My HSLDA Homeschool Story

Let's talk about that time HSLDA protected my family from a false allegation, and an uninformed, over-zealous social worker.

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I'm sure most homeschoolers have heard of the Homeschool Legal Defense Association (HSLDA). The HSLDA is a nonprofit organization established to defend and advance the rights of parents to direct the education of their children. 

They offer resources, information, and support for members. Their most basic function is to work in advocacy for homeschool families. When parents find their choice to homeschool has been met by opposition from schools, school boards, social workers and police, the Homeschool Legal Defense Association comes to their aid.

Although I've known about the HSLDA for years, I never thought I would need them. "After all," I reasoned, "Florida is a very homeschool-friendly state."

I was wrong. Oh, was I wrong! 

Last August, I learned a valuable lesson: It doesn't matter how homeschool-friendly your local government is. All it takes is one call to the child abuse hotline to send your life into chaos. 

That's what happened to me. 

It has taken nearly a year for me to muster the courage to write about this. Now that the threat is removed from my life, I want to share my story.

A False Report to DCF 

As many of you know, Scotty, my children's father, died last July. This set off an unexpected chain of events.

Many years ago, Scotty and I  decided a certain family member would not be in our daughters' lives. This person has a long history of domestic violence against his wife and children. We didn't want our children exposed to this narcissistic monster.

Upon Scotty's death, this person thought he would finally be in the lives of our daughters. I think he viewed Scotty as the gatekeeper to the kids. And now that he was gone, there was no one standing guard. 

He couldn't have been more wrong.  

When I refused to allow him in my daughters' lives, he took revenge by calling Florida's Department of Children and Families (DCF). He told them the girls "aren't in school."

Words are very important to the narcissistic. They are the weapon with which they manipulate and control people. Please note: he didn't tell DCF the kids were homeschooled. He said they're not in school. 

That little manipulation of words makes all the difference, doesn't it? 

Mind you, this is a man who pulled his 10 year old out of school, never following any of the legal guidelines for homeschooling, simply so he could have a slave and victim at home, while not being tracked by DCF or the school system. He knows how to fool the system.

A Social Worker at My Door

In August 2010, there was a knock at my door. When I opened the door, there stood a woman who introduced herself as a social worker with the Department of Children and Families. She told me she needed to enter my apartment and interview my children - out of my presence.

I asked what the allegation was. She replied, "I can't tell you that until we're in the apartment. I need to speak with the children out of your presence." I insisted she tell me why. She tried to get in without answering me, but eventually told me, "We have a report that your children are not in school."

Notice she said "we." 

She said "we" because she was accompanied by six police officers. I was confused by their presence, but told her my children were enrolled in a private school. When I turned to go get my letter from the private school, she pushed her way into my home. Along with the police officers, she began a search of my apartment without a warrant.

The DCF worker then took Alexis (age 12) outside so I could not hear the conversation. As we awaited her return, one of the officers asked if the two crates on the floor were our homeschool books. I told him, "Yes, for this term. Those in the two book cases are for the year." 

While the male officers were impressed by the wealth of books, the female officer stated she didn't believe one person could possibly educate a child in all subjects.

Ummm. One-room school houses anyone? Whatever.

Once the social worker had inspected my home, and seen proof that the children were enrolled in a private school, I assumed that would be the end of this intrusion.

Again, I was wrong.


Over the course of two months, that social worker hounded me. 

She repeatedly asked me to fax over samples of their school work. Each time I complied, and each time she confirmed receipt. But a week or two later, she'd call me claiming she never received anything, and ask me to send it again.

The social worker finally admitted I was homeschooling, but said, "Yes, you've proven you're homeschooling, but you haven't proven that you have the right to homeschool. 

What? (I had even faxed her the laws of homeschooling in Florida.)

Two months, y'all. 60 days.

HSLDA to the Rescue

While browsing the HSLDA website, I learned I never should have sent her anything. In fact, she had violated our rights on numerous counts. Feeling this was never going to end, and living in a constant state of panic, I called the HSLDA. I told them the entire story.

They immediately sent her a letter by fax and mail. I called the social worker to tell her she should direct all future inquiries to my attorney. 

She stated, "DCF doesn't have to talk to your lawyer." 
I replied, "That's fine, but you won't be talking to me."

Attorney T.J. Schmidt was able, with one letter, to get this woman to close the case as an unfounded allegation. 

I could have saved myself two months of stress, worry, tears, and aggravation had I simply been a member in the first place. 

I am now educated on what to do if a social worker shows up at my door again. I know my rights. I also know not to let anyone interview my kids alone.  

They don't have a right to do that. (You would not believe the things this worker said to my little girl in an attempt to instill a fear of me.)

I highly recommend HSLDA. For $115 per year (and you can make payment arrangements of $10/month if needed), it's more than worth the money. 

Life in the Aftermath of DCF Harrassment 

In the months following this nightmare, the family member who made the call stalked my websites. I knew it was him because he's narcissistic enough to name his IP address after himself. Eventually, I learned how to block his IP and was able to keep him off my sites.

For nearly a year I've been afraid to write about this. I feared he would do something else to me if he saw this. 

Each morning, for a year, I have been awakened by my own panic that cops were about to barge into my home and take my children. I've been on high-alert. 

A slight case of PTSD? Probably.

I feel safe now. I have moved and left no forwarding information. I also have the legal protection I need because I use money from my daughters' survivors benefits to pay for a membership to HSLDA. 

Their father was a big supporter of our homeschool. He bought their books, went on field trips, and loved that they were homeschooled.

In our last conversation, he told me how deeply he appreciated the old-fashioned, simple life our children live. He particularly appreciated that I was using the Charlotte Mason method with our kids, focusing their attention on the fine arts rather than TV and video games.

I know if he could have a say, he would agree I made a wise decision to use his hard-earned social security benefits to gain legal protection for his daughters' right to be homeschooled. 


Happy Homeschooling!