Every year I get various letters from the local school telling me about testing or flu shots I can get for my kids. When the kids were transitioning out of Early Intervention I would even get phone calls from the very pleasant but persistent special needs coordinator. Thankfully I have never had a letter or phone call that crossed the legal line. However that may not be the norm.
Simple requests letters from schools asking for more information than the law requires are not uncommon. Should you give them the information they are requesting? Are you required to give them the information they are requesting?
NO and NO with a dollop of NO on TOP!
You and I are law-abiding citizens. We are following the laws in our state for homeschooling. We DO NOT have to prove that to anyone unless called into a court of law. That whole wonderful concept of innocent until proven guilty!
The United States of America presumes that it’s citizens are legal law-abiding people just trying to have a wonderful life. The cool part is WE ARE! Don’t let the media talking head, lobbyist, or ill-informed nosey Nellie steer you wrong.
Homeschooling is full of good people. People that live on your street. That have been in public schools and out again as needed. That go to the local private school or are homebound due to illness. The internet has turned traditional learning on it’s ear so enjoy!
Folks we are not sheeple. We are adults that have taken on the responsibility for teaching, training, and raising up our wonderful children. This wasn’t a pop decision or a gee lets play at homeschooling. A deep and abiding love of our children and desire to see them prosper in life is why we are homeschooling.
That doesn’t’ mean we won’t get some nosey Nellies in our business. Here is how we keep our homeschooling legal and safe!
Give no extra information- Why? Simple you aren’t legally obligated to. When you give extra info it is just more information they have on your child that could be used against you or your child at some point in the future. Again if you are not legally obligated to give them extra information don’t. If you have sought legal advice to be sure.
Example:
A letter in the mail stating you have to give the school board your child’s social security number and the name of their pediatrician’s office where your children get their vaccines. Perhaps the school board is requesting you show a full lesson plan and curriculum for the year despite the fact that there is not a state law requiring it. Truant officers at your door saying your child has missed school so far this year and because they have no record of your homeschooling.
It all boils down to what does the state you live in REQUIRE for homeschooling. Stick to it like glue.
Truant Officer/ Judge Problems- Sadly there are people in authority that should have your child’s best interest at heart and be completely above-board legally and aren’t. Custody hearings that go off the rails because it costs a lot less alimony or child custody pay if you send your kids to school and get a job so attorneys lobby hard that homeschooling is akin to abuse. Officials that have their own private prejudices against homeschooling. We aren’t homeschooling because it’s the financially easy thing to do. We are doing it for our child!
That might mean respectfully but firmly standing up to court officials. PLEASE have an attorney at your side if you are forced to take that route.
We have college degrees- This is an easy one to be slapped with if your child is already in an IEP setting, therapists, therapy, doctor’s office. It generally comes down to I know all about <autism, CP, dyslexia, etc> and this can only be addressed adequately in a school setting.
I have been told by a doctor with decades of experience under his belt homeschooling would be a disaster. The problem was he didn’t really know anything about homeschooling but what he was told by others about it. As the years passed and my children blossomed he praised our choice to homeschool.
No matter who it is that is pushing you don’t allow bullying to push you into giving information they are not legally allowed to ask for. Don’t be fooled into the idea that IF you just give them this information they will go away and it won’t hurt anything.
Also if you find that you have already opened that gate it can be closed! You can stop all health information transferral by breaking HIPPAs with the problem person/clinic/hospital/or if you need to EVERYONE. I did. There was a problem with our team and I felt my children’s health records were being shared but I didn’t know who was doing it. I called up the hospital and broke all HIPPAs with everyone. I told them only that there was a possible misuse of medical records.
Lets end this on a high note. A GREAT reason to keep your child’s personal information close to your heart. What if that sensory INTENSE boy or girl of 4 years old also showing possible signs of ADHD needs some therapy from an OT to calm them. They sail through the rest of their education. At 18 that smart athlete, still extremely energetic teen wants to go fly jets. They can’t if they have things like ADHD (this policy has gone back and forth a couple of times in the past few years, better safe than sorry) or Sensory Integration Disorder on their medical records.
It’s our jobs to protect our children in every way possible. It is also our joy and delight to keep every door open for them and a grand future!
**I highly recommend looking into legal coverage if you do not have any. HSLDA is a great option.