Kentucky ‘free range’ family loses custody of 10 kids over apparent ‘unschooling’

They can live like wild animals in the woods if they want to, but kids in this country have a right to some basic standards of care and education. Oh, don't go off about their rights, the kids have rights, too. And they both need to get their tubes tied.
a reply to: BuzzyWigs

a reply to: Parthin

Oh, don't go off about their rights, the kids have rights, too. And they both need to get their tubes tied.

We've gotten beyond that point. Please read the rest of the thread to see how it has developed. There is much more information beyond the OP. This is page 14.

originally posted by: Annee
Priests not marrying is actually about money. They used to be able to marry, way back.

The church doesn't want to give up anything or provide inheritance.

Well, that's an angle I hadn't heard before. Any evidence? Not arguing, just asking.

Lots of things are about money, after all.

originally posted by: LadyGreenEyes

originally posted by: Annee
Priests not marrying is actually about money. They used to be able to marry, way back.

The church doesn't want to give up anything or provide inheritance.

Well, that's an angle I hadn't heard before. Any evidence? Not arguing, just asking.

Lots of things are about money, after all.

Only what I already posted. It was 20 some years ago I researched that. Its not on topic anyway.

originally posted by: Annee

originally posted by: LadyGreenEyes

originally posted by: Annee
Priests not marrying is actually about money. They used to be able to marry, way back.

The church doesn't want to give up anything or provide inheritance.

Well, that's an angle I hadn't heard before. Any evidence? Not arguing, just asking.

Lots of things are about money, after all.

Only what I already posted. It was 20 some years ago I researched that. Its not on topic anyway.

No, but interesting, nonetheless. I'l have to look into that one.

Hi....I am new to this forum and have been following this case. I have nothing against homeschooling...if that is what they are actually doing. This "un schooling" seems to be "no schooling". As I went through their blogs.....it seemed they went on a downward spiral over the last 18 months or so. Someone had mentioned a picture of the cabin....they were in what looked to be a double wide trailer....then went to this 26 acres, bought a pre fab cabin.....lived in that for awhile, in their blog they say they gave it back, making it sound like it was their choice.....my thought is they couldn't pay for it.....then they ended up in that 3 sided tent with uneven sticks for walls. It would be one thing to be a functional stay at home dad....but in the blog the posts clearly state that the oldest son is doing the work.....he set up the fireplace for the kitchen, etc. she didn't seem to have much work coming in, yet the kids cook.....she states outright she doesn't like to cook. If they want to live off the grid, not wanting to pay big co. For electric and water....I don't get why they wouldn't use the library for the Internet seeing they go there so often for books. Their church had given them beds for the kids....they traded them in for money.....they have belonged to a few different Mormon churches but have been asked to leave as they are always asking for donations.....and they ask for cash. What got me was that gofundme site.....they collected over 46,000. That should be used to get that well and septic up and running that is on their property. Neither one of those parents seem to have it altogether between listening to him tell the kids they are being kidnapped by the state and listening to the unedited version of police questions the mother. I really do feel for those kids.reply to: LadyGreenEyes

a reply to: Silvercity33

Their church had given them beds for the kids....they traded them in for money.....they have belonged to a few different Mormon churches but have been asked to leave as they are always asking for donations.....and they ask for cash. What got me was that gofundme site.....they collected over 46,000. That should be used to get that well and septic up and running that is on their property. Neither one of those parents seem to have it altogether between listening to him tell the kids they are being kidnapped by the state and listening to the unedited version of police questions the mother. I really do feel for those kids.

I know this was to LadyGreenEyes, but....

thanks for posting it.



WELCOME TO ATS!! Glad to have you aboard.

Unschooling is legitimate homeschooling movement that is a lot like a home-based Montessori approach. You let the kids take you in ways they are interested in going and use that to weave in what they need to know. If you do it correctly, the will pretty much end up covering what they should in a traditional curriculum.

Just from auditing this thread, it doesn't sound a lot like that's what these kids are getting. They seem to be getting the "school of hard knocks" and it's being called unschooling.

a reply to: ketsuko

Unschooling is legitimate homeschooling movement that is a lot like a home-based Montessori approach. You let the kids take you in ways they are interested in going and use that to weave in what they need to know. If you do it correctly, the will pretty much end up covering what they should in a traditional curriculum.

Just from auditing this thread, it doesn't sound a lot like that's what these kids are getting. They seem to be getting the "school of hard knocks" and it's being called unschooling.

Exactly.

I sincerely hope that by "auditing this thread" you mean you've read through it, page by page, and aren't just here jumping on board as we approach shore. For whatever reason.

The more there neighbors and people who have interacted with them have spoken out, well there gofundme hasn't received any donations in 7 days. The negative comments were building on the gofundme page so the comments were removed after allegations the positive comments were fake and most likely the mother.

These people don't even have the support of the local churches, this alone speaks volumes.

There tactics have worked they now have there own pet grooming company I'm pretty sure its on grid:

Blessed Little Grooming Co

They also have $45,600 to spend on there homestead.

I do support homesteaders and off grid homesteaders, I don't support bringing young kids into the building process.

