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Wednesday, March 18, 2009

Curious....

Divorce Judge Orders Religious Woman's Kids Sent Back To Public School

This raises an interesting question here. As far as I can tell, this woman got involved in a religion that at first glance appears to be a cult. Her husband didn't like this new religion, and filed for a divorce, and asked that the kids be returned to public school, presumably in an attempt to help the children not be so heavily influenced by the mother's new religion.

Where do the rights fall here? Is this issue really about homeschooling or religion? Does the father/husband have any rights now in the lives of his children, or will the mother now have all the say over the children's futures?

There are a lot of issues here that could beg tons of questions in any given direction. I am a homeschooling mother, and wouldn't be very happy if I was told I couldn't do it anymore. If I were involved in a cult, I probably wouldn't realize it and would also be unhappy if I felt that my religion was being attacked. But does that make it right? Who gets to decide what is or isn't a cult? So many questions. Any thoughts?

4 comments:

Sarah said...

Wow. Wow. I really don't know what to think. This "church" obviously is not beneficial, but honestly, is a public school going to be better?

I don't have much experience with public school (am a homeschool graduate) but my husband has told me a lot about what he epxerienced. In kidergarten, he said children were already talking about inappropriate things, including intimacy between men/women . ..is that kind of enviroment going to be more beneficial to these children than being in their own home with their mother teaching them?

It's scary when courts can start ruling against homeschooling. I pray that we will still be able to homeschool peacefully when my children reach school age.

Shana said...

The real question here really comes down to who gets the say over the children's schooling at this point? Does dad have any say in the lives of his children? Or does mom get to run everything without dad's input? These are as much his kids as hers....
I agree, public school is highly undesirable. I graduated from public school and I learned a lot of things there that weren't a part of the "curriculum". But that doesn't negate the rights of the father, either. As far as I can tell, he's worried about the well-being of his kids and is looking for any way to lessen her hold, or the cult's hold, over them.
Personally, I think if it's that bad, he should be going for custody, but then again, some states automatically give the kids to the mother no matter how bad of an influence she might be.

Ticia said...

I think the religious aspect is a separate issue. Judges should not be able to quash the rights of homeschoolers based on their religion or other social beliefs. If she is first,you are next. I just think that the cult issue and the schooling issue should be separately unless there are some circumstance that binds them. Like she pulls her children from public school and starts homeschooling to hide unsavory religious practices.
If she was already homeschooling it has nothing to do with it.

Shana said...

As far as I can tell, she didn't start homeschooling until after she joined this 'church'.