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

Wow. This blew my mind.

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

A Kentucky “off-grid” family had their 10 children seized this week by authorities, and their supporters say they were targeted “simply because the government disagrees with their lifestyle and their educational choices.”

An anonymous tip sent sheriff’s deputies Wednesday to the 26-acre rural Breckenridge County home of Joe and Nicole Naugler, who document their “back to basics” lifestyle on social media.
...
Authorities ordered Joe Naugler to hand over all the children Thursday morning or face felony charges, and the family believes they were removed due to their “unschooling.”

The Nauglers follow the so-called unschooling method that allows children to learn through natural experiences – including play, household chores, travel, and personal courses of study.

A family friend said that’s the way all children learned before public schooling.

“You let your kids decide the curriculum,” said family friend Pace Ellsworth. “In unschooling, education doesn’t take a backseat. It’s listening to what they’re interested in and fascinated in.”

So...
I personally don't see anything wrong with this lifestyle or method of child-rearing. Apparently some anonymous jackass "reported" them, but there's no mention of whether or not they are able to read, write, do math, etc.

I would love, actually, to have an opportunity to be part of a movement to do these things. Now, the mom got unruly when the authorities started trying to question the teens separately from her, which is bad form, I agree. But if these kids have been taught the basics it isn't any different than the Montessori method.

There's no mention of any kind of 'cultish' programming going on, but I haven't followed the story on social media. (The Duggars, on the other hand are ridiculous.)

The article ends with a statement that child protective services are unlikely to make public the details, but that most likely the parents will have to agree to some "fundamental basics" to get their kids back.

The Nauglers will be told why the children were removed during an upcoming family court hearing, and they will likely be ordered to comply with certain guidelines before the children are returned to their custody.

Unless there is evidence of abuse, incest, deliberate withholding of literacy skills, access to the internet, etc . - or appropriate education in the kids' interests, I think these people have every right to raise their kids this way.
Or, maybe they're just a crazy cult.
I don't know.

Do any of you follow this family's media postings? Presumably there IS internet activity, and the pic of the family does not look like they are inbred Kentucky toothless mouth-breathers distilling moonshine and all that "Deliverance" crap.

Thoughts?

Here's their blog:
blessedlittlehomestead.org...
I'm going to read up and see what I can find.
(Well, that's a new blog, under construction - but it shows pictures of their house and brief intros into the kids' personalities and interests).

Here is their older blog, with far more info, including blog posts BY THE KIDS, so they ARE literate. This page is the 'education' section:
blessedlittlehomestead.blogspot.com...

Yeah, I won't copy and paste all the info, but this family looks to be very well-educated and they are definitely part of social media/education in a big way. The curriculum they have posted should make ANY public school blush with inadequacy. I say, leave them alone.

This is why patents make choices that aren't always what they believe to be best. I hope this gets resolved quickly in the family's best interest.

And wtf they don't even have charges against them?!

a reply to: BuzzyWigs

What a lovely family. I'm sure that the children are happier, healthier and smarter than most kids that live under the heel of authorities. Supporting this kind of lifestyle is something we should all get behind, whether we live like this or not.

I will be following this story. Thanks for posting.

The children look incredibly happy and healthy.
What kind of bureaucratic douche bag thinks that tearing them away from their environment and putting them in state care is in any way the right thing to do?
BS if you ask me.

Here's a link to their FB page, too - which touches on the situation, but I haven't dug into it. www.facebook.com...

From what I can tell, things are awesome for these kids, and they are lucky.
Way to go Nauglers!!!!
I'm on your side!!

Me too! They are doing the correct thing and using their own self governance to raise healthy and intelligent children, possibly able to judge things for themselves, which of course is the real crime for which those children were taken.

It seems they may be getting help legally and probably they won't have to agree to anything the ministry wants them to.

a reply to: BuzzyWigs

I was only able to find one local news source from Wave3 news in Louisville, KY that's covering this story. I had no idea this was going on as this isn't being covered by any news source in central KY or anywhere in the rest of the state.

Wave 3 news was able to interview a few of their neighbors and it looks as if their living conditions are what is warranting the seizure of their children.

Neighbor Travis Metcalf isn't buying it.

“They're living underneath tarps,” he said. “So kinda take it at that.”

“They delivered a baby up there last winter,” Metcalf said. “It was about 30 degrees below zero; it's no living conditions for a kid at all.”

'Off-grid' couple faces hearing to regain custody of 10 children

The article also claims that the family has to rely on others for drinking water and got rather upset when a request was denied last sunday.