Things should work out for them, unless the more negatives things reported about them are true, then we will surely hear about them again.

originally posted by: LDragonFire
The more there neighbors and people who have interacted with them have spoken out, well there gofundme hasn't received any donations in 7 days. The negative comments were building on the gofundme page so the comments were removed after allegations the positive comments were fake and most likely the mother.

These people don't even have the support of the local churches, this alone speaks volumes.

There tactics have worked they now have there own pet grooming company I'm pretty sure its on grid:

Blessed Little Grooming Co

They also have $45,600 to spend on there homestead.

I do support homesteaders and off grid homesteaders, I don't support bringing young kids into the building process.

Things should work out for them, unless the more negatives things reported about them are true, then we will surely hear about them again.

It was stated somewhere a group was funding this startup business. Prior to current events.

So the grooming shop was already in the works.

The funding for the business was by Capistan......according to their statement she had a great business record and was what they wanted to invest in. One of the investors is the same guy that started the gofundme. I read in a few spots he was a friend of theirs, yet when I listened to a podcast of his he was describing how the capistan investment was a good investment...he had seen pics of the cabin with 4 walls and what a solid structure it was but hadn't met them.....they had met via facebook. If I was investing my money I would be meeting face to face .....not just facebook....the cabin he had seen pics of was long gone and in its place the 3 sided tent. This capistan was also another place to donate and become an investor via Bitcoin. a reply to: Annee

a reply to: BuzzyWigs

I don't intent to reply anymore. By auditing, I mean spot-checking some of the replies through some of the pages. It just looked like there was some maybe-confusion about what unschooling is. It was one of the things I barely scratched the surface of when I was researching different schooling possibilities.

I'm pretty sure if I tried it, I'd wind up doing about as well as this family which is why I pretty quickly turned away from it. I see its merits, but you have to be very, very organized and structured to let your child appear to proceed in an unstructured way.

originally posted by: Silvercity33
The funding for the business was by Capistan......according to their statement she had a great business record and was what they wanted to invest in. One of the investors is the same guy that started the gofundme. I read in a few spots he was a friend of theirs, yet when I listened to a podcast of his he was describing how the capistan investment was a good investment...he had seen pics of the cabin with 4 walls and what a solid structure it was but hadn't met them.....they had met via facebook. If I was investing my money I would be meeting face to face .....not just facebook....the cabin he had seen pics of was long gone and in its place the 3 sided tent. This capistan was also another place to donate and become an investor via Bitcoin. a reply to: Annee

Thanks for the details.

a reply to: ketsuko

I don't intent to reply anymore. By auditing, I mean spot-checking some of the replies through some of the pages. It just looked like there was some maybe-confusion about what unschooling is. It was one of the things I barely scratched the surface of when I was researching different schooling possibilities.

I'm very well acquainted with the Montessori method, and yes, that's the basic premise of this "unschooling" thing.
The difference is that a "real" Montessori school provides a safe environment, and structure.
This family doesn't.

Why it is that you don't intend to reply anymore is beyond me, however.

originally posted by: BuzzyWigs
a reply to: ketsuko

I don't intent to reply anymore. By auditing, I mean spot-checking some of the replies through some of the pages. It just looked like there was some maybe-confusion about what unschooling is. It was one of the things I barely scratched the surface of when I was researching different schooling possibilities.

I'm very well acquainted with the Montessori method, and yes, that's the basic premise of this "unschooling" thing.
The difference is that a "real" Montessori school provides a safe environment, and structure.
This family doesn't.

Why it is that you don't intend to reply anymore is beyond me, however.

Aren't there 2 different styles of Montessori teaching?

Both -- safe environment.

a reply to: Annee

There might be 50 different styles of "Montessori" teaching, but they ALL MAKE SURE it is a safe, healthy environment.

I have a post in this thread earlier up that explains the Montessori method.
www.abovetopsecret.com...

originally posted by: BuzzyWigs
a reply to: Annee

There might be 50 different styles of "Montessori" teaching, but they ALL MAKE SURE it is a safe, healthy environment.

I have a post in this thread earlier up that explains the Montessori method.
www.abovetopsecret.com...

There is a Montessori school in the church I go to sometimes (Center for Spiritual Living).

It is very, very structured. Not like any Montessori I've ever heard of.

a reply to: Silvercity33

I hadn't read about the gofundme donations, and wow......$46,000, and they can't do better for shelter??? I don't know what a prefab cabin costs, but I know you can get a smaller trailer for a lot less than that! I know someone that got a 2-bdrm one for under 15K. They'd need a little more room,, and a lot of bunks, with all the kids, but it should still have been doable. Hard times, I can understand, but having that much donated, and then selling beds for cash? That makes me wonder what the heck they are doing with the money! Stealing food, too, so they aren't spending it on that.

Regarding the schooling, I agree that they didn't seem to be doing much. I have no issue with alternative methods, because they can work, but the kids at least need to learn to read and write, and do some basic math. The more we hear, the less it sounds like they have the slightest clue how to care for themselves or the kids. I really hope they can get some help, decent housing, and some sort of classes/training in how to manage daily living. People that want to live off the grid need to be able to handle it, and it doesn't look like they are anything close to ready. Sheesh, they could have bought tents, and had better shelter than those pics show.

a reply to: LadyGreenEyes

This is an awesome post. Thanks for it.