Update: Ten-Year-Old Found Chained In House Fire Illiterate
By: Import User
Updated: January 7, 2009
The ten-year-old girl who died in a house
fire while chained to her bed could not read or write and had
special needs because of behavioral problems.
Molly Holt`s mother had taken the girl out of public schools and
began home schooling her after the first grade.
But the mother, Teresa Dick, was NOT required to have any
particular qualifications to teach the child and was NOT required
to have any training in special education.
She also was NOT required to report on Molly`s progress.
While recognizing that Molly`s case is extreme, some legislators
and educators say it ties in with their concerns that the home
schooling law does NOT ensure that children are getting a quality
education.
At the summer meeting of the Arkansas Rural Educators
Association, many complained about the law, saying it allows
parents to take children out of schools without providing checks on
the child`s education.
Posted by Mike Hellgren
