Wish us luck! We are again going to court today for truancy, even though we told them we are homeschooling, and filled out all the paper work, got a home school # and everything from the Department of education ect. {Long story} Anyway, now we have to prove we are indeed homeschooling and not just saying that we are, we have to bring proof of the work we have been doing. It's not a big deal, we have plenty of work to show them, it's just that it's a pain and the people who represent the school district are really rude. They bring up the "socializing issue, and it's part of life that they have experience it, and blah, blah ,blah." It usually takes up a good part of the day, and I always feel like we are being judged. Hopefully after today, they will drop this. I doubt it though, they will probably keep making us come back month after month until we move.
Sweetie, sorry that is happening to you and yours. It never is a good feeling when you feel as though you are being put under a microscope and forced to defend yourself. Lettuce know how it goes. (((( ))))
Has anyone ever told you about HSLDA? They represent homeschoolers in court cases. You have to be a member, but I know a lot of people who use them just in case something like this happens to them. It sounds like your district is harrassing you and your children.
What do you mean, make you keep coming back? Isn't this the end of the school year? When you get home today, you will have a court ruling that the children were not truant for LAST YEAR. Then this year you submit your paperwork, have all your ducks in a row, and that SHOULD be the end of it! Oh, and as Brooke said, JOIN HSLDA!!!!
That isn't right! I hope it goes well for you. There is a suburb here where I live where they are trying to pass a daytime curfew to cut down on truancy, BAH! I say!
Hopefully it is just a formality. My cousin had to do this cause she didn't turn one of her monthly attendance reports in on time (though our state doesn't have a deadline for turning them in....) She said it was no big deal other than she had to just show up for court. Wishing you luck and praying....
Agreed 100%. When our two DS's get older we are buying lifetime memberships with HSLDA. It's a great deal, and if you have a problem (ex: Social worker at your door wanting to talk toy uor kids about your homeschooling) you don't have to let anyone in, or anything just say, "Hold on, Let my call my lawyer with the HSLDA..." I've heard in some cases the people just walk right of of the door step, or say their visit can wait, etc. lol
Too bad you can't go in with an attitude and tell them that they need to show the reverse is true - can the public schools PROVE they are educating kids? No, not from all the studies I read - they are actually proving they CAN'T educate kids, so why should you be held to a higher standard? (off my soapbox) Ok - now that I'm done ranting - I hope and pray for the best for you. I've never *known* anyone to be hauled into court over homeschooling, but in this day and age, I can't believe they are actually trying it. I guess this is another place those big homeschool planner books come in handy - all your studies, extra curricula, books read, etc all in one place for any "proof" anyone could ever need. Good luck!
I would love to see you show up in court with *everything* and I mean EVERYTHING you use for your homeschool. Take in every book, workbook, text, art project, musical instrument, photo and completed paper in there on a big cart and say "See, here's what we're doing." :lol: I read somewhere, maybe here, about someone who dragged a whole cart of stuff into the school office when they were giving her a hard time. They said "Uh, we didn't mean you had to bring *everything". It did get the point across!
I would absolutely do that. I would insist on lengthy discussions about each item as well, and if there were areas where I was meeting standards higher than grade level I would certainly make note of it by comparing with district standards. Waste plenty of their time and bully them right back!
Ech-hope it all works out.I admit-I'd have pulled every book we have and every paper, doodle, photo....but I'm a little obnoxious. (and I enjoy making a point when the people on the other end are rude...like some school officials.) Let us know how it goes!! LUCK!
Are you back yet? What happened? You have a good attitude about this. As you can see from the other posts, many here (including myself) would be a real smart-patootie about it. Your calm approach is probably best, but not nearly as fun! :lol:
Well we're back, and we do have to go back in September. I agree that they are harrassing us. The one guy from the school district actually said," If you enroll them back into public school next year, and they do not miss time, I will drop the truancy charges for last year." He said I was doing a disservice to my children by homeschooling them and that in the long run they would suffer from it. The other lady, also from the school district agreed with him. The judge was nice, he said that he understands that I have a right to choose to homeschool my children, and is willing to let me keep it up, but says because of the school district, If I choose to continue to homeschool next year, I will have to come back in September and prove that the children are learning what they should be, and at grade level. So unfortunatly I guess we have a lot of work ahead of us, because even though they passed every year while in PS, neither of them are at grade level according to the standards listed on the school district web site. I told the judge that even while they were in PS they weren't at grade level, and the lady from the school district actually said, "That's because they missed too much school for the last 3 years" Which is a total lie. The 2008/2009 school year both girls did well attendence wise. Part of this is my fault, I did not go about starting homeschooling correctly, I did not unenroll them officially before starting to home school. And just got the paper officially in April 2010. I took them out in January 2010. But now that everything is official, and we've showed up for court 3 times now, I think they should drop it. Hopefully we will be gone{moving out of state} before September.
And do WHAT in September? Show that you are compliant with the law? And then the next year, you have to do it again? As far as this "on grade level" crap, can you prove where the kids were when you withdrew them? And where they are now? And how they've improved? Concentrate on IMPROVEMENT, rather than grade level. Oh, and can you get a copy of their attendance records to prove that they weren't absent like they said? I would seriously contact HSLDA!
I'm glad you are back and gave us an update. I'd like to see the school district pull off having every child in its "care" to be up to their standards, too --- but that isn't going to happen! ALL Kids don't do well in cookie cutter education and they know that. They are just picking on you. It sure wouldn't hurt to look into HSLDA, we'll be praying for your situation. Keep us updated!
I agree with Jackie sign up with HSLDS. There is also another one out of Florida. www.HomeschoolLegalAdvantage.com. They are part of the group, Christian Legal Association. Either way, they are harrassing you and you don't have to put up with that. Call either one immediately and tell them what is happening and get them off your back now
Do you belong to HSLDA? They are a find organization who can represent you in cases like this. I'm not sure though if they represent hs-ers if they werent already members though.
