|
|
The
views expressed
on this page are soley those of the author and do not
necessarily
represent the views of County News Online
|
Democrat: Investigate every homeschool
parent
Proposal gives
nearly unlimited power to 'unqualified' social workers
By Bob Unruh
A Democratic state senator in Ohio has proposed a law that would
require every homeschooling parent to be investigated and approved by
social services agencies before they would be allowed to teach their
own children.
The Home School Legal Defense Association calls the bill sponsored by
Sen. Capri Cafaro the “worst-ever homeschool law proposed.”
“SB 248 is breathtakingly onerous in its scope,” says a report by
Michael Donnelly, an attorney with the world’s premiere homeschool
advocacy organization. “It requires all parents who homeschool to
undergo a social services investigation, which would ultimately
determine if homeschooling would be permitted.”
Under the proposed law, social workers would interview parents and
children separately, conduct background checks and determine whether or
not homeschooling is recommended.
If homeschooling is not recommended, Donnelly explained, parents would
have to submit to an “intervention” before further consideration of
their request to homeschool.
The proposal was offered as a response to the child-abuse death of
Teddy Foltz-Tedesco, 14, who reportedly had been abused for years by
his mother’s boyfriend, Zaryl Bush.
HSLDA argued the tragic case was not about homeschooling, noting the
abuse began while the boy was in public school.
“HSLDA condemns child abuse and is saddened by Teddy’s death,” the
organization said in a statement. “HSLDA supports the prosecution of
child abusers like Bush and the improvement of systems that prevent
child abuse. However, this proposed law does not actually address the
problems that led to Teddy’s death and instead unfairly targets
homeschooling.”
HSLDA said the 14-year-old had been abused for years, and after
teachers reported the abuse to authorities, the mother withdrew the boy
from public school to homeschool him.
Neighbors, friends, family, police, teachers and others all knew Teddy
was being abused, HSLDA said.
“Finally, Bush beat Teddy so severely that he later died of his
injuries. Bush and Teddy’s mother now are in prison,” the group said.
“Teddy Foltz-Tedesco was killed because those responsible for
protecting him did not step in as the law or common sense would have
dictated. Why?” HSLDA said in a statement. “Although news reports
indicate that abuse had been reported for years prior to Teddy’s death,
it does not appear that any serious intervention was made by government
authorities charged with investigating such allegations.
“Why was not enough done to protect Teddy from known abuse?”
Subjecting hardworking parents who want to invest their time and money
in their own children’s education is not the way to address such
problems, HSLDA argued.
“Even if, as SB 248 would require, his mother had sought social
service’s approval to homeschool and was denied, he still would have
been at home subject to abuse after school. Regardless of where he went
to school, Teddy was left by authorities in a home where they knew
abuse was occurring. Clearly, SB 248 would not have saved Teddy,” the
organization said.
Donnelly suggested that lawmakers, through SB 248, are turning
fundamental American values “upside down.”
“Parents have been deemed by the United States Supreme Court in Parham
v. JR to act in their children’s best interests. In Pierce v. Society
of Sisters, the court ruled that parents have a fundamental right to
direct the education of their children,” he said...
Read the rest of the article at WND
|
|
|
|
