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Dear Iowa Homeschooler and other interested readers:I do not subscribe to fear tactics and believe as a Christian that God has NOT called me to fear (Romans 8:15″For you have NOT received the spirit of bondage again to fear”…) but to trust His care and protection (Romans 13:3″For rulers (by application-civil authorities)are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same.” In other words ‘don’t go around terrified unless you are a law-breaker’. I think that our attitudes and manner in responding to the various “authority figures” in our lives and communities can make all the difference many times. That all being said I must add that it is just plain FACT that there are many cases where children have been temporarily removed from families and returned after it has been concluded that there was NO abuse at all. If you had but one friend who had, had this experie I fear you would not speak so glibly. Just having your children “strip searched” away from your presence and asked probing questions about sexual practices they’ve never heard of is enough heartache—even without the actual removal of the children from the parents.As far as the claim that the HSLD attorneys cannot represent a person in many states– I do know that HSLD HAS for a fact represented families in many, many states–successfully. These are regularly documented in their newsletters. Just recently in a situation with Waukee Community Schools in Iowa HSLD was able to clear up a situation on behalf of a member as to a mishandling of year-end assessments. The school systems attorney there ended up making the corrections recommended by HSLD staff attorney Scott Woodruff. This type of thing is routine and I have not heard of any situation where they have been unable to represent a client/member because of the state they live in. A recent case in Texas involved a case worker who visited a family based on a tip that the family was depriving their children of milk. In the end the family was able to provide the case worker with documentation from the Dr. and other letters of reference that the children were being cared for properly and not abused. The case worker has now left the family in peace. This was all handled by HSLD Senior Counsel Christopher Klicka. Also…HSLD membership provides a worthwhile benefit by providing information and guidelines for handling these kinds of situations as they arise. Many parents wrongly suppose they must admit social workers into their homes (indeed many social workers feel their work is so urgent that there is no time to “waste” in getting a warrant). This is however the worst way to handle such a situation and almost always brings much more trauma to the household than by disallowing admittance. Such trauma has been averted by HSLD members by asking the case worker to wait outside the door while they contact HSLD for advice. Sometimes the phone is handed to the case worker and the situation can be handled right then and there. The idea that some “government official” or “government (public) school official” assumes authority to demand entrance to one’s home and worse yet to one’s children is the whole reason behind this proposed amendment. No, we are not to live in fear…bolting our doors, drawing the curtains, etc. BUT neither should we disregard the blatant intrusions government is making into our families. The American tradition of freedom from government intrusion in our private lives is a tradition we should not take for granted. We should not assume it will never be eroded away. By not waking up and smelling the coffee we allow our freedom to be taken bit by bit. I say let’s put a safeguard there to add that protection of a freedom we ASSUME is there but IN PRACTICE is apparently quite negligible.

my grand children are being home schooled. their parents and i agree that we do not want them in public school where they can not pray, where they may be shot or knifed. we also do not want them exposed to drugs, or to teachers that can molest them. the public school system has become a disgrace. children are no longer safe in that system. i want more for my grand children than that system can offer.

About the grandmother that things that children get molested at school. I know four peoople that have been molested , three out of the four was of there own father and one with the mothers new boyfriend. My children are in public school because I want them to be a part of real life. They understand the problems of alcohol and drugs and I am lucky to be at home to watch them at all times. We pray at home for all others in need. Please watch the way you judge. Many people have no grandmother to help or have to work. God give you more compation.

We are a retired military family. I have homeschooled for the last ten years because it’s a choice we made that works for our family. It is a choice, we as parents - made because we had the right to make that choice and I want to keep it that way! Regardless of the type of schooling; I feel as parents we prepare our children for life in a manner we feel is best for them. No matter what culture, color or religion or political party you are a part of; we all should have the right to raise our children without government strong-arm tactics and interference. There is a big difference between a defiant teen who dislikes rules and one being neglected and abused. If government agencies cannot determine the difference: than we have more problems in government than we could ever imagine! I personally feel family and God needs to be back in the front seat and be the steady driving force that makes this country great.