Parental neglect being used in an attack on homeschooling.

[Bro. Curtis]

On March 1, 2011, 14 year-old Makayla Norman of Dayton died of neglect at the hands of adults (her mother and three others) who were responsible for her care and safety. Makayla weighed 28 pounds when she died, and was found "covered in bedsores, living in filth and starved to the point the she looked more like a skeleton than a teenager." On Friday, her mother pled guilty to involuntary manslaughter and endangering children. The cases of the three other adults go to trial on April 16.
In January, an investigative report by Cox Newspapers Dayton-area staff writers Josh Sweigart and Doug Page identified several parties who could and should have prevented the neglect in the first place, or detected it while in progress: "the home care agency responsible for feeding her"; "an extensive bureaucracy where officials say fraud is a massive and growing problem"; her case manager (among those indicted), who "worked for CareStar of Ohio"; and the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services. Bizarrely, two months later, while barely mentioning any of the aforementioned parties in their report, Mary McCarty and Margo Kissell at the Dayton Daily News, using questionable methods and verbiage (to be noted later), decided that one other element in Makayla's life should be nominated to receive part of the blame -- homeschooling:...


Read more: http://newsbusters.org/blogs/tom-bl...s-death-neglect-lax-oversight-h#ixzz1rlCHUILi

 

[annsni]

We absolutely need schools to protect our children from their parents!! Wow - how can anyone think otherwise!!! I mean, who can raise our kids better than someone who has absolutely no interest in them!

Give me a break!!! Where was the rest of the family? How about all of those services who were supposedly caring for her as well since she was special needs? Good gravy, just one more example of ridiculousness.

 

[Crabtownboy]

I know several families who home-school. All but one have done a good job. The other family probably should be charged with abuse or at least neglect as their kids grew up illiterate. They basically received no education. Parents who home school should be held to account concerning their children's education. I believe most are by the states they live in. Others can speak about this oversight better than I. I would like to know how this is handled in the states where parents who home school and post on this BB.

 

[menageriekeeper]

Held to account by who, CTB? And just how educated would a child have to be to be considered "educated"? Would we have to teach them that being g*y is okay, like Canada is trying to claim?

Being raised "illiterate" might just be a matter of someone's opinion. Since when is the governments opinion better than mine???

 

[annsni]

I know several families who home-school. All but one have done a good job. The other family probably should be charged with abuse or at least neglect as their kids grew up illiterate. They basically received no education. Parents who home school should be held to account concerning their children's education. I believe most are by the states they live in. Others can speak about this oversight better than I. I would like to know how this is handled in the states where parents who home school and post on this BB.

We had a girl live with us for a while when she was attending our local high school (a product of the public school all the way through) and she ended up graduating with a D- and she couldn't read or do basic math. They just pushed her through anyway. So it's not just homeschooling that has the potential to leave one uneducated!

Honestly, I've seen people doing "unschooling" and the kids do really well. Heck, just watching Sesame Street will teach basic reading!!

 

[Crabtownboy]

Held to account by who, CTB? And just how educated would a child have to be to be considered "educated"? Would we have to teach them that being g*y is okay, like Canada is trying to claim?

Being raised "illiterate" might just be a matter of someone's opinion. Since when is the governments opinion better than mine???

If a seemingly bright 18 year old child cannot read and cannot add, subtract, multiply or do division, thought supposedly they have been home schooled, then I would call that illiterate. To my mind this has condemned them to a poor quality of life.

On your last comment, there are times a parents opinion is better than the government. There are other parents where it becomes obvious their opinion is not as good.

Several years ago I met a young man who was home schooled. He was brilliant he had received a great education. He told me that his mom had been very poorly schooled and that they learned together. I thought that was great.

Good home schooling takes time and dedication. Not all parents are so inclined.

 

[Scarlett O.]

The child didn't die because she was homeschooled. She died because her parents are evil monsters and possibly under demonic influence.

