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MICHIGAN

Calhoun harasses member families

Two veteran homeschool families, both Home School Legal Defense Association members, received notices from the Calhoun Intermediate School District that they were in "violation" of the compulsory attendance law. Though aware that these families were exercising their constitutional and statutory rights to homeschool, the district demanded that the families' children be placed in public school the day after receipt of the notices.

The notices threatened that failure to place the children in school immediately would result in "court action." If convicted, the families would be slapped with a fine, "imprisonment for not less than two or more than ninety days," or both.

Parents in Michigan are free to educate their children at home and are not required to have any contact with the local school system. Despite this educational freedom, Calhoun ISD continues to insist that homeschoolers must fill out extensive paperwork " that they are in compliance with the law. HSLDA has repeatedly explained the homeschool law to this district and has clarified that families are not required to give the district any information.

When these two families notified our legal staff of the situation, HSLDA Senior Counsel Christopher Klicka immediately sent a letter to the attendance officer, advising her of the families' right to homeschool. Klicka warned the attendance officer that she could be personally liable under the 42 USC 1983 Civil Rights Act, since she was knowingly threatening the families with criminal action for exercising their constitutional and statutory rights.

The two member families steadfastly refused to place their children in public school, and the school district backed down from its demands. We are carefully monitoring the situation to ensure that the Calhoun ISD respects the rights of homeschoolers.

— by Christopher J. Klicka