Catwoman Posted May 9, 2015 Share Posted May 9, 2015 Pardon, my cultural skirt is showing. ;) But that is small bed space for 12 people to sleep. I would go out of my mind. The preteen BO and stinky feet would have me running to the nearest solitary tent. If you had an actual tent that didn't leak, I think your lifestyle would be far more glamorous than theirs! ;) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OneStepAtATime Posted May 9, 2015 Share Posted May 9, 2015 I wish a few really positive examples of homeschooling families would go viral.... I realize this story isn't about homeschooling but that is what some are going to focus on and already have. 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted May 9, 2015 Share Posted May 9, 2015 I wish a few really positive examples of homeschooling families would go viral.... I realize this story isn't about homeschooling but that is what some are going to focus on and already have. We have spelling bee champions and that kid who gave that TED talk... But it's true we're also stuck with families like the Nauglers. And Justin Bieber. Don't forget him. 12 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poppy Posted May 9, 2015 Share Posted May 9, 2015 I hadn't heard of them, and now I feel like a rubbernecker. What a sad glimpse into a world: petty theft, cold winters, firearms and online begging. I hope those kids end up in a place they feel loved and secure. Wherever that may be. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JFSinIL Posted May 9, 2015 Share Posted May 9, 2015 I looked at the mom's website...saw nothing at all about home schooling. Do the kids just run wild while Mom does dog grooming or ??? Are there any books or places to study in that tent? 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted May 9, 2015 Share Posted May 9, 2015 I looked at the mom's website...saw nothing at all about home schooling. Do the kids just run wild while Mom does dog grooming or ??? Are there any books or places to study in that tent? I'm pretty sure they're "unschoolers." Except that if so they seem to be the sort of "unschoolers" who actively prevent their kids from accessing learning materials and opportunities - outside of the family businesses, of course. 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redsquirrel Posted May 10, 2015 Share Posted May 10, 2015 I haven't heard about this family anywhere but here. I still think they should try services first. I'm not saying there are no problems. The criminal record contains nothing violent. He's passed bad checks, driven without registration, and has a failure to appear for a misdemeanor. Those could be anti-authoritarian but that could also be driven by poverty. I'd like the police and/or CPS to investigate the threats against the neighbor and the authorities. Kids not being legally homeschooled and not having birth certificates are something that could be solved through services. There are a lot of things wrong here. I still think if the family is willing (and I'm not at all sure they are) services could work better than placing 10 kids into foster homes. Now if the family is unwilling, that's a different story. When faced with the threat of losing their children, or possibly losing them temporarily while they correct things, they may concede and I hope that's what happens and they meet the limit of the law. I have been present at several removals and, at least in my state, if the children were not in obvious immediate danger, but the situation was borderline, the parents were always given a choice. They were told "The law says that these things need to be present in a safe home for kids. You are going to need to work with us to get XY and Z in place, if you don't then a judge will sign an order to remove. Will you work with us so you can keep your kids." You would be amazed at how many parents I have heard, with my own ears, say they were not willing to do what CPS needed them to do to keep their kids. FWIW, in the vast majority of cases removal of kids isn't even on the table. It is all about getting the services in place for a family. I also know that CPS etc can't give out any information that they have got from interviewing the kids etc b/c it is all highly confidential. So, I always take that into account as well. It is so easy for families to make CPS out to be the bad guys when CPS can't say anything. 18 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 10, 2015 Share Posted May 10, 2015 This story was the top story on the UK Daily Mail website. Not that I read the Daily Mail. A friend told me about it... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Samiam Posted May 10, 2015 Share Posted May 10, 2015 They all sleep in the same "bunk"....yet there are 12 kids...and very recent ones.....so are the parents having "relations" right there in that same sleeping space...and isnt that some form of abuse to the children? Exposing them to that act? I mean, not to be gross....but we live in 2 story, 4 bedroom house, and DH and I still have trouble finding alone time, lol. Where do two adults, with a dozen children, living in a three walled shanty, all sleeping in the same bunk....make all of those children??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean in Newcastle Posted May 10, 2015 Share Posted May 10, 2015 They all sleep in the same "bunk"....yet there are 12 kids...and very recent ones.....so are the parents having "relations" right there in that same sleeping space...and isnt that some form of abuse to the children? Exposing them to that act? I mean, not to be gross....but we live in 2 story, 4 bedroom house, and DH and I still have trouble finding alone time, lol. Where do two adults, with a dozen children, living in a three walled shanty, all sleeping in the same bunk....make all of those children??? Couples have been making babies in close quarters with other family members for millennia. I assume they wait until kids are asleep or people pretend not to notice. 