Home School Heartbeat Radio Program

Are religious families more likely to abuse children? Chairman Michael Farris talks about one social worker's misconception today on Home School Heartbeat.

Mike Farris:


Earlier this year HSLDA's Senior Counsel Chris Klicka attended a Virginia Continuing Legal Education class concerning the rule of guardian's ad litem. Judges appoint a guardian ad litem to be an advocate for the child's rights in a child abuse proceeding.


Licensed clinical social worker Kathleen Nussbaum presented printed material used in CLE classes for these guardian ad litems throughout the state of Virginia describing three family types which she believed fit the profile of abuse.


The first type described a typical case of neglect, but the second two were outrageous. Listen to these descriptions of what she thinks is a typical abuser:


Type 2: The Religious Authoritarian Family Type: characterized by strong male leadership and church involvement, and the use of Scripture to maintain control.


Type 3: The Rigid and Controlling Family Type: characterized by rigid non-permeable external boundaries, and high expectations of their children.


With this type of training no wonder Social Workers tend to target home schooling families! Home schoolers are often dedicated Christians.


HSLDA wrote a polite letter to the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Virginia which controls these CLE classes pointing out the misguided nature of these materials, and I'm glad to report that this summer we were notified that the materials had been revised because the Chief Justice agreed that the comments were clearly out of bounds. I'm Mike Farris.