Heather Moody had been married for 11 years. Many of those years were spent at home educating her own children, with the full approval of her husband. In fact, he was the one who suggested home schooling in the first place. But this past year, he informed her that he wanted a divorce, a divorce in which he would seek to take away her children.
Her husband, an airline pilot, told his wife that his parents “own the courthouse” and, “We will take the children from you, and there is nothing you can do.”
Because Heather was a completely fit mother, the strongest argument the father and his parents could make was to attack home schooling. Their attorneys painted home schooling as a non-viable educational alternative. They argued that as a result of home schooling, the children were isolated, and testimony was given that the children were “too naïve for their age.” This was in spite of the fact that Heather’s husband was the one who had forced her to remove their children from co-op and other social activities!
Unbelievably, in March, Judge John Youngblood ruled in favor of the father, temporarily giving him full custody of the children, saying the father was “more stable” and further stipulating that the grandparents keep the children during the two to three weeks every month that the father travels.
Ever since his ruling, Judge Youngblood has felt the heat from the home school community due to his decision. As a result, he backtracked during a hearing a later hearing, allowing Heather to have the “right of first refusal” when the father is traveling. He also granted her “expanded visitation” but still did not give her custody of her own children.
A trial date for a jury trial has been set for September. The jury trial appears to be the best way for Heather to regain her children from the hands of this unjust judge. However, while the father is currently using community property from their marriage and funds from the “owners of the courthouse” (his parents) to pay his legal fees, Heather has no such resources.
It is unfortunate that a fit, godly mother can lose her children because someone else has more money and can find a judge who seems to believe that home schooling is a detriment to children.
THSC plans to help with the legal expenses of this mother not only because what is happening to her is outrageous, but because we cannot allow a precedent to be set where home schooling is a viable basis used to remove children from fit parents.
If you would like to help restore Heather’s children, you can make a tax-deductible contribution.
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