Homeschool parents sue New Jersey, allege ‘unlawful, unconstitutional home intrusion’

Nothing really changed after a New Jersey state social worker banged on Christopher and Nicole Zimmer’s front door, and yet everything was different.

 

 

Over the next two hours, the social worker quizzed their 15-year-old son, Chris, including questions on whether his parents fought or did drugs. She wanted to see his homeschool curriculum. She wanted to inspect their firearms. She told the Zimmers to sign papers agreeing to turn over their son’s medical records.

 

 

And then she left, and the Zimmers never saw her again. But they can’t let it go. They can’t erase the memory of what it felt like when they thought the state might take away their son.

 

 

In April the Zimmers filed a $60 million federal lawsuit against the New Jersey Division of Child Protection and Permanency, along with several division officials and the social worker, Michelle Marchese, for an “unlawful and unconstitutional home intrusion.”

 

 

“It’s the fact that the government just came walking into my door without any cause,” Mr. Zimmer said.

 

 

Ms. Marchese arrived at their home Jan. 13 in Warren County to investigate a complaint about “improper homeschooling,” which turned into what the Zimmers describe as a protracted fishing expedition on topics ranging from their son’s video games to the family’s firearms.

 

 

Read More: Homeschool parents sue New Jersey, allege ‘unlawful, unconstitutional home intrusion’ – Washington Times