The Nauglers have depended upon neighbors' private wells or municipal hookups for their drinking water, but a confrontation on Sunday prompted a criminal summons for Joe Naugler on a charge of menacing.

“(Naugler) was turned down for the water request and asked to leave the property,” the summons read. “He then said to his son ‘get the pistol out of the glove compartment box.'”

WAVE 3 News has withheld the complainant's name at her request.

“He (Naugler) was acting very erratically,” the complainant said in an interview Friday. “He was calling us names that I have to spell out. I can't even say 'em. And he said ‘don't worry, I know where you live, and I'm gonna be back.'”

So it seems like there's quite a bit more to this story that's not well known.

a reply to: BuzzyWigs

You will want to see this:


Corrupt State of Kentucky Makes Money from Adoptions - Whistleblowers Reveal CPS Child Kidnappings in Kentucky Adoption Business
medicalkidnap.com...

a reply to: BuzzyWigs

Egads.

a reply to: BuzzyWigs

Now, the mom got unruly when the authorities started trying to question the teens separately from her, which is bad form, I agree.

minors are not allowed to be questioned w out an adult present.......as far as I can recall

I hope people are loving the progressive utopia they keep voting for


now if this family really was in poverty and the children were in danger, i get it........however too often the gov and indeed police over step their bounds in this arena

BTW, they have picked up 19,000 new "likes" on their FB page.

This will be interesting indeed. Thanks for sharing the other info, fellow members.

a reply to: infolurker

Thanks. Kentucky is also the state that was going to allow tax-incentives for that stupid "Ark Experience" theme park that YEC Ken Ham wanted to build.

a reply to: infolurker

Gah! Kentucky. Beautiful place, if you don't count the people in it.
Disturbing indeed.

a reply to: BuzzyWigs

I have no facebook page, but am hoping that this thread of yours will inspire the members here at ATS who do to give support to this family.

I have been looking over the families website, each child has their own blog. How many other children that we know of let the world follow their learning progress. These kids are actually encouraged to think. Public schools only train children to parrot pointless information.

a reply to: EternalSolace

Yeah, that's rather disturbing.
*shakes head* Will be very interesting to see this family get ripped to shreds by 'the system.' NOT in a good way. In a time-to-revolt way.

a reply to: ManBehindTheMask

I hope people are loving the progressive utopia they keep voting for

I'm not sure where you're getting this idea. It was two progressive websites that posted the story. Progressives are the people fighting for legalizing mj, for example. Fighting AGAINST cop militarization, and FOR acceptance of LBGT people, caring for the climate, etc. Bernie Sanders is a perfect example of everything we stand for.

Kentucky is one of the most conservative, corrupt, poor states in this country. They are decidedly NOT "progressive."

Are you sure you understand what "Progressives" really want?

a reply to: BuzzyWigs

Having home schooled my youngest, I can say a little something about this.

There are several types of families that home school.
1.Those that are fed up with the school systems ideas of education.(Which pushed me into it)
2.Those who are child molesters and keep the kids under the radar of authorities.(I have run across one family like this and had to intervene in the girls behalf)
3.Those who wish their children to have religious instruction.(Never understood those since there is parochial schools)
This type comes in all shapes and sizes.From the fanatics,to those that just don't think their kids are getting the religious instruction they need.

This family seems to want their kids to live a more natural life style and I have nothing against that at all. I would say that instead of removing the kids,they should have just had the family come in and test all the kids to see what level their education is at,and if it is appropriate for their age group.I believe if the parents had nothing to hide,it would have been easier for them to just lay out the material they are using to teach their kids the basics and show where their progress is for each.

Living a natural lifestyle is fine and healthy,but your kids still need to know things such as,how to read well,do basic math(adding,subtraction,multiplying,and dividing),and knowing their history,and science. These are not idle things to know,but factor in to animal husbandry,planting crops,bartering and buying of resources,and understanding their own bodies to keep healthy.

As far as a blog post by the kids,the parents could have typed in what the kids were saying.No one was there to watch the kids type it in. But this has an easy solution,and they state needs to stop with a heavy handed approach and just test the kids first. Then they can inform the parents on whatever needs to be worked on to get the kids up to par. How hard is that?

Is there any information about the basic literacy and numeracy of these kids?

a reply to: AngryCymraeg

They are active posting their own blog entries, so that speaks to literacy in computers and language skills. Have a look at their older blog for the curriculum they have....

blessedlittlehomestead.blogspot.com...