MISSOURI
Parents Protected from False Charges
What specter fills the hearts of most home schooling parents with dread? The anonymous tip—a false allegation of child abuse to social services. But there is good news: A bill introduced by Representative Glenn Hall would protect Missouri parents from anonymous tips.
House Bill 30 would amend existing statutes to require the following:
"The division [Division of Youth Services] shall not investigate any such report unless the person making such a report provides to the division such person's name, address and telephone number."
This language would prevent a social worker from even investigating anonymous tips and thereby would effectively eliminate the threat. H.B. 30 would put an end to the hundreds of unfounded, often malicious reports received by social services. It would protect families against unfounded attacks from disgruntled neighbors and relatives, while saving taxpayers money in the man-hours not wasted on investigating unfounded anonymous tips.
H.B. 30 is currently assigned to the House Committee on Critical Issues. We strongly recommend that Missouri home schoolers contact the committee members (especially if their representative is on the committee) and urge the committee to recommend passage of this bill to the house.
