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Another Black Eye for Ohio Homeschoolers

OK - We all know how much government schools and those who work for liberal/socialist causes hate homeschoolers...well...here in Ohio we've just found out about another case of "so called" homeschoolers who have abused their kids and run afoul of the law.  CNN's Nancy Grace has been so kind as to REPEATEDLY bring to light that this particular family CLAIMED to be homeschoolers as they abused their children.

Another thing that irritates - and amuses - me is this Sparks fellow of Lucas County Children's Services.  In one remark he says, "I'm not very happy with the home schooling laws in the state of Ohio."  And LATER in ANOTHER answer he ADMITS, "I don't know the laws about home schooling..."  Mr. Sparks, make up your biggotted mind and educate YOURSELF about the Ohio homeschool laws (Ohio Administrative Code) before you lump all who claim to homeschool together with REAL homeschooers and spew your ignorant remarks.

I understand that the children's services of 2 counties were aware that those people were abusing their kids.  Also, if the  school district knew that they were supposed to be homeschooling, didn't they make sure that this family either had their kids tested or assessed or else report them as truant?  Maimi County supers are certainly good at trying to pry their way into our homes, I can't imagine other counties not being like-minded.

OK...now that I've gotten that out of my system...now you can read the transcript below... 

KW<><

Snip from Transcript

GRACE: Home schooled?

FRANCK: One neighbor even said that they didn`t know they had children, so...

GRACE: Home schooled? Home schooled?

FRANCK: Yes.

GRACE: Joining us also is Dean Sparks. He`s the executive director of the Lucas County Children`s Services. Welcome. Thank you, Mr. Sparks, for being with us. How can you -- just can anybody just home school? You`ve got a stripper and a guy cooking up crack, home schooling. I see a problem with that.

DEAN SPARKS, LUCAS COUNTY CHILDREN`S SERVICES: Yes. I`m not very happy with the home schooling laws in the state of Ohio. There is some kind of oversight possible if it`s more of a organized thing, but you know, parents can home school their kids. And frankly...

GRACE: Well, aren`t they regulated?

SPARKS: Pardon me?

GRACE: Aren`t they regulated? Can you just keep your kid out of school and say, I`m home schooling him?

SPARKS: Well, you know, I don`t know the laws about home schooling as well as perhaps our educational system does, but what I do know is that this is not the first time I`ve seen somebody say, Well, my child is home schooled, which allowed the parents to have continuous...

GRACE: Mr. Sparks, it`s my understanding that child services knew these children were in distress, not only this county but in another county, and yet they were still living there. There had never been a in- home visit, and the kid was living in a dog cage for a Jack Russell terrier.>>>>>SNIP

SNIP  GRACE: Really? Really? You let a parent that actually has a complaint, letting the kid wander outside, home school? I mean, that is a red bell of alarm right there, that you would let a negligent parent home school. I mean, clearly, there should be a little cross-referencing between abusive parents and home schooling parents. How`s the teacher going to report bruises, cuts, scrapes, tears if there`s no school to go to?>>>

[emphasis mine ~ KW]

Untitled Comment

07:47, 2007-May-5 .. Posted by gokings13

Indiana just passed a law giving individual school corporations the right to REFUSE to let homeschooled kids take 2 or 3 classes.

Last time I check, MY TAX DOLLARS pay for that school!!

Ultimately, this is NOT an attack on home schooling. This is another attack on Christ!
Everyone knows 90% of home schoolers do so for the Glory of God.
It is not 'we' who are under attack, but "He".

Laura

Untitled Comment

07:49, 2007-May-5 .. Posted by countrydreamn

Wow I missed the bit that they "home schooled", but I did read where the mom I believe, had had the older boy taken away from her back in 98 when he was only 1.

Why weren't they checking up on this family more? Why is it that all people will see and hear are that they Home schooled?
I really just don't understand that part.

I hope that this mother & father? are put into crates that they can hardly move around in.

I also liked the fact that the neighbor didn't even know that they had more than the one child, what's up with that?????
Oh well. What can we do but home school our children and pray for those that give us all a bad name.

Blessings,
Debi