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I don't think homeschooling typically is a cover up for abuse.
When it concerns me, greatly, is when a child has been public schooled and then is pulled out to be "home schooled" during an investigation of abuse in the home. I think, by law, that should trigger an automatic CPS procedure where the child MUST be seen weekly for 4 or so months. And don't burden the CPS system with this. The parents should bring the child up to the school WEEKLY for a 5 minute check with the school nurse. If they miss a nurse visit, the sheriff is sent to the home to temporarily remove the child until this can all be sorted out.
Obviously this wouldn't apply in cases where a child struggled with schooling and the parent and the school felt home schooling might be beneficial.
I didn't say homeschooling typically is a cover for abuse. I would say that child abusers typically homeschool to cover up abuse. These cases certainly prove that homeschooling need to be better regulated. I agree that homeschool children should be required to visit at least school weekly, not only to visit the nurse, but to be tested to make sure they are getting a legitimate education.
I didn't say homeschooling typically is a cover for abuse. I would say that child abusers typically homeschool to cover up abuse. These cases certainly prove that homeschooling need to be better regulated. I agree that homeschool children should be required to visit at least school weekly, not only to visit the nurse, but to be tested to make sure they are getting a legitimate education.
I think having all homeschooled kids check in to a school weekly would be exremely burdensome and expensive for the schools. But I do agree that homeschooling parents should be regulated, at least to the degree that the school setup is looked at annually by an inspector of some sort.
Even that probably is asking too much. I guess homeschooling parents could be required to pay some sort of licensing fee to provide the income stream for inspections. I think homeschooling families would raise quite a ruckus if anything like that was passed into law.
I do know that there are conscientious parents who do and have done homeschooling. But, it also seems that it can also be a cover for abuse and neglect.
There's an initiative in California, prompted by the Turpin case, to require homeschooling families to undergo an annual "fire inspection" of their home.
The problem, of course, is that non-homeschooling families won't be required to undergo this fire inspection. Homeschooling families are no more likely to experience house fires than anyone else, so the premise is silly from the outset.
Most homeschoolers believe this is a thinly veiled effort to allow the state to enter their private property for their own reasons, perhaps to check for signs of abuse or neglect, perhaps to check for who knows what. As a matter of fact, homeschooled kids are no more likely to be abused or neglected than kids enrolled in school. Maybe all family homes should be regularly entered and inspected by authorities? Would everyone be okay with that?
I would be much more okay with requiring families with homeschooled kids to check in at the local school district once a year, than allowing authorities to enter their home.
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Originally Posted by saibot
There's an initiative in California, prompted by the Turpin case, to require homeschooling families to undergo an annual "fire inspection" of their home.
The problem, of course, is that non-homeschooling families won't be required to undergo this fire inspection. Homeschooling families are no more likely to experience house fires than anyone else, so the premise is silly from the outset.
Most homeschoolers believe this is a thinly veiled effort to allow the state to enter their private property for their own reasons, perhaps to check for signs of abuse or neglect, perhaps to check for who knows what. As a matter of fact, homeschooled kids are no more likely to be abused or neglected than kids enrolled in school. Maybe all family homes should be regularly entered and inspected by authorities? Would everyone be okay with that?
I would be much more okay with requiring families with homeschooled kids to check in at the local school district once a year, than allowing authorities to enter their home.
I don't think this is "veiled" at all. It's the state saying we want to walk though your home annually to see that you aren't living like the Turpins.
I don't know what to think. The home schooled kids I know are great, and mature, and smart, and accomplished, etc.
The state is trying to figure out what to do with families who home school so they can abuse their kids.
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I guarantee that there are kids who show up every day in public school who are being abused or neglected at home, or both.
Inspect all homes with children in them, or don't inspect any.
Yes, there are children in public school who are in abusive homes.
But there aren't children in public schools who are being tortured to death or starved to death, who just today were in class and then this evening died of starvation.
This is a hard balance.
My opinion is, that children who have been public schooled until an open CPS case was filed against them, and then they start home schooling, should get the highest priority of scrutiny.
Yes, there are children in public school who are in abusive homes.
But there aren't children in public schools who are being tortured to death or starved to death, who just today were in class and then this evening died of starvation.
This is a hard balance.
My opinion is, that children who have been public schooled until an open CPS case was filed against them, and then they start home schooling, should get the highest priority of scrutiny.
Pubic school kids being starved or tortured to death in a day, probably not. Public school kids who are severely beaten or sexually abused? Definitely.
I agree that a history with CPS followed by pulling out of public school is suspect.
If parents not only never enrolled their kids in public school, but were also savvy enough not to register their home as a "private school" like the Turpins did, it's not going to be easy to find those kids.
I guarantee that there are kids who show up every day in public school who are being abused or neglected at home, or both.
Inspect all homes with children in them, or don't inspect any.
Kids in public school who are neglected or abused show signs of it and that can and should lead to a referral to CPS. Homeschooled kids are seen by no one, abuse and neglect can go on for years until a kid dies or escapes. Maybe rather than have home inspections homeschooled kids should have to attend public school for a day a few times a year so that school officials could at least identify those who stand out as appearing to be in danger due to abuse or neglect? Most homeschooled kids are well cared for and loved, but homeschooling does seems be the used by abusive parents.
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Originally Posted by saibot
Pubic school kids being starved or tortured to death in a day, probably not. Public school kids who are severely beaten or sexually abused? Definitely.
I agree that a history with CPS followed by pulling out of public school is suspect.
If parents not only never enrolled their kids in public school, but were also savvy enough not to register their home as a "private school" like the Turpins did, it's not going to be easy to find those kids.
I agree with you for the most part.
But the Turpins older kids were enrolled in public school, up to 3rd grade or so, and then were withdrawn to homeschool them. The oldest daughter attended public school through 3rd grade, I believe, and she was bullied for smelling terribly because she was never bathed.
That should have triggered an investigation, IMHO.
But the Turpins older kids were enrolled in public school, up to 3rd grade or so, and then were withdrawn to homeschool them. The oldest daughter attended public school through 3rd grade, I believe, and she was bullied for smelling terribly because she was never bathed.
That should have triggered an investigation, IMHO.
I believe since 2013, most states have put in place laws whereby those who have regular contact with children such as social workers, teachers, law enforcement counselors must report any signs of mistreatment of children, disabled or the elderly.
It's entirely possible that when the older Turbin children were going to school, these laws were not put in place in their state yet so the teachers and school officials were not obligated to report any signs of mistreatment.
There really should be some law put in place requiring any child born in the US to have regular check ups with doctors to make sure they are getting adequate care. Who knows how many neglected or abused children would be missed if we just do annual inspections for homeschooled kids. What if the parents don't want to declare that they are homeschooling their kids?
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