You'd better. You'd better be realllllly nice to them and not anger them in any way. You are at their mercy, you know, if you want to homeschool.
HSLDA recently sent out an email to members to tell them of a distressing situation in which a family was called to the police station immediately to answer for the lack of school enrollment of their children. HSLDA further warns member families that it's somehow their job to educate everyone within their circle of influence about homeschooling (read: let yourself get grilled and make sure you look good and pass their test!).
Ok, so the mom gets the call. She freaks out. On her way to the police station, she speed dials the legal beagles and they settle it.
"The district said the contact with the family was initiated because of a
complaint from a neighbor, and that they have closed the matter," J. Michael Smith writes for HSLDA. "It’s
unfortunate that homeschoolers are at the mercy of their neighbors. It’s
important to establish good friendships with neighbors to educate them
about the benefits of homeschooling."
As for me, I feel pretty secure about my right to homeschool. I have my records up to date within about a week. I wouldn't intentionally anger my neighbours just because I have to live near them, but if they don't like it? Too stinkin' bad.
Easy for me to say, as I live in an area where my rights are pretty secure. I can afford to be cranky with concern trolls.
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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...
Stories like this make my stomach hurt. I can't even read half of the HSLDA's updates because it's too upsetting. I have had a lot of anxiety because we are traveling and the laws are different everywhere. But I have my HSLDA card in my wallet, just in case. Who are these people who call the cops on homeschoolers anyway? Don't they have anything better to do?
ReplyDeleteI think from a police/social worker standpoint, it's a big waste of time when there are genuine needs out there. I think it's time to prosecute some of these concern trolls.
DeleteI also think this "call even if you think you might just maybe suspect something" idea people are putting out there is off. By all means call if you have a strong suspicion and some proof.
Otherwise, these folks should be prosecuted for false reporting and charged with the expense of answering the call/paperwork, dispatcher fees, court costs and etc.
I feel like the HSLDA likes to blow these stories out of proportion to keep us paying the membership. But I am not paying for membership with an organization that is spending more time in politics than the service they are supposed to be providing. No thank you.
ReplyDeleteOn the other hand, I have had the truant officer on my door step thanks to my friendly ignorant neighbor. Not all of the homeschool 'splainin in the world would make her think that we are not complete loons and negligent for homeschooling.
Whoa, way to waste the truant officer's time and build that neighbourly feeling 'round town...
DeletePretty much. He asked me two simple questions and left. She was pretty peeved that the kids weren't dragged off to school.
DeleteLast year I was worried in Sunday school. Her teacher is a public school teacher. Beverly is a year behind in reading because, you know when she came here just a few months before her 5th birthday, she didn't speak English. So, we didn't do kindergarten. We read and talked and sang and colored... and let her learn English. Then, when she was 6, I looked at where she was and decided to do a year of kindergarten instead of 1st grade. And, I felt all comfortable about that until she was having to read to a school teacher in Sunday school.
ReplyDeleteShe didn't call!
I am so mad at my annoyed with my neighbors right now that I am having to purpose in my heart to be nice to them.
I wouldn't worry on that wise because I'm sure the public school teachers see adopted/immigrant children play catchup all the time. :)
DeleteThere's an awful lot of rules and regulations about this. Who cares what the neighbours think? As long as you're not doing anything illegal, or really, really bad, like teaching your kids to be criminals, you should all be able to mind your own business and your own kids.
ReplyDeleteThankfully here there are NOT a lot of rules and regulations. I don't even have to tell the schools that I'm homeschooling. Really, if it's my kid, it's none of their business anyway.
DeleteBut feel for the people in other states with more regulations, yes, I do...
That was not nice of those neighbours!
ReplyDeleteI hope your's are nicer people.
We have mostly older folks, and not that sort of trouble anyway. :)
DeleteDo you know why I have my kids go to that school once a week for their extras? Its a school for homeschooled kids but you pick their classes. Well, it's considered a public school so as long as they are enrolled there they are "safe with the state". They have NO idea what you are doing at home but they don't care. They have your kids once a week. Fortunately for us the teachers are mostly Christian and work well with the parents. They are not pushy at all. I just have my kids in chess, band, elections, sign language, etc. I'm relieved.
ReplyDeleteSee, here, K12 isn't free and the option of one day a week isn't there. It's all or nothing. I'm ok with "all" for Emperor but other children it might not work.
DeleteThat's a big bunch of interesting-sounding electives, though! Yay!