 

[Don]

If a seemingly bright 18 year old child cannot read and cannot add, subtract, multiply or do division, thought supposedly they have been home schooled, then I would call that illiterate. To my mind this has condemned them to a poor quality of life.

On your last comment, there are times a parents opinion is better than the government. There are other parents where it becomes obvious their opinion is not as good.

Several years ago I met a young man who was home schooled. He was brilliant he had received a great education. He told me that his mom had been very poorly schooled and that they learned together. I thought that was great.

Good home schooling takes time and dedication. Not all parents are so inclined.

CTB - the National Right to Read Foundation estimated that there are 42,000,000 Americans who cannot read. Another 50,000,000 who can only read at a 4th grade level.

Statistics claim that there were approximately 1,500,000 homeschooled students in the U.S. in 2007. Even if you make the horrendously erroneous claim that all 1.5 million homeschool students were illiterate (in 2007), that leaves 40 million Americans who either received a public education or no education at all who are illiterate. And then you still have the 50 million that can only read to a 4th grade level.

In reality, as we'll all admit (or should admit), a very small percentage of homeschooled students remain illiterate. That increases the number of publicly schooled (or received no schooling) illiterate Americans to around the 41.5 million number (actually, higher; I'm simplifying for sake of argument).

SO - your statement was that a seemingly bright 18-year old that cannot read or write or do simple math, has been condemned to a poor quality of life. What's your comment about the 41,000,000 Americans who have been condemned to a poor quality of life by the public education system?

 

[Don]

This is an interesting commentary on the public education system.

http://www.10news.com/news/15274005/detail.html

 

[menageriekeeper]

CTB, I agree with Don. There are problems within all educational systems. We need MORE choices, not less. If some in our gov had their way, the ONLY choice would be public eduation. Think it can't or won't happen? Sweden is already doing so to the extent that their social services stole a child from parents who were emigrating to another country in order to homeschool. Swedish Social Services literally stole the child from the PLANE as it was about to depart. They have not returned the child, approx. 2 years later (I can provide a link if necessary)

Gemany is soon to follow suit and a family from there has emigrated to the US because of persecution they endured over homeschooling. (here again, I can provide a link)

We must be very careful in this country to not vilifiy the many because of the actions of a few.

Nor do I believe that a child who makes it out of homeschooling (or public school for that matter) is "condemned to a poor quality of life". Life is waht the individual makes of it. If the adult child wishes more education there are plenty of opportunities out there. Others, find they have no talent for higher education in terms of university and will find training in a field that suits them. We must support a wide variety of skills in this country. To do less will condemn us as a whole to mediocrity.

 

[abcgrad94]

Parents who home school should be held to account concerning their children's education. I believe most are by the states they live in. Others can speak about this oversight better than I. I would like to know how this is handled in the states where parents who home school and post on this BB.

Crabby, the homeschooling parents are held to a HIGHER standard than the public school in my state. There is a double standard in many states, and it's just flat wrong. Here in WV, we have to provide standardized testing results or an evaluation done by a certified teacher every single year.

Our public schools here can only fail a student twice in their whole life. I've seen so many public school grads who cannot even read and write on a first grade level, but those kids were pushed through school anyway. If homeschoolers did this, we'd be in big trouble. The prejudice and double standard against homeschoolers in some states is absolutely amazing.

 

[sunniemom]

The reality

of this tragic situation is that social workers were aware of the problems in this family, medical personnel also knew about her condition, and the school district did not follow up on basic paperwork. None of that has ANYTHING to do with homeschooling.

Homeschoolers can fill out paperwork until it stacks up to the moon- what difference does it make when gov't workers don't hold up their end? And the bottom line is that this is a pathetic and transparent attempt to control people who are doing something that other people do not like and think is 'weird'. It's like we've all died and gone to high school, with a few kids who decide who is and isn't cool. Saints preserve us!

 

[faithgirl46]

The child didn't die because she was homeschooled. She died because her parents are evil monsters and possibly under demonic influence.

