Posted on 02/10/2017 10:24:07 AM PST by Sopater
Raising children is no walk in the park, but it’s even more difficult when the state dictates what you can and cannot do with your own family. Kiarre Harris is a devoted single mother, trying her hardest to provide her children with the best possible upbringing.
Government schooling has been failing children for years.
After growing concerned that her children were not receiving an adequate education from the Buffalo public school system in New York State, she made the decision to pull her kids out of their school.
"I felt that the district was failing my children,” Harris reported.
Harris’ feelings are not uncommon among parents of public school students. Government schooling has been failing children for years. However, since it is funded through tax dollars, rather than being a product of the market, it is incredibly difficult to keep public schools, and public teachers, accountable. This is precisely why many parents have begun considering other options that are better suited to their children’s educational needs.
Frustrated and desperate for an alternative, Harris spent time researching homeschooling, which she ultimately decided was the best direction for her family. Unfortunately, the state disagreed.
Most parents believe themselves to be the sole arbitrators when it comes to making choices that directly impact their children, and rightfully so, as kids are perhaps the most obvious fruits of one’s labor. But it has unfortunately become all too common for the state to intervene, asserting that government knows what is best for your child.
An Unexpected Visit
Harris and her family received a visit from social service representatives, who were accompanied by local police officers.
Harris had done everything exactly right. She familiarized herself with the legal process and followed all the guidelines required by the state of New York in order to homeschool her children.
“I spoke directly to the homeschool coordinator and she told me from this point on my children were officially un-enrolled from school.”
But despite filing all the relevant and mandated paperwork and working closely with the district to ensure she was adhering to the proper protocol, Harris received a phone call from Child Protective Services a week later, demanding to know why her children had not been attending school.
She explained the situation to the state representative and even offered to provide them with copies of the paperwork she had already filed with the district. The representative appeared to be appeased by Harris' explanation, and she believed the matter had been fully resolved.
Before even a month had passed since the unexpected phone call, Harris and her family received a visit from social service representatives, who were accompanied by local police officers.
The state is punishing Harris for doing what she, as their mother, believes is best for the children.
Claiming to have an order from a local judge, ordering the state to remove her children from their home, Harris did what any mother would do and refused to hand her children over to strangers with government badges.
Instead of discussing the matter and attempting to get to the bottom of the situation before uprooting young children from the comfort and safety of their home and mother, police officers arrested Harris for obstructing law enforcement in the line of duty.
What Happens Next?
While the school district has claimed they are unable to comment on the matter, they said that homeschooling is a right only granted to those who have full custody of their children, alluding to the possibility that Harris was not the sole custodian of her two kids.
Harris, who is no newbie to single parenthood, has had sole custody of her children for several years. However, the incompetency of the state appears to be enough of a reason to not only remove her children, but to deny her visitation privileges altogether.
It has now been three weeks since Harris has seen her children. By no fault of her own, the state is punishing Harris for doing what she, as their mother, believes is best for the children.
The state, as always, has justified their actions under the guise of “protecting” the Harris children. However, it is unclear how ripping two minors from their home serves any benefit to Harris’ kids. This tragic situation perfectly demonstrates the inherent nature of government failure, not only in the education system but also with something as simple as proper communication. Since Harris had, in fact, done everything right, the fault here lies with Buffalo officials, and their inability to properly do their job.
For now, the case is ongoing, but even though the blame is on the local government, the young children must wait in foster care, while the state attempts to fix its own mistake.
Where is the ACLU? Southern Poverty Law Center? Civil Rights Division of the DOJ?
I find it difficult to believe she is the only homeschooler in the state of New York.
Students not attending a public school = less money = less power for public unions and democrats
Standing behind the government thugs. Where else. But you knew that already.
There are conservative groups that should help this women.
NY. Nice place to visit - wouldn’t want to live there.
And I also smell a federal rat lurking somewhere in this sleazy picture.
“Government schooling” - has nothing to do with actual “education”.
Likewise.
This article is long on conclusions and short on details.
This is where Carl Paladino could put his money where his mouth is and get this family a lawyer who will handle this.
Listening Carl?
I agree.
Very short on details.
Often our own side baits us with red meat just as the Left stirs the ignorant in some black communities.
This is why we have DeVos.
The good of the children and the good of the parent(s) is irrelevant. The good of the bureaucrats, the politicians, and the Union is paramount.
Good point. Dad probably was just a sperm donor. I feel like this story is a bleeding heart story to show bad Homeschooling mom. It reminds me of the woman in Arizona who is being deported.....supporters say she didn’t do anything wrong.......they conveniently leave out that she has a felony. There is more to this story and I would be that the woman was not Homeschooling her kids adequately.
Your source is better. It peels off at least the layer that indicates there is more to this story.
Appolgies to Star Trek, Our education system: where the needs of the union out weight the needs of the students.
Sounds to me like separation or divorce in the cards or in the works and punish the kids and the conservative parent as a by-product.
Yes, there are! She could call the local area HS support groups, Home School Legal Defense Association....she has options.
She should have joined one of these organizations before starting homeschooling. I know, it costs money, but it is just like car insurance, or fire insurance. She needs to pay for it before a bad thing happens.
If we allowed people to buy insurance to cover auto accidents, or house fires after the fact, the insurers would go broke in a day.
The article makes it sound like she was so organized and well-prepared, but somehow I suspect she was not. Now she wants to reap the benefit of a homeschool organization, without ever having paid the dues.
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