Office of Ed Horror Story - Help!
researcher77
I am really distressed about a phone call I got from the Sacramento
County Office of Ed in response to my sending in an R-4 affidavit.
Here is a synopsis of the conversation that I noted for my records:
(sorry it's so long, but I wanted you all to know what they're doing
to people filing R4s)
Received phone call from Carol Gordia of Sacramento County Office of
Education, Child Welfare and Attendance.
She said she had received my R-4 affadavit, and asked if I had taken
my son out of Horizon (the charter/home school program we were
previously enrolled in). Told her yes. She asked where he was
enrolled. I told her he was enrolled in the private school I had
established by filing the R-4. She said quite emphatically that the
R-4 does not establish a private school, and that Horizon would be
notifying the school district that he was not enrolled any longer and
that if he was not enrolled in a district school, there could be
truancy problems. She asked why I took him out of Horizon, and I
told her that it didn't meet our needs. She wanted to know
specifically what it was we didn't like I again said that it didn't
meet our needs. She said there were others, I said I was aware.
Her other arguments centered around "you are closing the door" if
my son wanted to enroll in a high school down the road, they would
determine that he was in 8th grade, and the door would be closed. I
told her that we considered this a stop-gap measure until we found a
suitable alternative, and that I had considered the implications.
I told her I appreciated her concern and taking the time to call to
make sure I was informed, but that I had educated myself about all
the implications of this decision. I asked if there was any problem
with the R-4 itself. She said there wasn't, but that it could only
be filed in October of each year, and that my son would not be
enrolled in school until it was filed. She reiterated that state
does nothing with the R-4 (I offered "except for attendance
purposes" she said not even that) unless the school has 10 or more
students, then it is listed in a directory.
I told her that I felt I had informed myself about the legal
implications of my decision, and that I was not doing anything that
contradicted legal precedence. She said that I needed to call CDE,
because there is more than one legal interpretation. I again told
her that I appreciated her concern and taking the time to call, but
that I would appreciate her doing what was legally required of her
office concerning the filing of the R-4, and that was all.
At the beginning of the conversation, Ms. Gordia said that she had
gotten my work number from my son. After my conversation with her, I
called my son to find out what, if anything she had asked him or said
to him. She asked him how long he had attended public school. He
told her he attended through the first two weeks of 8th grade, but
that the school just wasn't working out for him. She told him that
he had to attend a charter school if he ever wanted to go to high
school. My son was quite distressed that she was telling him he had
to join a charter school.
That's about it. I've relayed this information to the legal person
at HSC, who reassured me when they gave me a hard time when I just
requested the R-4 form. Any advice/reassurance from you wonderful,
experienced folks out there would be appreciated, too.
Thanks!
Carla
County Office of Ed in response to my sending in an R-4 affidavit.
Here is a synopsis of the conversation that I noted for my records:
(sorry it's so long, but I wanted you all to know what they're doing
to people filing R4s)
Received phone call from Carol Gordia of Sacramento County Office of
Education, Child Welfare and Attendance.
She said she had received my R-4 affadavit, and asked if I had taken
my son out of Horizon (the charter/home school program we were
previously enrolled in). Told her yes. She asked where he was
enrolled. I told her he was enrolled in the private school I had
established by filing the R-4. She said quite emphatically that the
R-4 does not establish a private school, and that Horizon would be
notifying the school district that he was not enrolled any longer and
that if he was not enrolled in a district school, there could be
truancy problems. She asked why I took him out of Horizon, and I
told her that it didn't meet our needs. She wanted to know
specifically what it was we didn't like I again said that it didn't
meet our needs. She said there were others, I said I was aware.
Her other arguments centered around "you are closing the door" if
my son wanted to enroll in a high school down the road, they would
determine that he was in 8th grade, and the door would be closed. I
told her that we considered this a stop-gap measure until we found a
suitable alternative, and that I had considered the implications.
I told her I appreciated her concern and taking the time to call to
make sure I was informed, but that I had educated myself about all
the implications of this decision. I asked if there was any problem
with the R-4 itself. She said there wasn't, but that it could only
be filed in October of each year, and that my son would not be
enrolled in school until it was filed. She reiterated that state
does nothing with the R-4 (I offered "except for attendance
purposes" she said not even that) unless the school has 10 or more
students, then it is listed in a directory.
I told her that I felt I had informed myself about the legal
implications of my decision, and that I was not doing anything that
contradicted legal precedence. She said that I needed to call CDE,
because there is more than one legal interpretation. I again told
her that I appreciated her concern and taking the time to call, but
that I would appreciate her doing what was legally required of her
office concerning the filing of the R-4, and that was all.
At the beginning of the conversation, Ms. Gordia said that she had
gotten my work number from my son. After my conversation with her, I
called my son to find out what, if anything she had asked him or said
to him. She asked him how long he had attended public school. He
told her he attended through the first two weeks of 8th grade, but
that the school just wasn't working out for him. She told him that
he had to attend a charter school if he ever wanted to go to high
school. My son was quite distressed that she was telling him he had
to join a charter school.
That's about it. I've relayed this information to the legal person
at HSC, who reassured me when they gave me a hard time when I just
requested the R-4 form. Any advice/reassurance from you wonderful,
experienced folks out there would be appreciated, too.
Thanks!
Carla
Bonni Sollars
Carla, about your phone call. I don't live in your area, so I don't know
the details, but I would have to say it is similar to what I went through
here in Oregon with my son. They are just giving you a hard time because
they have a hard time with it, maybe they just have no idea how to
process the papers. So what if there are truancy issues? Big deal. You
get some annoying phone calls of a computer saying,
"You're-eighth-grader-missed-periods-one-through-six-today". And
occasionally people will call saying there are options for your son since
he's "skipping classes". Just say, "He is legally homeschooled." Your
son needs to be reassured that they are just b.s. ing him trying to
intimidate him because they are ignorant and afraid of different things.
My best advice... If you did what was legal, write down what they say in
calls, but basically, ignore everything they say.
Bonni
the details, but I would have to say it is similar to what I went through
here in Oregon with my son. They are just giving you a hard time because
they have a hard time with it, maybe they just have no idea how to
process the papers. So what if there are truancy issues? Big deal. You
get some annoying phone calls of a computer saying,
"You're-eighth-grader-missed-periods-one-through-six-today". And
occasionally people will call saying there are options for your son since
he's "skipping classes". Just say, "He is legally homeschooled." Your
son needs to be reassured that they are just b.s. ing him trying to
intimidate him because they are ignorant and afraid of different things.
My best advice... If you did what was legal, write down what they say in
calls, but basically, ignore everything they say.
Bonni