The New Hampshire State Supreme Court has agreed to hear the case of a 10 year old girl who was ordered to attend public school because of her strong, “vigorous” Christian beliefs.
Alliance Defense Fund attorney, John Anthony Simmons, representing the homeschooling mother has stated that “Courts can settle disputes, but they cannot legitimately order a child into a government-run school on the basis that her religious views need to be mixed with other views. That’s precisely what the lower court admitted it is doing in this case, and that’s where our concern lies.”
Earlier this year, a lower court ruled that the girl, being referred to as Amanda could no longer be homeschooled by her mother and must attend public school. The court had ruled that Amanda is “at an age when it can be expected that she would benefit from the social interaction and problem solving she will find in public school, and granting a stay would result in a lost opportunity for her.” The court made this decision even after it acknowledged the Amanda’s mother has “more than kept up” with the public schools in the education of her daughter. The court also described Amanda as "well liked, social and interactive with her peers, academically promising and intellectually at or superior to grade level." Even so, the lower court ordered her to attend public school. Now, the New Hampshire State Supreme Court has agreed to hear the case.
Why is this case one that all parents should follow? The rulings in the case thus far are setting a very dangerous standard. As ADF Senior Legal Counsel Mike Johnson stated," We are concerned anytime a court oversteps its bounds to tread on the right of a parent to make sound educational choices.” All of this, simply because a daughter has embraced her mother’s Christian beliefs, what will be next?
Comments
Unbelievable. This is absolutely terrifying.
This is so scary. At some point recently, they also did this to the entire state of California. Thank goodness it was overturned. But how did it ever pass to begin with?
Without going too political, people need to look at WHO is really doing this. Folks who believe that being Christian shouldn't even be allowed...hmmm, perhaps I should say they want no PUBLIC Christianity instead. If you choose to homeschool because you want your child to have Christian instruction, that should be your choice.
This is INSANE scary! EVERYONE should worry about this.
Does anyone even notice that this report only has the side of the mother? Yes, there is a father. This case ended up in Court b/c the father & mother were arguing the matter for years & agreed to allow the Court to solve the matter for them. The father’s side of this is that he has been concerned with his daughter’s teachings by his ex-wife for years. His daughter has been taught that he will burn for an eternity in the pits of hell b/c he does not share his ex-wife’s narrow minded religious beliefs. This is the worst case of parental alienation! Atty Simmons has a personal vendetta/agenda against the government which he states on his personal website, stating he will wage war against the government over his own religious beliefs. Atty Simmons neglects to say that this child is blossoming in public school & doing great since the Court ordered her to attend. Not a word about the child. That should tell you all something right there. Shame on the paper 4 reporting only 1-side.
Thank you for sharing this information. It's regrettable that a marital dispute has accelerated to the point that a legal precedent might be set, one that threatens the educational freedom of all children. Whether the girl is doing well in public school is immaterial at this point, IMO, as this situation has escalated far beyond one person's well-being; now the well-being of all children in New Hampshire is at stake. Let's hope and pray that the homeschooling mom prevails.
We homeschool and I'm a woman. I guess I should be appalled, scared whatever.
However, Tom is right -- the reporting on this case is hideous. It's a private custody dispute and the side of the father is being totally ignored.
This case will never be a great vindication of homeschooling, any more than if the woman in question demanded her daughter to a private Christan school rather than public school. It wouldn't be worthy of even a hiccup of reporting then.
If I am to be both believe in parental rights and also that fathers are also responsible for their offspring, then I cannot condone that the father's wishes for her daughter be swept aside for the "greater good" of homeschooling. I do not wish to become the reason we homeschool in the first place.
To AM & others: Yes, this started with a custody battle and the father's views should be taken into account. However, this is a battle for RELIGIOUS FREEDOM - not merely homeschooling rights, or choice in education. The court ruled that the girl's religious beliefs are too "radical," and I believe that is a word they used. If a court can say "the things she believes are really out there; we think she should be exposed to other views in order to temper her radical beliefs" - what can they say about the rest of us with "radical" beliefs (meaning those of us who actually want to live what we preach)?
It worries me that even the more conservative people reporting on this story completely ignore that facet of it: it would be worrisome enough if it was indeed about homeschooling and the court had just said 'she has to go to public school' and left it at that - but the specific reason they gave is precedent for stomping out ANY religious views they don't like in the future.
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