Posted by Howard Richman on October 20 2009 at 07:53:23:
An article in the Johnstown Tribune-Democrat tells the story. Here´s how it begins:
NICKTOWN — Efforts are being made by the state Department of Education to determine the status of the school-age children belonging to families of the Swartzentruber Amish sect of Cambria County, a spokeswoman said Monday.
The children, believed to be a dozen or fewer, have apparently not been in school since March, when the Barr Township school was padlocked because of inadequate outhouses. Indications are they also are not receiving homeschooling.
“We’re currently looking into the situation,” said Leah Harris of the education department. “It’s a unique situation for sure.”
Leaders of the ultraconservative Amish sect have made no apparent attempts to gain access to books and other educational materials in the closed school, court officials and Cambria County Sheriff Bob Kolar said Monday.
Classes at the school ended seven months ago when the building and two outhouses were padlocked on orders of a county judge after sect leaders refused to meet state and county outhouse standards....
Howard