Kansas
No Evidence, No Case
In response to an anonymous complaint of educational neglect and sexual abuse by someone outside the family, a social worker in Wyandotte County, Kansas, called home school dad John Woods and demanded a private interview with his son, Tim, and his daughter, Holly. Based upon advice from Home School Legal Defense Association attorney Scott Woodruff, Mr. Woods refused this demand but offered to allow the social worker to speak with the children in his presence at a neutral location. The social worker refused and said that she would get what she wanted one way or another—insisting that she did not need a search warrant.
After a second failed attempt to interview the children privately at the Woods’ home, the social worker referred the case to the Wyandotte County District Attorney’s office. A petition was filed alleging that the Woods children were “in need of services” on account of being educationally neglected and sexually abused. The petition also asked for private interviews with the children and an “assessment.”
At the initial hearing, the assistant district attorney demanded that the social worker be permitted to interview the children privately. The judge refused—much to the shock and dismay of the assistant district attorney—and promptly scheduled a hearing.
The judge also appointed an attorney to represent the individual rights of the children. After interviewing the children and speaking with HSLDA’s attorney, the children’s attorney wrote a report stating that he did not believe there was any evidence of educational neglect or sexual abuse. Based on this report, and unable to obtain any additional information through a private social worker interview of the children, the assistant district attorney dismissed all charges. HSLDA praises God for this excellent outcome.
Private interviews with a social worker can be extremely traumatic for a child. Social workers sometimes ask inappropriate, personal, and offensive questions which can destroy a child’s innocence or security. HSLDA works hard to avoid such traumatic interviews wherever possible.
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Kansas
Home on the Range
by
Brewster Higley
“. . . Oh give me a home, where the buffalo roam, Where the deer and the antelope play . . .”
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