Posted by Jeanne Smith on March 23 2008 at 23:39:31:
Dear Howard and Susan, We are the Smiths from Phila. I but not my husband was charged in 1983 with Criminal Neglect for homeschooling. We were not homeschooling for religious reasons(we are Quakers). I have only a high school education but my husband was teaching in Phila and had his masters in two areas.You helped us. Even though my husband was educated his parents were only educated through the 10th grade. My parents the 8th grade. Our children were homeschooled until I had a serious illness. But I wanted you to know that all three have college degrees. Becky has autism but Temple University had a program for her difficulties and she has a degree in journalism and works for TVGuide Katie has a degree in education but is home with her baby boy Atticus(this grandparent thing is everything advertised)Daniel has been accepted to Law School and given the Beasley Merit Scholarship for 100% tuition. We talk often of homeschooling and remember back to the threats and degrading way we were treated. In an early phone call a Truant Officer was demanding to know why I felt able to teach my own. The kids had been home and the fines were adding quickly. I said very strongly that I felt I had done a better educating my children then all the professionals who had been paid so far.