Thank youScarlett. That is the trith.

 

[Dan Todd]

Home schooling - Yes!

Four of our eight grandchildren are currently being home schooled.
Of the eight - seven have been home school at one time or another.

Currently - the 13 YO - is in a Christian school.
Currently - the 10 and 8 YO are in a Christian school where their mother (my daughter is a teacher).
Currently - the 3 YO is too young to be formally schooled.

Currently - the 11, 9, 7, and 5 YO are being home schooled.

None of them have ever been abused by public school teachers.
None of them have ever been taught evolution by public school teachers.

All of them have been taught the Bible and about who Jesus really is - which would never happen in public school.

Yea for home schools and Christian schools.

Dan Todd

 

[faithgirl46]

Four of our eight grandchildren are currently being home schooled.
Of the eight - seven have been home school at one time or another.

Currently - the 13 YO - is in a Christian school.
Currently - the 10 and 8 YO are in a Christian school where their mother (my daughter is a teacher).
Currently - the 3 YO is too young to be formally schooled.

Currently - the 11, 9, 7, and 5 YO are being home schooled.

None of them have ever been abused by public school teachers.
None of them have ever been taught evolution by public school teachers.

All of them have been taught the Bible and about who Jesus really is - which would never happen in public school.

Yea for home schools and Christian schools.

Dan Todd

:applause::applause::applause::applause: exactly Dan Todd.

 

[Gina B]

CTB - the National Right to Read Foundation estimated that there are 42,000,000 Americans who cannot read. Another 50,000,000 who can only read at a 4th grade level.

Statistics claim that there were approximately 1,500,000 homeschooled students in the U.S. in 2007. Even if you make the horrendously erroneous claim that all 1.5 million homeschool students were illiterate (in 2007), that leaves 40 million Americans who either received a public education or no education at all who are illiterate. And then you still have the 50 million that can only read to a 4th grade level.

In reality, as we'll all admit (or should admit), a very small percentage of homeschooled students remain illiterate. That increases the number of publicly schooled (or received no schooling) illiterate Americans to around the 41.5 million number (actually, higher; I'm simplifying for sake of argument).

SO - your statement was that a seemingly bright 18-year old that cannot read or write or do simple math, has been condemned to a poor quality of life. What's your comment about the 41,000,000 Americans who have been condemned to a poor quality of life by the public education system?

It really bugs me that parents who home school can be criminally charged if their child doesn't do well, but the same thing doesn't happen to a teacher at a school if the child fails in a public school setting.

I don't WANT that to happen to teachers, but why the double standard?

It is so annoying and wrong to blame home schooling for abuse when families keep their kids out of ALL education in order to hide abuse. Just because a person keeps a kid home from public school doesn't automatically make them a home schooling family.

There are high rates of abuse in public schools. Where's the outcry over making them illegal or making much more stringent rules and tons of oversight to force them to prove themselves?

 

[Don]

It really bugs me that parents who home school can be criminally charged if their child doesn't do well, but the same thing doesn't happen to a teacher at a school if the child fails in a public school setting.

I don't WANT that to happen to teachers, but why the double standard?

It is so annoying and wrong to blame home schooling for abuse when families keep their kids out of ALL education in order to hide abuse. Just because a person keeps a kid home from public school doesn't automatically make them a home schooling family.

There are high rates of abuse in public schools. Where's the outcry over making them illegal or making much more stringent rules and tons of oversight to force them to prove themselves?

What I think is criminal is people like CTB who make such statements; then, when shown the statistics/facts, you never hear from them again on the subject...until such a time as they can say something bad about it, completely ignoring that their previous complaint was shown to be without merit.

Gina, Wisconsin is the best example of what you're posting. Teachers do their best with the resources and class sizes they're given; but when it comes time to hold them accountable, the teachers' unions get involved and prevent the states from doing it.

I think unions have their place; but that 'place' shouldn't be protecting the handful of teachers that don't do their jobs.