Ohio bill requires background check to homeschool children
Ohio Senate Bill 248 introduced by Ohio State Senator Capri Cafaro has made national headlines and become the epicenter of the freedom to homeschool children.
The bill subjects any prospective homeschooling parent to a social services investigation.
Social workers would have to interview parents and children separately, conduct background checks and determine whether homeschooling is recommended or not. If it is not recommended, parents would have to submit to an “intervention” before further consideration of their request to homeschool.
Cafaro sponsored the bill to the death of 14-year-old Teddy Foltz-Tedesco in January 2013.
HSLDA detail the story of Teddy: “…Teddy had been abused for years by his mother’s boyfriend, Zaryl Bush.”
After teachers reported abuse to authorities, Teddy’s mother withdrew him from public school, allegedly to homeschool him. Reports tell a sad story of a broken home where neighbors, friends, family, police, teachers and others knew Teddy was suffering ongoing abuse. Finally, Bush beat Teddy so severely that he later died of his injuries. Both Bush and Teddy’s mother are now in prison. A news report can be found online.
“This bill does not solve the failure of government agents to act in the face of known abuse in this case,” HSLDA Attorney for Ohio Member Affairs Michael Donnelly said.
“Police, teachers and social workers apparently knew Teddy had been abused for years—why wasn’t something done? Instead of focusing on and fixing these failures, Senator Cafaros’ misguided bill violates fundamental American values—parents have a fundamental right to direct their children’s education without unwarranted government interference and citizens are presumed innocent until proven guilty.”
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