Knowledge is power.

A friend called this morning a little shaken up by a knock at her door this morning. (To set the stage, her husband is out of town and she had been working on curriculum that morning trying to figure out what to do next year.) At the door was a man from the Sheriff’s department. Some neighbors had been complaining about their dog who is big and friendly and loves to dig holes under the fence and roam around the neighborhood. The man reprimanded her about the dog, gave her the law about dogs, fences, leashes etc. He then mentioned that he had also received a call that she homeschooled. She turned to her son and said “Well I guess we should start with this, Bob*(name changed) tell the man how old you are.” Bob* said “I am four years old”. She then told the man that Bob* was her oldest child and was not old enough to be required to attend school. The man said something like, oh, I’m sorry we must have some wrong information. She was a little shaken up when she shut the door. She was partly frustrated about the dog and all that that encompassed and party that her rights had been infringed upon with the questioning about homeschooling at her front door by a man in a uniform. She called me and asked what she should do. And what she should do once her son was old enough for school. I told her and now I am going to post it here as a good reminder for all of us. Caution: Do not let this scare you. God is not a God of fear. Knowledge is power and so I am just reminding us of some knowledge.

If someone questioning shows up at the door.
Be polite and friendly. Smile. Stay calm.
Get his name and business card.
Ask what prompted his visit or call.
Tell him, "My children are privately educated at home."
Answer other questions with, "I will be glad to cooperate as far as the law requires, but you will need to give me your request in writing."
Repeat the above statements as often as necessary. Do not be afraid of silence.
After he leaves, write down everything that occurred.
If you are a member of THSC call THSC Association, (806) 744-4441, as soon as possible to report the contact.

Do not allow him to enter your home or to speak to your children. The only legal ways into your home are with your permission or a search warrant. If you receive a written request, respond with a letter of assurance. If you do not respond to a written request in a timely manner, the school district can file truancy charges against you for lack of cooperation.

Reminder of the State Law for homeschoolers in Texas…
In order to be a legitimate home school, you must have a curriculum which teaches reading, spelling, grammar, mathematics and a study of good citizenship, and you must pursue that curriculum in a bona fide (not a sham) manner. This curriculum may be obtained from any source and can consist of books, workbooks, other written materials, or materials on an electronic monitor including computer or video screens, or any combination thereof.