17 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idnib Posted May 10, 2015 Share Posted May 10, 2015 I haven't heard about this family anywhere but here. I have been present at several removals and, at least in my state, if the children were not in obvious immediate danger, but the situation was borderline, the parents were always given a choice. They were told "The law says that these things need to be present in a safe home for kids. You are going to need to work with us to get XY and Z in place, if you don't then a judge will sign an order to remove. Will you work with us so you can keep your kids." You would be amazed at how many parents I have heard, with my own ears, say they were not willing to do what CPS needed them to do to keep their kids. FWIW, in the vast majority of cases removal of kids isn't even on the table. It is all about getting the services in place for a family. I also know that CPS etc can't give out any information that they have got from interviewing the kids etc b/c it is all highly confidential. So, I always take that into account as well. It is so easy for families to make CPS out to be the bad guys when CPS can't say anything. Thanks. I don't know too much about CPS. It's a very good point that CPS has to keep quiet while the parents get to talk. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeacefulChaos Posted May 10, 2015 Share Posted May 10, 2015 A friend of mine has posted some stuff about them the last couple days. It looked a little fishy to me (the first thing she posted was to a very... biased site that was basically just claiming them as an idyllic, perfect family who chooses to live differently, etc...) so I looked up some other stuff. I will say that initially the lack of running water and septic bothered me. However, upon talking with DH about it tonight, I can *see* where this could work and not be neglect or child endangerment or whatever. Whether or not they are doing the things that could make this doable, I have no idea. The shelter I'm neither here nor there on. Overall the living conditions aren't a *huge* deal for me. Would I do it? No. Do I believe 100% that they're doing the right thing? No. But... well, to each their own. There are possible ways to live in tents and in a shed, I guess. So I can't really claim judgment on that without knowing every last detail, kwim? What bothers me a LOT about the mom is her terrible attitude. I listened to all of the audio she recorded with her run-ins with the police the day the kids were removed. She was... wow. I don't even have words. Very anti-police, anti-government, anti-law. Quite rude. She does not come across as the victim in those audio recordings, IMO. On another note, why can't some people just follow the homeschool laws in their state? I feel like some homeschooling organizations try to put people out there publicly as 'examples of how the government is out to get homeschoolers' when in reality, many of the people are not complying with the homeschool laws in their state. They shouldn't be used as examples!!! Sheesh..... (I know homeschooling isn't the issue here, but it comes up a lot in the more... ahem, paranoid?.... sects of homeschoolers that the government is somehow 'out to get us'. Stories like this don't help. Sigh....) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tanaqui Posted May 10, 2015 Share Posted May 10, 2015 Is there a legal requirement to get one's child a SSN if the family chooses not to claim them as dependents on taxes? I know most (all?) states do require births be registered but I thought SSN's are just for taxes and employment. It's not required, however, choosing not to get a SSN for your child (much less a birth certificate!) is so detrimental to their adult life that you'd better have an extremely good reason (more than just "I hate the government!" or "Well, I don't have to, so I don't want to!") for me not to say loudly that that is abusive. 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reflections Posted May 10, 2015 Share Posted May 10, 2015 I'm going to obviously point out that here in this country, there are lots of kids living in similar to worse conditions right now that few care to notice nor help. You cannot convince me that living conditions alone caused them to take the kids away. Also, you cannot convince me that Kentucky CPS is innocent in their dealings with parents (not these, others). Also, you cannot convince me that the parents are innocent homeschoolers who only live off the grid and have done nothing to anyone. I'm not one to quickly pass judgement. It'll play out. And in the meantime, it will be the children who will suffer the most. Being hauled away from your parents has got to be traumatic no matter what "great" and "clean" and "safe" foster home they put them in. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChocolateReignRemix Posted May 10, 2015 Share Posted May 10, 2015 I'm going to obviously point out that here in this country, there are lots of kids living in similar to worse conditions right now that few care to notice nor help. You cannot convince me that living conditions alone caused them to take the kids away. Also, you cannot convince me that Kentucky CPS is innocent in their dealings with parents (not these, others). Also, you cannot convince me that the parents are innocent homeschoolers who only live off the grid and have done nothing to anyone. I'm not one to quickly pass judgement. It'll play out. And in the meantime, it will be the children who will suffer the most. Being hauled away from your parents has got to be traumatic no matter what "great" and "clean" and "safe" foster home they put them in. Correct. Psycho parents threatening to shoot neighbors and go Ruby Ridge on the authorities played a role as well. I feel badly for the kids but not because of CPS taking them away. I feel badly for them because their parents are idiots. 