Social Worker Investigates Homeschool Family Amid Claims Children Are 'Unsocialized'

By Michael Gryboski, Mainline Church Editor Friday, January 15, 2016

The parents of 10 children are being investigated by a social worker amid claims that they're raising "unsocialized homeschoolers."

"The specific allegation of 'unsocialized homeschoolers' is uncommon," said Michael Donnelly, staff attorney with the Home School Legal Defense Association, to The Christian Post Thursday.

"However, it is not that uncommon for social services investigators and public school officials to express concerns about socialization in connection with children being homeschooled."

In a column on the HSLDA website, Donnelly wrote Monday that the homeschooling mother of 10 named Amy called him about the social worker's visit to investigate the accusations that her children aren't socializing enough with other people.

"I advised Amy to contact the social worker and tell her that, under state law, lack of socialization is not a legitimate cause for allegations of abuse or neglect," wrote Donnelly. "Amy told me that if it hadn't been for our rapid response in returning her call, she would have been very nervous about the situation."

Donnelly told CP the social worker later said she would recommend the case be closed.

He also said he doesn't believe that socialization has ever been an issue with homeschooled children and that research shows there to be no problem.

"Research and anecdotal evidence suggest that children who are home educated are as well socialized as their peers in other education settings and in some case score higher on standardized measures of social development," continued Donnelly.

"In my experience homeschooling families are quite attentive to their children's social development. They provide, appropriate to the child, opportunities for positive interaction with peers, other adults, and younger children in more real world environments than is possible in other educational settings."