Worst-ever Homeschool Law Proposed

[Don]

Normally, I'd place this in the Homeschool section; but I wanted to ensure that lots of people who don't normally visit that section see it.

http://watchdog.org/121479/ohio-homeschooling-law/

An Ohio senator wants the state to investigate parents who decide to homeschool their children.

This comes after the death of a Theodore “Teddy” Foltz-Tedesco, who was brought to Akron Children’s Hospital Mahoning Valley with head trauma Jan. 21. His injuries, the result of a beating, were so severe he was immediately transferred to St. Elizabeth Health Center. Teddy died in the hospital Jan. 26. He was 14.

Teddy’s murder led state Sen. Capri Cafaro, D-Hubbard, to introduce a bill that would “require a public children services agency to recommend whether a child should be admitted to an internet or computer-based community school or excused by a school district superintendent from attendance at school for home education.”

This is a horrible proposal. It's extremely sad that the child died; but homeschooling wasn't a cause, and all other homeschoolers are now suspects.

Let's make sure we understand the facts:

Teddy’s mother, Shain Widdersheim, was sentenced to 15 years in prison for child endangerment and obstructing justice. Zaryl Bush, her boyfriend at the time, was sentenced to life in prison for Teddy’s murder and for child endangerment, intimidation of witnesses and tampering with evidence.

According to various news reports, Bush tortured and abused Teddy and his 10-year-old twin brothers.

Teddy’s grandmother tried to intervene. Friends and neighbors contacted social services. Police were told and Teddy’s teachers noticed and initiated a complaint with the county children services agency.

Widdersheim responding by taking Teddy out of the public school.

Multiple interventions; calls to social services and police; teachers initiated complaints to the county; and we think that requiring people to get approval to homeschool is somehow going to solve this problem?

Make sure you understand the logic, people: The government authorities knew the children were being abused, and were in danger of death; but they did nothing.

Make sure you understand the logic, people: This same government that did nothing to prevent the death of this child after multiple notifications, now thinks that by keeping the child in the system that did nothing for him, he might still be alive.

I agree; it's possible that he might still be alive, and still being abused.

I can't wrap my head around it. Maybe y'all can explain it to me in another way that somehow makes sense.

 

[thisnumbersdisconnected]

If Teddy had "teachers" as the story states, what has homeschooling got to do with his death? Was he homeschooled or not, and even if he was, how did that contribute to his death? They think he wouldn't have been killed outside of homeschooling hours?

 

[just-want-peace]

I read somewhere a few days ago a statement that covers this quite well. Don't know the originator, and this is not an exact quote, but you can get the gist of the intent.

"Government is always offering to doctor your broken bones, even when that doctoring means you are going to get another broken bone from the doctoring.
We need to tell the government to QUIT trying to heal us, and maybe in that process we will not get more broken bones.":thumbs:

 

[abcgrad94]

It's easy to understand when we realize what drives stupid bills like this one--POWER and CONTROL. They don't care about the children. If they cared about Teddy, something would have been done. Nope, this is about exploiting an abused child to further an agenda for big government. It's about flexing the political arm towards those who don't conform.

This is the kind of garbage used by commies and dictators like Hitler--get the people used to unreasonable searches and "interviews" (interrogations, anyone?)

That said, I don't think this will pass, not now. But it's a step towards "compromise" to take away our rights in increments.

 

[ktn4eg]

Let me see if I've got this straight....

Homeschooling caused the child to die....Therefore Public Schools such as Columbine, Sandy Hook, etc., are safe havens for all students.

Makes sense to me. :BangHead:

 

[webdog]

Due to the negative publicity, Cafaro has rescinded the legislation.

 

[Don]

If Teddy had "teachers" as the story states, what has homeschooling got to do with his death? Was he homeschooled or not, and even if he was, how did that contribute to his death? They think he wouldn't have been killed outside of homeschooling hours?

He was in public school; teachers reported the abuse; the father-figure pulled him out of school claiming that they would homeschool.

Praise be for Webdog's report.