Voices of Support Make a Difference By Kimberly Anne Makela, 5-21-99 Names have been changed or abbreviated for reasons of privacy... All I have is a voice to undo the folded lie. - W.H Auden The case of a mother in northeast Michigan being prosecuted for homeschooling her children has been dropped and it has been a resounding victory for homeschooling families throughout this Great Lakes State! N.C. was being prosecuted in Alcona County for homeschooling her children. She was charged by Alcona County Prosecuting Attorney, Thomas Weichel with “truancy”. Her trial date was scheduled for May 26, 1999. This was a frustrating and frightening case from the beginning because local authorities seemed to ignore the State laws that support a parents right to choose the education of their children, rights which clearly include the option of home schooling. It was also very perplexing, from an analytical point of view, that the charge brought against N was “truancy” when in fact, N.C. was never truant at all. She is not a minor child nor is she under the jurisdiction of the local school system to be required to attend public school! Finally, it was bewildering that N.C. was singled out for prosecuting from a community in which several very active home schooling families reside. Homeschooling is not a closet hidden issue in Alcona County. It is an alternative form of education which many families pursue with their children, and it is noteworthy that those children are proud examples of high achievement and educational excellence! But, the biggest surprise of all was the phenomenal amount of support N.C. received from around the State of Michigan. Within a single day of the newsletter mailing and Internet posting of this case, phone calls were nearly overwhelming as support poured I from concerned families and homeschooling advocates. Families were willing to travel great distances to support N.C. on her trial date. N experienced the very best of a long list of noble attributes which homeschooling families aspire to, concern, selfless support, prayers. Loving kindness and absolute true compassion. All this from people she had never met before. Voices, strongly sounding together on N.C.'s behalf, gave her the courage to face each unpredictable day - days filled with hours of anxiety from having to face prosecution; slow moving days of anguish that ultimately led up to the great relief of her case dismissal on May 20, 1999 - less than one week before facing trial, possible conviction and jail sentence. Yet, though N.C. suffered through endless frightening days, she was also blessed with a very moving act of kindness which gave her the strength to stand tall to the end. While we did our best to keep her spirits up, it was the personal touch, hug, shared tear and deep, inspiring motivation that she received from one very compassionate person that gave N.C. the courage she really needed. On May 17, 1999, N.C. had the privilege, as did we all, to meet with P.W. from another town in Michigan. P.W. and her children visited our small group for brunch and brought her experiences and strength gained from having been prosecuted, even jailed in her county, over the issue of home schooling. P.W.’s arrest in 1993 was widely publicized. But, we who were meeting her for the first time had never heard the step-by-step detail of her arrest process. It was very sobering to listen to her personal account of being arrested at her home (without warning), handcuffed, torn from her husband and children (allowed only to take her Bible), taken to jail, finger printed, photographed, humiliatingly strip-searched, and required to carry her mattress and bedding to her jail cell. Though P.W.’s case made real inroads of positive progress for the home schooling movement in Michigan, her criminal charge and arrest was, in fact, an unjust and criminal act in itself. It was an experience and account that was deeply disturbing: it was a true travesty of justice. PW has earned her place in the annals of homeschooling history. She is a pioneer. Her absolute courage, faith and conviction is an inspiration. She shared her wisdom freely and lovingly with N.C. and all of us. We felt privileged to have met her. I and a good friend had the honor of being personally contacted by Attorney David Kallman who is renown for his work on behalf of homeschoolers and HSLDA. A respected speaker at home schooling conventions (such as INCH which he was preparing to attend!), Attorney Kallman offered much encouragement. Meeting him was both awesome and humbling at the same time! We were also contacted by organizations such as the Emmanuel Center in Lansing, Michigan. Shirley McGee kindly offered her professional services and support to Nancy and she was even willing to rearrange her schedule to attend the trial and stand as a character witness. These are just a few of the many, many people to whom we owe a great thanks! Thank you one and all for supporting N.C. and the issue of homeschooling in Michigan. As N.C's life now settles back into a normal rhythm, we can be truly satisfied knowing that together our voices were heard. Return