Homeschooling's Invisible Children

[lizzielouwho]

*child abuse and child death triggers*

About Us

Our Mission

The mission of Homeschooling’s Invisible Children is to raise awareness of the horrific abuse and neglect that can take place when unfit caregivers use homeschooling as a cover for criminal child maltreatment. We believe that homeschooled children deserve protections designed to prevent and catch such abuse.

What we do

Homeschooling’s Invisible Children works to raise awareness of child abuse and neglect that takes place under the cover of homeschooling by documenting cases of fatality, imprisonment, physical abuse, food deprivation, sexual abuse, and medical neglect suffered by homeschooled children.

Who we are

Homeschooling’s Invisible Children is run by volunteers. We are former homeschoolers, some victims of abuse, some not. Our goal is to shed light on a problem we believe is in need of correction.

http://hsinvisiblechildren.org/

[rward]

I know lots of parents do homeschooling well. My mom homeschooled my little sister for years as my sister recovered from mono induced CFS.

That being said, the complete lack of oversight over homeschooling in the US is asking for children to be abused, neglected and killed. Public schools aren't perfect and CPS is less so, but at least a child attending school starving to death or covered in bruises (burns, etc.) would be noticed.

[ThatSnark]

As a social worker, it's always worrisome to me when there are situations where a child doesn't ever appear before a "mandatory reporter." That's a person who, before the law, is required to report suspicion of abuse or neglect, or risk their own licensure and professional career. These people include teachers, doctors, nurses, therapists, social workers, daycare providers -- nearly everyone in the helping professions fall under this category.

Some of these home-birthed, home schooled, home doctored kids never see a mandatory reporter who could note and follow up when things are not right. I believe that most parents have the good of their children in mind, but it's the others that bother me. Beyond the educational neglect that can come from haphazard or badly-done homeschooling, there's physical, emotional, and sexual abuse that simply goes unseen because the child is sheltered from the public. It's always bothered me.

[jenny_islander]

I know lots of parents do homeschooling well. My mom homeschooled my little sister for years as my sister recovered from mono induced CFS.

That being said, the complete lack of oversight over homeschooling in the US is asking for children to be abused, neglected and killed. Public schools aren't perfect and CPS is less so, but at least a child attending school starving to death or covered in bruises (burns, etc.) would be noticed.

But it isn't "complete lack of oversight." Oversight is decided on a state-by-state basis. Some states do a disastrous lack of oversight and some states require stacks of pointless paperwork that drives homeschooling parents nuts. And some, like Alaska, strike a relatively happy medium. Alaska just dropped a bunch of requirements on the school districts through which homeschooled children can be registered, without running them past teachers first or considering where anybody was going to find the time to do all this--they're going to make the school board read and review every single textbook every single parent uses, for crying out loud!--and there's this inane requirement that the monthly conversations with the homeschool coordinator always reveal a Dramatic Awesome Improvement In Something, as if slow and steady learning were somehow not good enough. And although the explanations of curriculum I have to provide now cover twice as many pages as they used to in much greater detail, that still isn't good enough; after I submit them, the poor coordinator has to retype them on another form. But I still think the basic system works:

1. Register child. Same paperwork as for an in-school student, same shots and physical, same everything. Child has access to all services provided through district, as needed.

2. Write annual education plan. List textbooks, subjects, and grading system.

3. Receive access to account that can be used to purchase goods and services used for education. Account is the same amount of money that would have been spent on the child in school. Religious textbooks are not covered to preserve separation of church and state, but there is a free textbook library at the homeschool office where somebody probably left their used copy if you really want it. (Surplus school textbooks and art supplies are also available here for free, so check it regularly. And when you are done with your non-consumable class materials that you bought on the school account, they become the property of the district and end up here.)

4. Provide regular progress reports to district.

5. Have child take the same bubble tests as everyone else, proctored by someone not-you in a central location with the other homeschoolers.

[musicmommy]

The state we're in is one that has little to no oversight. I sent in a letter of intent the year each kiddo turned 6 before Sept 1. The only other requirement is that the kids have to do standardized tests at the same level the kids do them in schools. However, in the are we live in, I'm the only one that actually sees those test scores. Our ESD has no desire to see them or staff to maintain the files I guess. My boys have always had great scores so I kind of wish they wanted to see them just so I could show we are doing what needs to be done.

I think that some states do have over the top requirements of homeschoolers. I wouldn't mind needing to show my curriculum to an overseer type person, but I'd hate to have to keep track of our daily hours. There are some days we just go all day and finish up projects right before bed and other days when the boys are done with their work by noon.

Maybe finding a half way point between the over and under regulated states would be good.

[jenny_islander]

It's the hours thing that gets to me. If the kid is learning the material in time to take the test, who cares whether he gets it with four hours a day of repetitious worksheets or a quick explanation that clicks a light bulb in his head? Every responsible homeschooling parent I have ever communicated with who lived in an area that required logging hours has lied on the paperwork. Demanding X number of hours per subject simply does not map to a homeschool day. But my sample size is less than a half dozen, so.

[salex]

It's the hours thing that gets to me. If the kid is learning the material in time to take the test, who cares whether he gets it with four hours a day of repetitious worksheets or a quick explanation that clicks a light bulb in his head? Every responsible homeschooling parent I have ever communicated with who lived in an area that required logging hours has lied on the paperwork. Demanding X number of hours per subject simply does not map to a homeschool day. But my sample size is less than a half dozen, so.

I have homeschoolers in my family and among my inlaws.

One group, while fully expecting their homeschooled children would do better than public school educated children (because that is a given, isn't it?) stated openly that they would put in the fewest hours possible to meet state regs. It remains to be seen what they will do with continuing education, but the first of this generation to graduate (from a christian school that is not accredited and uses homeschool curriculum) is apparently going to beauty college. Her mother was a public school teacher and her grandfather was a physician.... one seems to have been quiverfull, had 6 kids but had more miscarriages.... the others are not quiverfull. THis group leans toward dominionism.

meanwhile

the other group homeschooled for both religious and education reasons. They filled their "extra" time doing educational extras-- mom (nurse) and dad both had bachelors degrees. Their homeschooled children went to secual universities--one got a phd in math, the others are CPAs, nurses, etc. One of their still teen age sons is composing music that is really very good for mulitple instruments. The adult daughters all have nursing degrees and have worked in hosptial settings, though they quit to be SAH when they had children. They are not quiverfull, believing in having children one can afford and have stated that for the health of mother and child, it may be risky to become pregnant too quickly after having a baby. One child became an atheist, but the parents do not publically have a problem with it, pictures still on walls, etc.

This group seems less involved in politics, but do sort of expect the second coming, but don't talk about it.

It will be interesting to see how the next decade or so progress with both groups.