Previous Issue Current Issue Next Issue About Search Archives Advertising VOLUME XVIII, NUMBER 5 - disclaimer - SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2002   C  O  N  T  E  N  T  S   Cover Story Lewis & Clark: Rediscovering their journey Special Features Congressional breakthroughs in CAPTA reform PHC adds faculty and students HSLDA essay contest results Regular Features Active cases Freedom watch Around the Globe Notes to Members Prayer and praise President's page F.Y.I HSLDA social services contact policy A plethora of forms Across the States State by State H  O  M  E     S  C  H  O  O  L  I  N  G     N  E  W  S     F  R  O  M AL · AR · CA · CT · DE · FL · GA · IL · KY · LA · MD · MI · NM · NY · OH · OR · VA · WI · WY Home School Heartbeat in Wisconsin Altoona WJLM 96.9 FM Appleton-Oshkosh WVCY 690 AM Chippewa Falls WHRC 97.3 FM Eau Claire WHEM 91.3 FM Eau Claire WVCF 90.5 FM Menomonie WPHF 105.3 FM Milladore WGNV 88.5 FM Milwaukee KVFL 89.1 FM Milwaukee VCY AMERICA 888 SHWV Milwaukee WJIC 91.7 FM Milwaukee-Racine WVCY 107.7 FM Northfield WJPH 89.9 FM Plymouth WSTM 91.3 FM Tomah WVCX 98.9 FM Washburn WEGZ 105.9 FM Wittenberg WVRN 88.9 FM Wisconsin Watching theHistory Channel equals abuse? The D family owns and operates a farm in Buffalo County. For the last two years, they have homeschooled their two children in addition to teaching them all the tasks necessary to run a farm. Unfortunately, a relative did not like their homeschooling and turned them into Health and Human Services even though the family was in full compliance with the law. The social worker stopped by when they were not home and left a letter requesting to meet with them. The family refused. The social worker followed up with a second letter, requesting a meeting, but this time including a copy of the allegations. The family immediately contacted HSLDA. Upon analyzing the allegations and realizing that there were no identifiable child abuse allegations, HSLDA advised the family not to cooperate. Some of the absurd allegations included the following: Neither parent has any education beyond high school. The parents refuse to send one of their children to summer school. Both parents feel that one and a half hours of schooling per day is sufficient. The tipster continued, They recently purchased [satellite television] so the boys could learn from the History Channel and one of the boys cuts his own hair so he can see. Finally, in addition to the false allegations, the tipster indicated that each child gets a new toy every week that [sic] the mother shops and the father's number one priority is money--they are not financially poor. The tipster revealed his prejudice at the end of the letter with his comment that "Wisconsin needs stricter laws regarding homeschooling. Compared to Minnesota. [sic]" (Minnesota has a more complicated homeschool law.) Since the family was not required to cooperate, they chose not to do so. Getting nowhere with the family and having no real evidence of abuse, the social worker terminated her investigation. — Christopher J. Klicka

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