Home Schoolers Portrayed As Terrorists

(Muskegon, Michigan) According to a report in the Muskegon Chronicle, the county emergency services department conducted a mock terrorism drill for school officials, students, bus drivers, and parents, along with county agencies, hospitals, and medical responders. The exercise scenario consisted of a domestic terrorist group called the "Wackos" planting a bomb on a public school bus filled with students. The Wackos were identified as home schooling advocates.

By designating home schoolers as terrorists, a firestorm of complaints was created.

The Chronicle and local officials were deluged with phone calls and e-mails from across the nation, complaining about the choice of words.

[ ... ]

Chris Klicka, senior counsel of the Home-Schooling Legal Defense Association based in Washington D.C., called the characterization outlandish.

"Home-schoolers have never been accused of violence against any school," Klicka said, after calling The Chronicle. "There's an outpouring from the nation -- it's a mockery against what home schooling is and the contributions home-schoolers have made to the country."

The Chief Deputy for Emergency Services, Daniel Stout, was rather cavalier in taking full responsibility for the scenario.

"That's just what I decided to use," he said of the name choice for Tuesday's drill. "It may have been a poor choice, but that's what was used ... I'm the one who wrote the scenario."

In my opinion, terminology is less important than the level of realism contained in the drill. To my knowledge, there has never been an instance where home schoolers were militant or violent in any manner. The simulated terrorists could be much more believable.

Additionally, for some reason, I can't shake the nagging gut feeling that the creator of the drill scenario were making a political statement. However, whether a political position was being heralded or otherwise, Daniel Stout and others involved with planning the exercise should issue a formal public apology to the parents and the students of the Muskegon Area Intermediate School District. (via Common Sense and Wonder)