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Hello! My name is Luanne, mama of 4 and grandma of 2 1/2! :-) I am a 21 year homeschool veteran, currently homeschooling my two youngest, ages 6 and 3.

I'm going to write this a bit backwards starting not with the beginning but with the present because the facts of the present prove the violation of the beginning.

I choose to live simply so as that I can afford to live on child support alone and yet be able to raise and be present for my children full time. This includes homeschooling them as I did my older two, K-12th. On my kid's dad's midweek custody days, he brings them home for school and picks them up after we're done in the late afternoon. I willingly bear what costs there are (supplies, curriculum, field trips, etc..... ) on my own. We have an active and fun homeschool full of learning as a way of life with Jesus at the center of it all.

I may not be able to buy a lot of extra "things" ffor my kids but my sacrifice does provide them their mama's PRESENCE in their lives and our little family experiencing life deeply TOGETHER. It's a commitment to my little ones that is well worth the temporary difficulty in favor of the immediate and long-term benefits for them. Being a second time around mommy, I am even more aware this time that, like Darius Rucker sings about, "It won't be like this for long#; time is going to fly by and they'll be all grown up and gone. So folks, like Kenny Chesney says, "don't blink".  :-)

Now for the beginning... at least in terms of needing to file an appeal. My husband divorced me recently. The final judgment was: 50/50 joint physical and legal custody w/the exception that 100% educational decision making is being placed with the father.

Here was the judge's statement in court w/o using my former husband's name: "Luanne wants to homeschool the children but the father states he wants to enroll them in public school. HOmeschooling is, in fact, a great option and is undertaken by many families these days. Luanne has clearly demonstrated that she has successfully home schooled for 20 years and her sons are both productive members of society. However, Luanne is not going to be able to afford to homeschool this time around, therefore, I am placing 100% educational decision making with the father."

• Nobody brought any charge against my ability in any way to be able to homeschool my children. I think what the judge said even surprised my husband.
• Even the judge himself praised both homeschooling, in general as well as, MY personal experience with and ability to home school.
• The judge's assumption actually shows that he is not familiar with homeschooling enoughto make the life altering decision that he made. For the record - homeschooling is so common these days that resources abound. There are even high quality, FREE K-12 curriculums designed specifically for the extra challenges and time constraints of single moms. She's doing it all on her own and sometimes even with a job for pay away from home, too. Affording it does not have to be an issue anymore these days.
• I was not given an opportunity to prove my ability to afford homeschooling against the judge's assumption and accusation that I can't. Facts were not presented in some sort of homeschooling affordability trial. An uninformed assumption was made about me by one in authority,  I was judged by that assumption, legally binding action was taken against me on that assumption and all without me being fairly given opportunity to "clear" myself and "prove" that I am innocent of the "charge" of not being able to afford to homeschool.
• But even more important than all of the above is simply this: Let's do some assuming ourselves. Let's say resources and the home school climate is actually NOT as inviting and enabling as it actually is nowadays. Let's assume homeschooling is at least as expensive as outside private schools. Even if homeschooling was expensive, does that justify stripping an innocent parent, who has done nothing wrong, of their Constitutional right to make decisions with the other parent regarding educational choices for their children?

If I cannot afford to buy my kids a horse that does not mean I then do not have the right as their parent to decide with my co-parent if and from whom they will take riding lessons.

This is America! Americans lose their rights because of certain related wrong doing that they are guilty of committing. Period! Where is my crime that warranted a judge taking away my right as an American parent? There was no crime and yet I was denied my right and was basically sentenced as though guilty.

All I seek in pursuing an appeal of the judge's decision is to have the 100% decision-making award eliminated and that our 50/50 joint legal custody be inclusive of ALL the standard components of decision-making - religion, education, extra-curricular activities, counseling, etc... just like any other standard 50/50 joint legal custody.

Even if there truly was an impasse between us regarding manner of education, there are so many options nowadays that there just isn't any reason why we can't compromise and even blend our choices together, if need be. Even public schools provide homeschool options.

Even though their father is presently cooperative with homeschooling, it is critical that this inequity is corrected right away. I cannot have this hanging over my head every single day wondering if today is the day that he will press the unjustified authority given him and pull the rug out from under the kids and I.

• THE GOOD NEWS: A local, experienced appellate attorney reviewed my case and strongly believes that my Constitutional parental right was violated when the judge granted 100% educational decision-making to my former husband without cause against me. He is graciously willing to represent me in my appeal case without charge to me, pro bono, as long as I can raise the funds to pay for my filing fees and court costs. This is huge!!
• THE CHALLENGE: I only have until Wednesday May 13th, 2015 to raise enough money - only 9 days left. While I knew about crowdfunding for medical and funeral needs and such, I only just became aware that crowdfunding venues also exist for legal purposes, too, otherwise I would have pursued this sooner.

Because of the sacrifices I make, I CAN afford to homeschool my children and do. What I CANNOT afford are the costs of legally correcting the mistakes of others that have caused detrimental effect on the lives of my children and I and their best interest and well-being.

If you agree with me and with the gracious appellate attorney who is willing to help me, that my Constitutional parental right was violated, please, I humbly ask you to help my children and I by donating any amount that you can to help me quickly raise the funds needed to cover my court costs and filing fees to ensure my right to appeal date is not passed and that I may be represented by the experienced appellate attorney who believes in me and in my case.

Parents, if this can happen to me it can happen to any of us. Somewhere along the way, "in the best interest of the children" got lost. Let your donation be your statement that in our Country, EVERY parent has rights and our fitness to keep those rights should never be determined by your financial worth.

And please, would you consider praying for my children and I as I face this battle when the Lord brings us to mind? Please remember to share this campaign. Thanks!  :)

Very sincerely and gratefully,

Luanne Van Diepen