PAYETTE, Idaho -- Three sets of jailed parents who want to educate their 16 children themselves rather than send them to school may instead lose them to the courts.
The children appeared at a closed court hearing to face truancy charges that have already landed their parents in jail for six months.
The youngsters, who have stayed with relatives the past two weeks, pleaded innocent and, when they return to court next week, could be placed with foster parents or in institutions if found guilty of not receiving government-approved education.
The parents attended Monday's arraignment, then were returned to the Payette County Jail.
The parents -- Sam and Marquita Shippy, Floyd and Roxy Shippy and Robert and Cecilia Shippy -- acted as their own lawyers. The fathers of the children are brothers.
Third District Magistrate B.E. Behrmann ordered the couples, who live in New Plymouth, Idaho, locked up Nov. 15 after they declared they would not send their children to public classes or provide school board-approved alternate education.
The children's grandfather, Sam Shippy, said laws were meant to prosecute criminals. 'The law wasn't made for my kids,' he said.
Deputy Prosecutor Daniel Chadwick said authorities were forced to uphold the law. 'The way the Shippys approached the case left us no choice,' he said.
New Plymouth School Superintendent Michael Jacobsen said he was distressed the parents were in jail, but supported the court action if it meant the children could be educated.
'I feel really bad for the kids and their mothers,' he said.
Prosecutors contend Idaho law requires children to attend public school or receive comparable educations at home or in private institutions. The parents contend it is their responsibility and not the government's to provide education for their children.
