Homeschoolers fight bogus poisoning claim

Dispensing arsenic to a child and limiting teens' entertainment to Christian music are two of more outlandish allegations that have been made recently against families whose children are homeschooled, according to an organization that monitors child protective services actions.

The reports show that while the families in each of the cases successfully fended off formal investigations or charges, their situations typify just how such problems develop, and can complicate families' lives.

According to the reports from Thomas Dutkiewicz of Connecticut DCF Watch, the first case involved the Marrero family.

They were shocked when a social worker from the local Division of Children and Family Services visited, informing the family only that he was investigating them for alleged abuse and neglect of their children.

(Story continues below)

He later elaborated that he knew that the family's 12-year-old daughter had tested positive for abnormally high levels of arsenic. The family knew that, having just come from the office of a new doctor where the results were obtained. But since they knew arsenic wasn't present in their home, they had insisted on a new test already.

The family let the social worker physically see the children, including the daughter, so he could confirm they were fine. But they declined to let him into their home for interviews with their children.

As members of the Home School Legal Defense Association, which advocates for and advises homeschoolers worldwide, they contacted the organization and staff attorney Thomas Schmidt confirmed to the social worker that the test results indicating arsenic in the child's blood were anomalous because of a simple math error.

No matter, said the social worker, the case will go on because of "other" allegations, which turned out to be claims of Munchausen by Proxy syndrome.

"Schmidt immediately wrote to the case worker and pointed out that the entire investigation was based on a lab error, and the HSLDA would have various doctors testify that all medical testing and evaluation of the children gave no evidence of Munchausen by Proxy," the organization said.

Weeks later, and after contacting the social worker's supervisor, the case was closed, officials said.

A second case arose a short time later, when a family in the Port Huron, Mich., area, whose name was withheld, was confronted by a social worker at their front door demanding entry.

The social worker crumpled up a document the mother handed her explaining why she wouldn't allow her entry into the home, then yelled that she would "come in now" and do a strip search of one of the children.

The tirade had been triggered by an anonymous tipster, who accused the family of "only allowing their two boys to listen to Christian music." The tipster also said the children "ate their Cheerios dry" and got nearly all their "socialization through their church."

The tipster also alleged the children were not in school, and two children, ages 10 and 14 "were seen outside playing without adult supervision." Also, the tipster claimed, the mother "pinched and hit her kids in church to keep them quiet."

The alleged pinching and hitting was the reason for the demand for the strip search, according to Connecticut DCF Watch.

Once again, the HSLDA got involved. Chris Klicka wrote to the social worker addressing the rudeness and unprofessionalism of her visit. He also noted she obviously didn’t receive her social worker training in the Fourth Amendment yet.

HSLDA, 18 months earlier, had drafted and helped persuade legislators to pass a law requiring all social workers in Michigan to receive training in their "duty to protect both statutory and constitutional rights of those being investigated."

A statement from a local doctor indicated the children weren't abused, and other recommendations were documented about the parents' parenting abilities.

Then the tipster struck again, and the social worker jumped into action, renewing her demands for a strip search of the children.

When the social worker threatened she would seek a court order, Klicka noted that anonymous tips do not rise to the level of probable cause legally, so no court order was available.

The family later was notified the investigation was being dropped.

Related special offers:

Get Ann's latest and hottest book, "Godless: The Church of Liberalism"

"Christianity and the American Commonwealth"

"America's Victories"

"The Marketing of Evil: How Radicals, Elitists, and Pseudo-Experts Sell Us Corruption Disguised as Freedom"

"Back Fired," by William J. Federer, shows how the faith that gave birth to tolerance is no longer tolerated!

"The Little Book of Big Reasons to Homeschool"

Previous stories:

Homeschool student disappears from psych ward

'Psych ward' homeschooler case goes international

Campaign launched on behalf of German teen

Police take home-taught student to psych ward

German homeschool advocate says Nazis have returned

Government declares war on homeschooling parents

'Pesky religion freedoms obstruct German society'

Achtung! Germany drags homeschool kids to class

Court upholds Nazi-era ban on homeschooling

Campaign to overturn law that jailed homeschool mom

Constitution threatened by homeschool case

Homeschool entrepreneurism catches fire

U.N. making homeschooling illegal?

Oprah acknowledges homeschoolers

Oprah's essay contest excludes homeschoolers

Charges against homeschoolers dropped, plainclothes cop fired

Funds raised for arrested homeschoolers

Abuse case prompts rethink of homeschool laws

Germany continues targeting homeschoolers

Homeschooled chess champ illegally truant?

7 homeschooling dads thrown in jail

Judges try to snatch homeschoolers

District sorry for homeschooler-terrorist link

Homeschoolers portrayed as terrorists

Homeschoolers hit campaign trail

Survey: Homeschoolers new political force

Related commentary:

Constitutional amendment for homeschoolers?