18 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FarmingMomma Posted May 10, 2015 Share Posted May 10, 2015 Wow, these wackos should make responsible off-gridders, responsible homeschoolers, and responsible gun owners cringe. It sure makes me cringe. It's always the wackos that get news coverage and used as examples for why more control is needed. More control isn't needed, the didn't follow the law to begin with, so why would they follow stricter laws? Ugh...this irritates the heck out of me. My ducks and chickens have better shelter than those poor children :( 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoPlaceLikeHome Posted May 10, 2015 Share Posted May 10, 2015 We have spelling bee champions and that kid who gave that TED talk... But it's true we're also stuck with families like the Nauglers. And Justin Bieber. Don't forget him. Do you have a link to the TED talk? :001_smile: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted May 10, 2015 Share Posted May 10, 2015 Do you have a link to the TED talk? :001_smile: It was shared a bunch a year or so ago. Maybe only viral in the homeschool world, but to be fair, I'm pretty sure so are the Nauglers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tanaqui Posted May 10, 2015 Share Posted May 10, 2015 Correct. Psycho parents threatening to shoot neighbors and go Ruby Ridge on the authorities played a role as well. And weren't at least some of the children present for this? Which means they're definitely a shoo-in for a charge of child endangerment. No system is perfect. Sometimes child services oversteps. Sometimes things are corrupt. But just because things sometimes go wrong doesn't mean they never go right. This is a situation where, given the evidence we have, I feel confident saying that CPS made the right call. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChocolateReignRemix Posted May 10, 2015 Share Posted May 10, 2015 Wow, these wackos should make responsible off-gridders, responsible homeschoolers, and responsible gun owners cringe. It sure makes me cringe. It's always the wackos that get news coverage and used as examples for why more control is needed. More control isn't needed, the didn't follow the law to begin with, so why would they follow stricter laws? Ugh...this irritates the heck out of me. My ducks and chickens have better shelter than those poor children :( In fairness though, in this case (like a few others) the whackos are the ones promoting the story. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChocolateReignRemix Posted May 10, 2015 Share Posted May 10, 2015 It was shared a bunch a year or so ago. Maybe only viral in the homeschool world, but to be fair, I'm pretty sure so are the Nauglers. I saw it at the time but found the kid to be a bit pretentious. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reflections Posted May 10, 2015 Share Posted May 10, 2015 Correct. Psycho parents threatening to shoot neighbors and go Ruby Ridge on the authorities played a role as well. I feel badly for the kids but not because of CPS taking them away. I feel badly for them because their parents are idiots. So you think that the facts as have been laid out (that we know of through the media and social media) are in correlation with Ruby Ridge??? Really? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Word Nerd Posted May 10, 2015 Share Posted May 10, 2015 In fairness though, in this case (like a few others) the whackos are the ones promoting the story. The more people they can get fired up, the more $$$ they can get. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 10, 2015 Share Posted May 10, 2015 Has anybody posted this yet? Their blog I don't really have time to participate in this discussion, I just saw this posted elsewhere and thought it was food for thought as far as comparing ourselves to others, following "expert advice", and feeling that we fall short of what we see on the internet. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChocolateReignRemix Posted May 10, 2015 Share Posted May 10, 2015 So you think that the facts as have been laid out (that we know of through the media and social media) are in correlation with Ruby Ridge??? Really? I did not say that, so no. You may want listen to what the psycho mom said herself though. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reflections Posted May 10, 2015 Share Posted May 10, 2015 I did not say that, so no. You may want listen to what the psycho mom said herself though. Really? Because you said: "and go Ruby Ridge on the authorities played a role as well." So, if you are not making the correlation between this case in Kentucky and the Ruby Ridge case in Idaho what exactly did you mean by "go Ruby Ridge on the authorities"? The mom can say what she wants to the authorities. It's on the authorities to always be professional and handle this to the letter of what the law allows. Or are you advocating that those in power, the authorities, should act like the parents? