Filed: October 18, 2005

Nature of Case: Last October, Mr. and Mrs. L withdrew their three children from the Internet-based public charter school in which they had been enrolled to began homeschooling them. Mrs. L's mother was supervising the 9-year-old's homeschool program one day shortly after her withdrawal from the charter school when a County social worker knocked on her door, demanding to interview the girl.

When the children's grandmother declined to allow the social worker into her home, the social worker threatened to take the children into custody in the children's presence. The distraught grandmother allowed the social worker into her home to interview the girl.

A few days later, the social worker filed a petition with the County Court alleging that the children were being educationally neglected, and sought to remove them from their parents' custody.

Rulings: In the initial hearing, the juvenile judge ruled that even if the allegations of educational neglect were true, it would not justify removal of the children from their parents' custody. He set the educational neglect hearing for a later date.

Status: Before the trial date, the family, with the assistance of HSLDA and the local homeschooling community, presented the prosecuting attorney with proof that the family's homeschooling program complied with Minnesota law and would provide the children with an excellent education. The County dismissed the petition before trial.