Saturday, March 28, 2009

To defend Venessa Mills right to homeschool in light of this evidence is akin to defending abuse

A good synopsis of the Mill's case, Opinion: Did NC Judge Ned Mangum go too far in home-schooling case? at Digital Journal.

From the comments on another post
Crimson Wife said...
Sometimes defending freedom means defending people with whom one 100% disagrees. I support the right of Christian Dominionists to homeschool just as I support the right of neo-Nazis or the KKK to hold a non-violent march down city streets. We cannot pick & choose whom to grant freedoms to based on popularity.


I agree, but the Mills case isn't so cut and dried. Family members and close friends have expressed concerns about the Mother's homeschooling the children.

Her father and mother described, under oath that she had become controlling and domineering, instilling fear in her children.

A lifelong friend of the woman stated in a sworn affidavit that their friendship withered away since the woman joined the Sound Doctrine Church. She states that the woman has distanced herself from her parents and her sisters, that the woman has an extreme control over her children, that they are more withdrawn than is to be considered normal and that the behaviour of the children when she saw them in June 2008 was alarming. Other people make similar statements.



This is mental abuse and in light of this testimony and other testimony the judge was 100% right to order the children be sent to public school.

It's also interesting to see the DEMANDS Venessa Mills made, keep in mind the children are 10, 11 and 12 years old.

Although the husband has a good job, no criminal record, and no history of substance abuse or domestic violence, the woman has asked for several court orders:

  • -Limiting the husband from having any overnights visits with his children.
  • -Limiting the husband from seeing his children to a total of 9 hours a week.
  • -Removing all decision making authority away from the husband related to education and religion.
  • -To not allow the husband any regular visitation on Sundays.
  • -Limiting the husband's phone calls to the children to only those that are scheduled beforehand.
  • -To order that the husband to not allow the children to have contact with any ex-Sound Doctrine members or anyone hostile to the organization.
Based on all this, Judge Ned Mangum finds that the woman is alienating her children from their maternal grandparents, their aunt, and most importantly their father. He also finds that the affidavits of the woman's parents, sister, and lifelong friends are credible as they have known her for many years.

To defend Venessa Mills right to homeschool in light of this evidence is akin to defending abuse. Homeschoolers MUST NOT support Venessa Mills.

HT: HERP&ES post HS Justice

7 comments:

  1. I hope the judge give this father full custody. This whole story saddens me so. She needs help !

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  2. Yep my opinion of the case changed once I could read the WHOLE court order http://tinyurl.com/dxvc7r (copy and past that link to read WHOLE court order)

    I like Jana hopes that at some point the father is given full custody.

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  3. The reason that the judge has the right to intervene in the Mills case is because the parents are divorcing and cannot agree on how the children ought to be educated. I'm perfectly willing to believe that in this particular case the best option for the Mills kids is siding with the father's wishes over the mother's.

    The problem I have is with people like Rob Reich who think homeschooling should only be allowed for the "right" (as defined by him) reasons regardless of what the parents wish. Some of the comments on your other post expressed this POV. That's why I brought up the KKK march- it had nothing to do with the Mills' divorce case.

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  4. Thanks for clarifying Crimson Wife. I do know some people have claimed that Venessa Mills should not be allowed to homeschool because they disagree with her religious beliefs and others that are all hot under the collar because she is being denied the right to homeschool "supposedly" because of her religious beliefs.

    I think if both parents wish for their children to be homeschooled, they should be allowed to homeschool no matter what their religious beliefs are. BUT if red flags are raised (by other family members or close friends) then I think we homeschoolers have to step back and let the judge intervene and send the kids to public school if that is in their best interest.

    A lot of people who were not aware of all the facts of the case seemed to think I based my opposition to her homeschooling on her religious beliefs alone.

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  5. Finally the truth is coming out. The court order reveals all. The lesson here is to question everything you see on tv or read in the papers. I have known Venessa Mills for years, and I agree with the court order.

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  6. Alasandra~ I have know Tom and Vanessa Mills for over 25 years. I just wanted to thank you for exposing the facts of this case. As all have stated, it's a divorce case and not anything more then that. This cult Vanessa belongs to has run this story to any and every media source that would listen, has completely twisted the facts, put their religious spin on it and now has destroyed yet another family.

    BTW the hsinjustice blog is not being written by R.W. It's being written by the cult and it's members. Where will their deceit end? Thanks again

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  7. Wow its a shame what these so called Christian Churches are doing to people. Sounds like Jim Jones stuff to me.

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