«		LEGAL/LEGISLATIVE UPDATES		»
ACROSS THE STATES

OHIO

CPS considers options

Homeschoolers have been standing up for family freedoms across America, and Ohio homeschoolers are in the forefront. One federal district court case, Walsh v. Erie County Department of Job and Family Services, decided on January 22, 2003, is causing social workers to treat homeschoolers with new respect. Police officers and social workers coerced entry into the Walsh home by threatening to arrest the father and take away the children. Once inside, the social workers found no evidence of neglect or abuse and left. The family filed suit, and a federal judge ruled that the Fourth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution does apply to social workers. This puts social workers on notice that they must respect the legal rights of families.

The Walsh decision could not have come at a better time. Under current Ohio law, social workers must fill out a "Family Risk Assessment Matrix" each time a child abuse or neglect investigation is begun. This 44-page document intrudes into many areas of family privacy, including the relationship between husband and wife, the degree of "socialization," and other factors that may have nothing to do with the allegations in the case.

Home School Legal Defense Association is helping many Ohio families preserve their reasonable expectations of privacy during ongoing child abuse investigations. By working together, homeschoolers are turning the tide on unconstitutional invasions into Ohio homes.

— Scott W. Somerville