(Editor's Note: The following was extracted from the June 16, 2003 edition of Chuck Muth's News & Views, and is reprinted with permission from Chuck Muth.)

Who's responsibility is it to assure a child's education...parents or bureaucrats?

This gets right to the heart of the limited government debate. At first blush, this seems an easy and non-debatable question. But once the cradle-to-gravers and their bureaucratic henchmen get involved...watch out!

Are we really supposed to trust government bureaucrats to teach our kids how to read and write and add and subtract when it often seems the only thing they're any good at teaching is how to 'multiply' (and I ain't talking about nine-times-eight, if you get my drift)?

Which brings me to a battle royale over home-schooling which blew up in Waltham, Massachusetts last week.

Kim and George Bryant have been home-schooling their two kids, George (15) and Nyssa (13), much to the chagrin of the Waltham Public School (WPS) system. The Bryants thus far have refused to force their children to take a government-mandated standardized test to assess their education level.

The WPS empire struck back last year, obtaining a court order giving custody of the kids to the Department of Social Services (DSS), which ever since has been threatening to take the kids away from their parents.

As the MetroWest Daily News reported on Friday, "Both sides agree that the children are in no way abused mentally, physically, sexually or emotionally, but legal custody of the children was taken from Kim and George Bryant in December 2001." They were ruled to be "unfit" for not filing educational plans with the government.

Unfit.

For not filing paperwork.

With the government school system.

Over the education of their OWN children.

In fact, George Bryant was actually ARRESTED six years ago for failing to comply with the government's dictates over the home- schooled education of HIS children.

Arrested.

Thrown in jail.

Like a criminal.

For taking personal responsibility for the education of HIS kids. This six-year legal battle exploded on Thursday [June 12, 2003] as bureaucrats from the DSS showed up at the Bryants' home with police escorts at 7:45 a.m. and attempted to remove the children from their home and force them to take the mandated tests.

Once again, the Bryants told the government agents to pound dirt, resulting in a seven-hour standoff. "This has been a six-year battle between the Waltham Public Schools and our family over who is in control of the education of our children," said Bryant.

How DARE these parents stand up to the government and defend their right to raise their children as they see fit? Who the hell do they think they are? At least, that's the attitude of one outrageous government bureaucrat involved in this brouhaha.

"We have the legal custody of the children and we will do with them as we see fit," DSS trooper Susan Etscovitz told the Bryants Thursday morning. "They are minors and they do what we tell them to do."

It is near impossible to describe the rage I feel inside every time I read those chilling words.

WE will do with them as WE see fit.

They do what WE tell them to do.

The sheer audacity of a bureaucrat to make such a statement about someone else's children who are in no way abused in any shape, form or fashion is beyond comprehension to me.

Comrade Etscovitz maintained on Thursday that, "No one wants these children to be put in foster homes. The best course of action would be for (the Bryants) to instruct the children to take the test."

One can just imagine her words being delivered with a thick East German accent: "Oon now, all vee need ees dee kidz!"

This isn't about education. It's about control. It's about an imperial government trying to crush a movement in its infancy which could one day spell the end of the public school monopoly over our kids' educations.

Home-schooling means children might start learning again. REAL learning. Not "whole language" and "self-esteem." Learning about radical notions such as freedom, liberty and personal responsibility. Notions such as limited government and the Constitution and the vision of our Founding Fathers.

Yeah, we can't have THAT!

BRUSHFIRE ALERT: As it appears that DSS is getting its marching orders from the Waltham Public Schools, it seems the best place to start is with the School Superintendent there. Her name is Dr. Susan
Parrella. She can be reached via email at Susan Parrella or by phone at (781) 314-5400.

Emails are great...but nothing quite ruins a bureaucrat's day like dealing with a flood of phone calls. I know. I just called. The woman who answered the phone hung up on me when she found out what I was calling about. They do NOT want to answer any questions about this.

Oh, and by the way. I reached Ms. Etscovitz this morning. She was not a happy camper once she found out what I was calling about. Refused to comment on her "we will do with them as we see fit" statement, saying only, "I'm terminating this conversation now,"
before slamming the phone down.

I think it would really bug her if a lot of people called (781)641-8500, so please, please don't rattled her cage, OK? That number not to call again to reach Susan Etscovitz is (781) 641-8500. That's (781) 641-8500.

(Editor's Note: Chuck reported to us that a healthy flood of phone calls to both phone numbers is causing quite the stir in Waltham, Mass. One can only assume that more calls mean more help to the cause.)