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A homeschooling mom was charged with truancy because she failed to fill out an optional school form.
The unidentified woman had pulled her daughter out of public school in Michigan because of anxiety problems, the Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA) reported.
“The mom had dutifully notified the school that her daughter was unable to attend, and she sought assistance from the school to accommodate the girl’s needs,” HSLDA attorney Mike Donnelly wrote.
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But even after changes were made, the girl still didn’t feel safe at the school, so the mom decided to homeschool her.
“The mom filed a formal withdrawal notice with the school, informing the principal that she would now be homeschooling her daughter,” Donnelly wrote.
The mom’s notice to the school fulfilled all state law requirements, yet the school’s truant officer nevertheless sent her a “declaration of home schooling” form and asked her to submit it within two weeks.
The mom, though, chose not to fill out the optional form. The officer then “ignored the usual legal process for truancy concerns and instead filed a legal complaint for truancy” – despite the fact the mom had followed the law.
After receiving a notice to appear in court on truancy charges, the mom contacted an HSLDA-affiliated attorney, who subsequently contacted the prosecutor to explain the law. The prosecutor dropped the case.
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