Alabama
Church School Transfer Creates Legal Problems
A Home School Legal Defense Association member family in Tarrant was recently threatened with truancy charges. The family had been teaching their son at home through enrollment in a church school but had transferred their instruction program to a different church school this past January. Since § 16-28-7 of the Code of Alabama requires church schools to notify the local public school superintendent when a child is no longer in attendance, the church school where this student was formerly enrolled did so. Unfortunately, the parents failed to file a new Church School Enrollment Form indicating where their son is presently attending. This resulted in a threatening letter from the Attendance Officer. Following the advice of HSLDA, the parents immediately filed a new Church School Enrollment Form, and the school officials ceased their threat of legal action against the family.
While the Church School Enrollment Form does not have to be filed annually, home educators in Alabama are reminded that a new form must be filed should a student transfer to a different church school. — Dewitt T. Black