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TeenagerMom Posted May 10, 2015 Share Posted May 10, 2015 I have listened to the full audio. It was admitted that CPS and the police had been trying for a few days to make contact with the family. It was admitted that the family was no longer staying at their homestead and the Mother refused to disclose where they were staying or where the other children were. From all appearances, these parents were actively hiding their children from the authorities to prevent their children from being interviewed about the allegations made against the parents. The Mother clearly stated she had a right to weapons and that she had a right to defend her property. She also stated she would not call the authorities if someone was abusing a child and that she would intervene herself if her child was being abused. The officers were VERY patient with her and tried to explain the process if she didn't comply. Those children had to have been terrified, not by the authorities but by the way the Mother escalated the situation. 14 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aelwydd Posted May 10, 2015 Share Posted May 10, 2015 Really? Because you said: "and go Ruby Ridge on the authorities played a role as well." So, if you are not making the correlation between this case in Kentucky and the Ruby Ridge case in Idaho what exactly did you mean by "go Ruby Ridge on the authorities"? The mom can say what she wants to the authorities. It's on the authorities to always be professional and handle this to the letter of what the law allows. Or are you advocating that those in power, the authorities, should act like the parents? You know, if these people were acting like parents, the authorities wouldn't have to be the ones to step in and be the adults. 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChocolateReignRemix Posted May 10, 2015 Share Posted May 10, 2015 Really? Because you said: "and go Ruby Ridge on the authorities played a role as well." So, if you are not making the correlation between this case in Kentucky and the Ruby Ridge case in Idaho what exactly did you mean by "go Ruby Ridge on the authorities"? The mom can say what she wants to the authorities. It's on the authorities to always be professional and handle this to the letter of what the law allows. Or are you advocating that those in power, the authorities, should act like the parents? I didn't make the correlation. I am basing that on the mother's own words about shooting at the law enforcement. Reading comprehension is a fine skill. And no, you can't say whatever you want to law enforcement. When you start talking about shooting people you should expect a response. Pretty sure I haven't posted anything suggesting the authorities should act like these lying, scumbag, nutball parents. 10 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted May 10, 2015 Share Posted May 10, 2015 I think if the question is... were the CPS people legitimately afraid that the family had the weapons and attitude to turn the situation into an armed standoff (aka "a Ruby Ridge") if they left but then, on further investigation, found that there was real abuse grounds to remove the kids, then I think the answer is clearly yes. The mother's angry words, which she clearly stands by, were threatening exactly that. Therefore, she helped give them the grounds for removal right then and there. 10 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted May 10, 2015 Share Posted May 10, 2015 Has anybody posted this yet? Their blog I don't really have time to participate in this discussion, I just saw this posted elsewhere and thought it was food for thought as far as comparing ourselves to others, following "expert advice", and feeling that we fall short of what we see on the internet. The images on that blog - which are a couple of years old - simply don't match the images on Facebook that were shared by HA. I'm curious what's correct. Huh. What you can see of that tiny "cabin" looks livable and fine. What you can see of the space on their FB page seems on a par with poverty dwellings I saw when we visited Africa. I'm sure neither is giving the full picture, of course. And it's possible that they moved. I'm not really clear on that. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idnib Posted May 10, 2015 Share Posted May 10, 2015 From all appearances, these parents were actively hiding their children from the authorities to prevent their children from being interviewed about the allegations made against the parents. The mother is way over the top, but does anyone know if the authorities came based only on a report, or if they had an actual warrant? I'm not a "wacko" but I also would not make my children available for interviewing without a warrant, nor would I feel any obligation to tell CPS where they were without one. And telling me CPS had been trying to get in touch with me for days wouldn't really have an effect on me either. So in these 3 specific things, I agree with her. Unless they had a warrant, in which case ignore what I just said. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChocolateReignRemix Posted May 10, 2015 Share Posted May 10, 2015 The mother is way over the top, but does anyone know if the authorities came based only on a report, or if they had an actual warrant? I'm not a "wacko" but I also would not make my children available for interviewing without a warrant, nor would I feel any obligation to tell CPS where they were without one. And telling me CPS had been trying to get in touch with me for days wouldn't really have an effect on me either. So in these 3 specific things, I agree with her. Unless they had a warrant, in which case ignore what I just said. What is legally required for an interview varies from state to state. A warrant is also not needed if there is a fear of imminent harm. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
