Warning

[no_hypocrisy]

I represent a client who was supposed have been homeschooling her five children all their lives. Their ages ranged from 3 to 10.

Long story short: My client was abused (domestic violence) by her husband. He never let her or the kids out of their house without him. Not even food shopping. Child Protection took away the kids and put them in foster care and public schools. One of the charges was educational neglect.

The kids tested well below average and when the Court asked for proof of homeschooling, it came out on testimony that the workbooks entered into evidence were completed by my client's husband and never were used by the kids. We couldn't prove that the kids had *any* homeschooling, making it more difficult to return them to our client.

Here's the warning: If you're going to homeschool your kids, then do it with the proper textbooks and workbooks and keep them on hand in case you're ever challenged on adequately providing them with an education.

[Maat]

1. There should be a monthly plan for each child, and work samples.

We homeschool through a charter school, and the Educational Facilitator (teacher) makes sure that we have all of the proper paperwork.

Boy, he didn't make it easy for counsel, did he (the dad))? He couldn't even provide samples in each kid's handwriting.

The HSLDA (Homeschooling Legal Defense Association) has really great resources with each state's requirements. If the parent follows them, there's no problem.

Your warning is well-taken.

I'm the retired CPS worker; yep, I cover my bases and make sure the proper paperwork is available for inspection at all times (in my case, it is filed and kept at the school).

[elleng]

2. More important, maybe, DON'T homeschool if in an abusive relationship,

as obviously the abuse can take many forms.

[Maat]

3. Well, yeah, that'll be the central issue in the case ...

says this long-retired Child Protective Services social worker.

The worker is just trying to bolster her petition with the educational neglect charge. The central issue in these types of cases is the danger in the home to the family members from a control freak who frequently reacts violently when members "disobey" him.