and guns in the house.
Christopher Zimmer and his wife Nicole of Belvidere filed a civil rights complaint in April in U.S. District Court in Trenton alleging “unlawful and unconstitutional home intrusion.” “I won’t forget that morning for a long, long time,” said Christopher Zimmer, thinking back to Tuesday, Jan. 13, which began with a caseworker knocking on his front door.
He said Michelle Marchese, a caseworker for the state Division of Child Protection and Permanency, demanded she be let inside the house, “Now!” according to court documents. Startled by the aggressive confrontation, Christopher Zimmer asked the purpose of her visit.
Marchese refused to answer the question, saying only that 15-year-old Christopher Zimmer Jr. was not getting a “proper education” and she was at the Zimmer home under the authority of DCP&P to make sure they were homeschooling their son “correctly,” the suit states.
Not knowing the extent of his rights, Christopher Zimmer phoned local police. The police arrived on the scene but allowed Marchese to enter the home and continue to issue threats to the family and inspect the house, all without a warrant, the lawsuit states.
The Zimmers let the woman inside, attempting to prove they had nothing to hide, but after two hours of what the family described as intense interrogation, it became clear this issue would not be quickly resolved.
(Excerpt) Read more at wnd.com ...
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She should NOT have called the police but rather her lawyer. The one from HSLDA, which she apparently did not know enough to join when she decided to homeschool.
NEVER, EVER appeal to the police, as they will side with social services, and God help you if THEY see something they don't like.
HSLDA membership is a wonderful bargain that no homeschool family should be without.
Then, there’s the new case in KY
10 homeschooled children seized on May 6th. Mother arrested when she tried to prevent police from seizing her 2 oldest. She is 5 months pregnant.
One of the children seized is an infant.
Off grid people.
If you homeschool, you should be a member of HSLDA (Home School Legal Defense Association). They are THE legal source for all things relating to HS’ing and gub’mint intrusion. Don’t homeschool without them.
About $100/year for legal defense - cheap in retrospect.
Actually, here in New Jersey, people are more free to homeschool than most (if not all) other states. We're not required to report to anyone. We're free to succeed or fail entirely on our own. And, based on my observations, most are succeeding. The community is very well-organized here with many opportunities for the students.
The states around us, such as PA, DE, and NY, have tough restrictions... but not NJ.
The DCPP intruder stepped out of bounds. It seems later she tried to play it off as if the family invited her in. I hope their call to the police is considered evidence that their rights were violated and they were forced to let her in.
Unfortunately, Kentucky has strict laws on homeschooling:
http://education.ky.gov/federal/fed/Documents/KY_Home_School_InfoPak.pdf
Otherwise, I wonder what the state’s justification is supposed to be for removing those children?
I once heard someone say:
A good friend will help you move.
A really good friend will help you move a body.
You two crack me up.
Can’t remember what we paid but I think it’s $120/year now but still a bargain. Living on one income isn’t easy but possible and that yearly HSLDA fee is great peace of mind.
It turns out there’s more to that Kentucky story. I just noticed this in the Daily Mail and remembered your post.
I don’t know, but it doesn’t sound good:
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