.Michelle. Posted May 10, 2015 Share Posted May 10, 2015 What is legally required for an interview varies from state to state. A warrant is also not needed if there is a fear of imminent harm. Do you know if the police have to be there if there is fear of imminent harm? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Word Nerd Posted May 10, 2015 Share Posted May 10, 2015 The images on that blog - which are a couple of years old - simply don't match the images on Facebook that were shared by HA. I'm curious what's correct. Huh. What you can see of that tiny "cabin" looks livable and fine. What you can see of the space on their FB page seems on a par with poverty dwellings I saw when we visited Africa. I'm sure neither is giving the full picture, of course. And it's possible that they moved. I'm not really clear on that. They have older blog posts showing previous houses they rented. I don't know when they moved to the current location, but I don't think it's been more than a couple of years. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idnib Posted May 10, 2015 Share Posted May 10, 2015 What is legally required for an interview varies from state to state. A warrant is also not needed if there is a fear of imminent harm. I see, thanks. I wonder how imminent the harm has to be, given that people have been able to get warrants for all kinds of things even in the middle of the night, if necessary. If they were trying to get in touch with them for days, I'm guessing they at least had a warrant by the time they actually spoke with them, since they had several days to get one. Or if they didn't, I wonder why. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChocolateReignRemix Posted May 10, 2015 Share Posted May 10, 2015 Do you know if the police have to be there if there is fear of imminent harm? Depends would be my guess. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChocolateReignRemix Posted May 10, 2015 Share Posted May 10, 2015 I see, thanks. I wonder how imminent the harm has to be, given that people have been able to get warrants for all kinds of things even in the middle of the night, if necessary. If they were trying to get in touch with them for days, I'm guessing they at least had a warrant by the time they actually spoke with them, since they had several days to get one. Or if they didn't, I wonder why. Likely depends if CPS showed up for a welfare check and then the situation escalated. Generally too many people try to play jailhouse (er, message board) attorney regarding these situations without understanding there can often be a grey area due to have facts become known. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sk8ermaiden Posted May 10, 2015 Share Posted May 10, 2015 The images on that blog - which are a couple of years old - simply don't match the images on Facebook that were shared by HA. I'm curious what's correct. Huh. What you can see of that tiny "cabin" looks livable and fine. What you can see of the space on their FB page seems on a par with poverty dwellings I saw when we visited Africa. I'm sure neither is giving the full picture, of course. And it's possible that they moved. I'm not really clear on that. They had a manufactured home for a while, which they do not have anymore. I think this probably is that home as from the pictures you can clearly see it is a mobile home. What they currently live in is basically a lean to. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TeenagerMom Posted May 10, 2015 Share Posted May 10, 2015 The images on that blog - which are a couple of years old - simply don't match the images on Facebook that were shared by HA. I'm curious what's correct. Huh. What you can see of that tiny "cabin" looks livable and fine. What you can see of the space on their FB page seems on a par with poverty dwellings I saw when we visited Africa. I'm sure neither is giving the full picture, of course. And it's possible that they moved. I'm not really clear on that. They had rented a larger cabin for one winter apparently, but say they "returned" it. People who claim to know them have posted all over Facebook that it was repossessed. The photos on their FB were posted on Friday when CPS supposedly "approved" the dwelling for the kids to live in & stated that they would be returned on Monday. The family is the only one claiming CPS has approved it. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TeenagerMom Posted May 10, 2015 Share Posted May 10, 2015 I see, thanks. I wonder how imminent the harm has to be, given that people have been able to get warrants for all kinds of things even in the middle of the night, if necessary. If they were trying to get in touch with them for days, I'm guessing they at least had a warrant by the time they actually spoke with them, since they had several days to get one. Or if they didn't, I wonder why. The police officer stated they had called & been on the property to try to see the children. I am guessing imminent danger would be having a child retrieve a handgun in a threatening situation (for which the father HAS been legally charged & goes to court on Tuesday). ETA: This was a multi-day saga from everything I can find. The parents KNEW the children could be removed if they didn't cooperate with the investigation. They still CHOSE not to cooperate & risk the removal. The officer was able to get the order signed between the mother leaving the property & the PD pulling her over. The judge was ready & waiting. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TeenagerMom Posted May 10, 2015 Share Posted May 10, 2015 Ugh ugh ugh.......I just saw a news story with quotes from an attorney from HSLDA. I seriously can't believe they would touch this with a 10 ft pole. 