Commentary on the 1999 Court Case of a Michigan Parent Arrested for Homeschooling by Kimberly Anne Makela, 6th month, 2007 Please read this disclaimer - reprints of my 1999 articles are linked below As I began to assemble information for my homeschooling page, I envisioned writing lots of happy, encouraging articles that represent homeschooling as I see and remember it - through the memorable contentment of my rose colored glasses. You see, for me those homeschooling years were largely enriching, happy and fun. But, then I realized that in the real world, families sometimes face situations that are not always happy and fun. And the honest truth is, in the 1990's I was involved with a court case that really demonstrated how daunting it can be for some families to defend their liberty to homeschool even in a supposedly "legal" State. I seriously debated weather or not to share publicly my writings from that time about that case - it was not a happy time, and I am not a brave as I used to be. But, I am led by the Lord to do so and thus I shall. It was a case that took place here in Michigan in 1999 where a mother was arrested for homeschooling her children. Because of the fear of legal ramifications which had prevented so many from speaking out back then, I was one of only 2 people locally who took an active advocate position with the case in bold defense of homeschooling. Among other things, I wrote and published several articles to inspire public awareness. The result of those joint efforts drew remarkable state wide concern, and support poured in from around Michigan from other homeschooling families, advocates and agencies who had recognized the extreme potential danger for all homeschoolers in this case and the charges were eventually dropped. What made the case so frustrating was the fact that only a few years before, Michigan had set down very clear laws that allowed parents the legal liberty to take responsibility for educating their children - including at home - after a highly publicized arrest and trial of another mother in 1993 from a near by county over the same issue. When the authorities challenged that right again in 1999 (willfully ignoring the clear Statutes of 1996) they insidiously set their target on a woman with seemingly little support or resources in a small, rural, northern county that no one was ever likely to hear much about - Alcona County. (Remember, in 1999, the Internet was still very young and not nearly as broad reaching and effective as it is today.) After a plea of not guilty at the preliminary hearing, the judge (the honorable Paul T. Dwyer Jr.) imposed a $500.00 bond on this poor woman, after which the frightened soul, in tears, was escorted by law enforcement to the Alcona County Jail to experience the further humiliation of being booked, fingerprinted, photographed and given an inmate number in what was a clear violation of civil rights. The charge - truancy. It is noteworthy that a mere month before, an Alcona newspaper had published an article regarding our area school seeking the approval of a $7.3 million bond issue. The article in part stated: "....where parents are able to choose the school that their children attend it puts public schools in competition with .... alternatives like homeschooling....Everyone who comes into the school system is worth so many dollars...". (italics mine) Again, difficult to believe that the law was unclear; difficult not to believe that revenue was more important than civil rights. As I've motioned, at first I hesitated to put my articles from back then here online, maybe being a bit afraid now myself. But, the Lord put it on my heart to consider the fact that although my children are grown now and we no longer homeschool, this is an ongoing battle - one that homeschooling families will always face because laws change and in the states where homeschooling is legal today, it may be challenged tomorrow - and the fact is, I support homeschooling and always will. Perhaps this information will help someone else somewhere at sometime to defend their right to educate their children at home. It was a privilege and a precious blessing for us to have done so with our children and if this information might help someone else, so be it - the Lord has led me to do this. If the reader here disagrees with me and takes issue with homeschooling, please don't even bother to bring it to my attention - I am simply not interested to know it. Our experience with homeschooling produced notably accomplished young adults who, through self-motivated hard work, went on to remarkable accomplishments in their own lives. Some started successful entrepreneurial business and one has recently been accepted to MSU Law College, having earned her BA by age 21 through WMU. Homeschooling works, bottom line. Blessings & Peace, Quaker Anne What is the Law Regarding Homeschooling in Michigan? * Voices of Support Make a Difference If You Thought Homeschooling was Legal n the State of Michigan, Think Again... Words of Wisdom "Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it". - George Santayana