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1995 National Christian Home Educators Leadership Conference, Orlando

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OKLAHOMA

Unusual Activity in Oklahoma Courts

Oklahoma is a relatively safe spot for home schoolers in America, but recent months have seen a sudden spurt of legal activity in the state.

Even the best home school law cannot protect families in a divorce proceeding. In the case of Martin v. Martin, a home schooling mother has been ordered by a judge to put her children in public school or lose custody. Despite very able representation by Bill Graves, one of the best home school/custody attorneys in the country, the judge ignored Mrs. Martin's constitutional rights to home school, as well as almost all of the evidence presented in the case. Home School Legal Defense has stepped in to assist with the appeal of this case to a higher court. The last time Attorney Graves appealed a home school custody case he won a valuable precedent. Please pray for Mrs. Martin and Attorney Graves.

Home schoolers in Muskogee were shocked and surprised when criminal truancy charges were filed against a new home schooling mother in town. Experienced home schoolers rapidly discovered that the Muskogee Public Schools maintain a double standard for home schoolers. White, middle class families are treated with respect by school officials. But when a black mother pulled her child out of the public schools to home school him, the district demanded that she file a written withdrawal form. When she refused to do so (relying on information from experienced home schoolers in the area) the district promptly filed criminal charges against her.

Home School Legal Defense attorney Scott Somerville contacted school officials in the district attorney's office to point out the clear discrimination in this case. When these government officials understood that this family was genuinely educating their child (and after several home school leaders called the district attorney to demonstrate the depth of support for this family), the criminal charges were dropped. Once again, it is clear that home schoolers must hang together—or they will all hang separately!