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LibraryLover Posted May 10, 2015 Share Posted May 10, 2015 Couples have been making babies in close quarters with other family members for millennia. I assume they wait until kids are asleep or people pretend not to notice. very true. I just read some more, and I didn't realize they had older teens; 18 & 14. I hope the parents are very creative/get busy elsewhere on their acreage. I get the hebbie jebbies just thinking about Michelle and Jim Bob kissing in public as they do. I would so not have wanted to 'pretend not to notice' my own parents at 14. Signed, just another uptight American. ;) 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TeenagerMom Posted May 10, 2015 Share Posted May 10, 2015 A Quote from their Facebook page on 12/14/14: "All Honesty Here, it doesn't seem as fantastic as it looks. lol. Maybe it is and I am just in a mood. But as far as getting to that point, we kept saying we need to but never got any closer. Then one day we decided to go big or go home. We jumped in with below the bare minimum and live everyday on the verge of massive failure. It's quite honestly do or die." Seriously? It's do or die when you have 10.5 children involved? This is seriously concerning that they would put their children in this type of situation. They knew they were not prepared for this life. 10 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted May 10, 2015 Share Posted May 10, 2015 Ugh ugh ugh.......I just saw a news story with quotes from an attorney from HSLDA. I seriously can't believe they would touch this with a 10 ft pole. I wish I were surprised by that, but I'm completely not. 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slartibartfast Posted May 10, 2015 Share Posted May 10, 2015 I'm not exaggerating either when I say the shelter my dad built for raising feeder pigs was much more substantial and offered more protection from the elements--and it had electricity, an actual floor, and clean water. My grandfather built a nicer shelter for his tractor. He did really like his tractor. 27 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Retired Posted May 10, 2015 Share Posted May 10, 2015 oh wow those people are nothing but what a southern would call "white trash" they are lazy and using the off grid as an excuse. It reminds me of a punch of homeschoolers I've seen in groups here in the past 10 years. THe parents don't' work and they give a sob story to get money from other homeschoolers. I've meet lots of folks like this family except they usually live in an old think 60's camper with no water/power and lots of tarps around plus the trash etc. I grew up southern poverty so I actually get that but this is trashy people not poor rural folks. We were poor no a/c or phone but we manage to have power. There were times our indoor plumbing didn't work. I would wash outside with a garden hose and use a out house (this was in the 80's) We did have a burn pile for garbage. We kept what we had clean and neat. It wasn't much but it sure didn't look like homeless camp. By todays culture it would be considered bad but we had clothes, shelter and went to school. My father worked 16 hour days paying for what we had which wasn't much These adults are just lazy sorry ass people. THey both need to get a damn job and put the kids in school until they can actually afford to homeschool. I'm very pro homeschool but I really get tired of seeing homeschooling families that neither parent works and will make some "religious" claim that its god's plan for us he will provide. I'm all about god provide but he gave you a healthy back and mind get up off your butt and use it. I have seen similar crap like this in Alabama and someone will call cps and the family disappears. Oh this whole thing just pisses me off 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Word Nerd Posted May 10, 2015 Share Posted May 10, 2015 Ugh ugh ugh.......I just saw a news story with quotes from an attorney from HSLDA. I seriously can't believe they would touch this with a 10 ft pole. Especially if they aren't legally homeschooling according to their state's laws. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HS Mom in NC Posted May 10, 2015 Share Posted May 10, 2015 Just to be clear on the term "off grid." It can mean very different things. Either someone is not using electricity or it means they have ways of supplying their own electricity (solar, hydro, wind, back up generators, back up batteries, etc.) themselves. There are off-grid people who have all the modern conveniences of air conditioning, refrigerators, computers, etc. that are powered by different means on their own property. Some of them even live in the suburbs or city. I agree that when it come news stories there's almost always more to it than is reported no matter who the news outlet is. Let the investigations go forward and let the courts handle it. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mamaraby Posted May 10, 2015 Share Posted May 10, 2015 The images on that blog - which are a couple of years old - simply don't match the images on Facebook that were shared by HA. I'm curious what's correct. Huh. What you can see of that tiny "cabin" looks livable and fine. What you can see of the space on their FB page seems on a par with poverty dwellings I saw when we visited Africa. I'm sure neither is giving the full picture, of course. And it's possible that they moved. I'm not really clear on that. That's their old blog. Then they moved the blog to another address. Here's a more recent discussion at the new blog about their living situation - http://www.donotlink.com/f2qf (Do Not Link'd to avoid driving traffic). I imagine if they still lived in that particular home and doing what they were doing education-wise, this would be an entirely different situation. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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