HSLDA reported that one Kentucky county is going to keep closer tabs on homeschoolers. Marshall County School System’s Director of Pupil Personnel Ledonia Williamson made comments to the media about the general community being "eyes" on those weirdo Bible-thumpers. I mean, if you see children out during the afternoon when the public school is in session, you just KNOW they're up to no good. Better report 'em.
In a follow-up article, Williamson stated that some of what she said was "lost in translation." (Did she not mean what she said the first time? Did she speak in German and someone thought she meant something else?)
“I have excellent home schools in this county,” she continued. (Oh! Great accomplishment for HER, eh?) “Some of these people submit me things without me even having to ask for them. For those people, and everyone doing what they’re supposed to be doing, they’re not going to have to worry about me at all.”
Well.
The "excellent" homeschools in the county send her ... she doesn't say what. Fan letters? Daily schedules? Weekly family menus? What? I mean, "for those people" who are doing "what they're supposed to be doing," there are no worries, mate.
What does she think people are "supposed" to be doing? And what do you "suppose" home educators in that county ought to do in response?
In other news, I think it "interesting" that the official school person is contrasted with the "the Ten Commandments need to be taught in school" homeschool type. I think the reason a person homeschools either has zero to do with, or SHOULD have zero to do with, why this lady thinks she's empowered to go beyond the confines of the law to investigate homeschools. Why did the reporter include that quote?
UPDATE: WT??? This Williamson lady is even crazier than I thought. Now a doctor's note isn't good enough to miss school. Now she thinks it's her purview to tell the doctors how to conduct business. When are we going to stop these people??
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My father is the purple dot above the blue weather station. He's juuust outside Milton's evacuation zone. Well! My brother and I jus...
This Ms. Williamson has some sort of power trip and I am very upset the that paper still made it seem like it is legal for her to inspect homeschoolers like that! Isn't she just a self appointed overseer to every family and doctor in the county??! UGH! I am sooo glad that I don't have to tolerate this where I live!!
ReplyDeleteOh seriously--I read the one about the doctor's notes. This women is crazy! Lord, just be glad you don't live in her county.
ReplyDeleteLori, this more than a little creeps me out, too. WHY don't we all undergo strip searches every time an officer gets an anonymous call if we have "nothing to hide" as well, by this reasoning.
ReplyDeleteI have myself a feeling (not being a Kentucky state lawyer) that the law is probably broad enough that she can declare emergency powers as Chancellor, when really it was probably written to be used with a little common sense and an eye to erring on the side of freedom.
*sigh*
Bonnie, you read on the doctor's notes before??? I was just doodling around on the same website after HSLDA wrote that up, thinking I'd find the OLD article about Williamson (it must have been deleted).
Crazy stuff!
This is why I do not want socialized medicine! All the strings will go to the same puppeteer, and I get jerked around enough already.
Poo. I just fulfilled Godwin's law, and on my own blog! I had been so good for so long, too.
ReplyDeleteAt least I didn't equate Obama to Hitler, Nazis, socialism or the holocaust.
This time. :p
I guess this lady needs to feel important some way. Poor soul! I wish people would just people live how they feel is best. Im beginning to think homeschool is just down right threatening to people like this.
ReplyDeleteMrs. D, I think people like this think homeschoolers are "getting away with something" if they're not miserable or keeping the same hours everyone else "has to." Have you ever noticed that attitude amongst even "good" teachers once you leave kindergarten?
ReplyDeleteFun is over. Nose to the grindstone.
Your kids weren't out this afternoon, were they? Oh, wait. It's ok, but only this month. In September, I guess they need to be chained to a desk or something.
Now that you mention it, though, I kinda wish I *could* threaten people like this, and they'd lose their jobs the second stuff like this pops out of their mouths and be begging for pencil stubs and spare change near your local elementary school.
But, alas. :]
This woman is planning to run for office. Mark my words.
ReplyDeleteIt's also clear she doesn't have nearly enough to do. Hopefully just running her school will keep her tied to her desk this fall.
We had a principal here once send letters to all the homeschoolers requesting that they list the subjects and curriculum they were using. He made it clear it was optional, but thought it would be nice to have on hand. I had just moved to town and am still not sure how he got my name. Two years later he tried again, this time calling it a survey. It's all about being aware enough of your rights to be sure they aren't taken because you didn't know enough to protect them in the first place.
Mary, she may have a good chance of winning. Perusing the online paper, looks like this county has a drug problem and there probably really ARE losers getting doctors' notes for everything or not educating their homeschoolers.
ReplyDeleteThe unfortunate thing is, voters don't see that there is a problem with violating the liberties of people who are doing "wrong."
Just wait until people like Williamson make decisions affecting our health care . . . people like her work for the government and they know what is best for us . . .
ReplyDeleteI didn't cuss!
Your proctology appointment is at 3 p.m. today. It's now medically necessary. :]
ReplyDeleteOk, seriously? People like Pamela and Woodjie would be aborted "for their own good." We'd receive counseling about how this is the best option, once they can do tests like that.
We'd lose benefits if we refuse vaccination.
Not to mention, people who don't like the current government? I'm afraid they're mentally ill. How 'bout some Zoloft?
When I started becoming interested in homeschooling, I considered it a big advantage that you could make your own schedule and thus have the kids "in public" during normal school hours. It seems to me that visiting a museum or zoo on a weekday morning would be a good way to beat the crowds.
ReplyDeleteYeah, you'd *think*. I myself am working these little kids like dogs over the summer so we can go places that first week of public school and do just that. :]
ReplyDeleteBut this woman specifically thinks people like us who are out in public during the school day somehow aren't working the other days of the week, or that having fun at the museum only counts as education when a public school group does it.
I know there are probably some people who carry this to the extreme, but an extreme response isn't warranted.
Oh My!!
ReplyDeleteI made my own blog post in response to this. Didn't want to take over your comment area.
I'm sorry, but I can't find your blog post!!
ReplyDeletePlease send a link when you have a minute, or I will just check your blog again later.
That's NUTS. How did she go to the clinic to do some checking? Aren't there HIPAA laws that prohibit giving out a person's (a MINOR'S) medical information to whoever just shows up to snoop?
ReplyDeleteMaybe Obama can just email her all of her student's medical records after we get electronic ones. That way she can comb through them and decide how sick is sick enough.
he he - glad I don't live in her county. When my children went to public schools, I kept them out for religious holidays and to meet their new brother when I brought him home from the hospital, and I'm sure THOSE absences aren't allowed.
Milehimama, I thought the same thing... but then... I thought perhaps her weight as this big muckety muck has the force of law behind it.
ReplyDeleteI find it scary, too!
When my Dad died we had to make a special trip back to the funeral home to get a letter from the funeral director on letterhead stationary attesting to his death and burial. This was what was required by my sister's school district so that her children's absence from school would be excused. And, I sighed that little happy, peaceful, contented, "I am so glad I homeschool now."
ReplyDeleteShocking. Just leaves a twist in the pit of your stomach. Could they have THAT many sham artists complaining Grandpa died every week that they need to be that way about it??
ReplyDeleteJust shocking.