Concerned over the education her children were receiving from the Buffalo Public School District, single mother Kiarre Harris made the decision to homeschool, however, what followed is nothing less than every parents worst nightmare.
While Harris submitted the all of the required paperwork to withdrawal her children from public school with Buffalo City Hall and even spoke directly with the district’s homeschool coordinator in December of 2016, she has been arrested for ‘educational neglect‘ and her child were forcibly removed from their home by Child Protective Services.
According to reports, Harris has been unable to see her children since they were placed in to the foster care system.
Speaking with ABC7 on the matter, Harris explained that “I felt that the district was failing my children and that’s when I made the decision to homeschool,” adding that “I spoke directly to the homeschool coordinator and she told me from this point on my children were officially un-enrolled from school.”
So what exactly happened? Well, it would appear that Buffalo City Hall dropped the ball and never notified the schools that the Harris children had been un-enrolled.
Reportedly, one week after Harris had removed her children from Buffalo Public Schools she was contacted by Child Protective Services who were inquiring as to way her children were not in class.
“I told them that my kids were homeschooled now and that I could furnish the documents if they need to see them,” Harris stated.
Problem solved right? Nope…
As EAG.org reports, in mid-January Buffalo Police served Harris with a court summons for child neglect and authorities demanded that she turn her children over to Child Protective Services. When Harris refused, she was arrested and additionally charged with obstruction of justice. The children were subsequently placed in foster care by CPS and to put icing on the cake, her vehicle was impounded at the scene of the arrest.
Harris posted the following video to social media regarding the matter:
So what does the Buffalo Public School District have to say on the matter? That they cannot comment on the case and that in order for a parent to file for homeschooling, they must have full custody of the children…This of course appearing to be a non-issue because Harris reportedly had full custody of her children until were taken away by CPS.
Buffalo councilman Ulysees O. Wingo Sr. has called Harris’ arrest “utterly unacceptable” and is demanding answers as to how this happened.
Via WKBW
“Someone, somewhere messed up, and that someone needs to face the music,” Wingo said at a Buffalo Common Council meeting Tuesday afternoon.
“This does not pass the smell test. This looks bad,” Wingo said.
“Did anyone from the school reach out to the mother? We don’t know. It’s very important for us to look at the details and get all of the details,” Wingo said.
Wingo is calling on Family Court to return the children to his mother’s custody immediately. Meantime, Harris’ case has been sent to the Common Council’s Education Committee.
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