Across the States
Family Unduly Threatened
As required by Florida homeschool law, the Dollins family of Saint Cloud sent to the county their notice of intent to enroll their son in a homeschool program. This notice of intent also effectively withdrew their son from his public school. Just to make sure the message arrived, the Dollinses sent the notice via certified mail.
Soon after the notice was sent, the Dollinses received a letter from the school district’s homeschool supervisor, acknowledging their homeschool program.
Nevertheless, due to lack of communication between the homeschool supervisor and the district attendance officer, the Dollinses received numerous phone calls and visits from the attendance officer. On the attendance officer’s last visit, she left a notice with the family, stating that if the Dollinses did not contact the school by a certain date, the school would turn them over to the state attorney’s office!
Being Home School Legal Defense Association members, the Dollins family called our legal department for help.
HSLDA Senior Counsel Christopher Klicka then sent the attendance officer a letter, stating that her actions were inappropriate and unnecessary. He assured the officer that the Dollinses were legally homeschooling under Florida law, and that since the family had already submitted their notice, they were not required to do anything else until their evaluation was due the following year. Klicka also demanded that the harassing calls and visits to the family be stopped.
The Dollins family has not seen or heard from a school official since Klicka sent this letter on their behalf.
— by Christopher J. Klicka
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