legal rights when withdrawing from schoolboard
Sun, 07/13/2008 - 15:14 — isobel
I have recently decided to take my two boys ages 6 and 9 out of our local public school system.Our local board wants a formal letter from our family,discussing the reasons for our withdrawl and my intentions as a homeschooling mom.They also are asking me to sign a contract enabling them to monitor our progress and choices for curriculum.Is this their legal right? Any advice would be appreciated.Isobel
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legal stuff
Thanks to everyone for your advice.
Unfortunately we are registered at The Lester B Pearson board ,which everyone says is the most challenging to deal with.
Fortunately though, I have found a great and supportive group in the West Island called Community Schooling who are a group of part time teachers offering workshops to homeschoolers.Being linked with them I hope will keep the board officials from making this journey a difficult one.Fingers crossed!
It is very comforting to know you are all out there! Thanks again for the support and great tips.
Isobel and family.
legal rights
You don't need to tell them your reasons for withdrawal, nor do you need to tell them your intentions. Don't sign a contract with them unless and until you have exhausted all other possibilities. Really, what happens depends on which school board you are dealing with. Lester B likes to play hardball but other boards are less controlling. I would keep any letter very simple, just tell them in writing that you are withdrawing your children from school and you will be homeschooling them as is your legal right. Don't give them details etc and don't deal with them over the phone. Put everything in writing and ask that they do so as well. Don't let them shake you or scare you.
legal rights
Thankfully, I don't have any first hand experience with this situation, but I have heard it discussed quite a lot both on and offline.
From what I understand, it seems that many of the school boards around here have formed their own interpretation of the law and proceed as if their interpretation *is* the law. Well it isn't. The law states that we must provide our children with an equivalent-to-school educational experience, as evaluated by or for the school board. The details of the evaluation are to be worked out between the parent and the school board. You don't have to just accept what they are proposing - you can refuse and propose something that works for you and your kids. It is a negotiation, so a little give and take will probably work best.
I have heard that you should insist that all communications are in writing, and that if you do go in for a sit-down meeting with them, you should bring someone for support (another homeschooling parent, a friend, a lawyer...).
I hope this helps a bit. For further information, you can check out the HLSDA site: http://www.hslda.ca/provlaws.asp?prov=qc -- (you can also consider joining this organization which will give you legal representation if need be. However, I have heard mixed things about them, so read carefully before joining).
There is also AQED: http://www.aqed.qc.ca/ -- you can call them once or twice for free advice without becoming a member. This is where I got most of my information on this topic.
There are also surely some members of this group who have been through what you are facing. If you let us know the school board in question, perhaps some of them will share their experiences with you.
Best of luck with it!
Sonya : )
legal rights
I only have a minute to reply right now, so for now I'll just point you to Ruby's site where she talks about starting to homeschool in Quebec, including withdrawing your children from public school:
http://canhomeschool.com/freehold/2008/01/31/quebec-start/
I'll write more later, hopefully tonight after the youngins are asleep : )