Just in

(I will have more time to possibly comment on this later, but I wanted the world at large to see the true perspective on the Epsteins by the home school world in Texas
S.J.)Swordbearer,

I submitted the comment below for publication to Jennifer Epstein's blog last night, and the moderator has chosen not to approve it. In light of this, I would appreciate if you might consider posting it on your blog.

I am not a fan of your forum, but neither am I fan of several newspapers that have published editorials I have written over the years. What's important to me is that folks who have embroiled themselves in this mess get a dose of perspective which takes into account the Texas home school landscape. And if Jennifer Epstein (or whomever is serving as moderator of her blog) won't publish my note, I thought that perhaps you might be willing to do so.

Thank you for considering my request.

For the honor of the King,
A Longtime Texas Home Schooler

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To whom it may concern:



Last month, I received an e-mail from Mark and Jennifer Epstein which attacked the character of Doug Phillips, listing numerous charges against him.



After a bit of investigation, I learned of this blog and was troubled by what I discovered -- a great deal of bitterness from a couple who appear to be trapped in a tangled web of sin and self-deception.



Within a week or so of that time, I received a letter from Ruth and Gavino Perez of the FEAST organization, wherein the Ruth and Gavino defended Doug Phillips' character and sought to explain their own difficult dealings with the Epstein family.



Yesterday, I was made aware of this most recent post by Jennifer Epstein by some mutual home school leader friends in Texas. I must say that I was taken aback to see to what remarkable ends that this troubled couple has taken in their attacks against Doug Phillips and Vision Forum Ministries.



As someone who has been involved in home schooling in Texas since the early 1980's, there is much I could say, but I will try to keep my comments brief.



First of all, what readers to this blog should understand is that Kirk and Beverly McCord are among the pioneers of the home school movement in Texas. Their vision more than 20 years ago lead them to start three separate entities: the Arlington Book Fair (designed to offer books and resources to Texas' fledgling home school movement), the Texas Home School Coalition (a political action committee designed to protect the rights of Texans to home school), and HOPE for Texas (designed to offer how-to resources and other practical helps to Texas home educators). A lot has changed since the middle 1980s (including HOPE for Texas merging with THSC several years ago), but what has not changed is the esteem and respect in which home school leaders and families across Texas hold Kirk and Beverly McCord.



I remember distinctly the phone call more than 20 years ago when Beverly first called our home and requested that our family's name be added to the leadership roll of their Hearth and Home Ministries "Handbook for Texas Home Schoolers." Identifying yourself as a home school leader then was risky, as the Leeper v. Arlington Independent School District case was not yet settled, and yet Kirk and Beverly's vision was to provide a helpful resource to assist any family who had the courage to begin the process of home educating -- even if that meant prosecution.



Thankfully, due to the valiant efforts of the McCords, Shelby Sharpe, and others, the right to home school in Texas was secured when the Texas Supreme Court affirmed the Leeper decision in 1991.



The old "Hearth and Home" Handbook would later become the "HOPE for Texas" Handbook and now, more recently, it is being published by THSC -- all organizations that the McCords helped to organize. Kirk and Beverly's fingerprints can be found all over the home education saga in Texas; and someday, when the history books are written on Texas home schooling, their life testimony will be central to the story.



The McCords have endured many attacks over the years, but the recent public stunt by Jennifer Epstein as part of a coordinated campaign against Doug Phillips may well represent a low point -- not so much in terms of difficulty for the McCords, but in terms of the lowball tactics that were employed.



To be blunt: the posting of this video from the Arlington Book Fair is a real nadir. That Kirk and Beverly would be exploited in this way is simply unconscionable. In seeking to further their own ends through this PR stunt, the Epsteins have only further destroyed their credibility to all those who know the stature in which Kirk and Beverly are held by home schoolers both in Texas and around the country. The only way I could imagine that the Epsteins could bury themselves more in their own shame would be to have Mike Farris or Chris Klicka say on camera to police that the Epsteins have "harassed" home schoolers -- as Beverly does in the video clip.



Beyond the peerless testimony of the McCords, I should add that I have known Gavino and Ruth Perez down in San Antonio for many years, having visited with them at numerous THSC events as well as HSLDA leadership gatherings over a span of well over a decade; and I know their reputation to be upstanding in every way. So when I read their note putting the Epstein's character in perspective, nothing more needed to be said.



And now this stunt at the Arlington Book Fair with Kirk and Beverly? I do hope that this is the last of such shameful shenanigans by the Epsteins. This madness needs to come to an end.



As an aside, I should also mention the Bradrick family in this discussion. When they moved to Washington State a number of years ago, Texas lost one of its most important home school families. The Bradricks began home schooling here in Texas ever before the McCords and my family did, and they were among a core handful of families who pioneered the home school movement in the Lone Star State. In fact, way back when, the Bradricks (who then lived in nearby Garland) labored with the McCords at Arlington's very first book fair.



Now Jennifer Epstein has sought to criticize the character of Peter Bradrick, one of Michael and Susan's younger sons. By taking shots at the son of one of Texas' most respected home school families, the Epsteins are once again firing blanks.



Regarding Doug Phillips, I had the privilege of spending a few days with him personally long before he came to Texas when I visited Washington DC for one of HSLDA's annual Legislative Summits. At the time, Doug was leading the Congressional Action Program on Capitol Hill for HSLDA. I immediately struck a chord with both Doug and his wife, Beall, and I was delighted when God providentially lead them to Texas some time later to start Vision Forum.



Not only has my family greatly benefited from Doug's teachings and materials over the last several years (many of which sit on my shelf), but I can testify that his character has been affirmed by all those whom I have met who have known him personally -- including those who he once answered to -- including Chris Klicka of HSLDA.



I first met Chris Klicka more than 15 years ago when he spoke in Houston at a Greg Harris Seminar, and I have had the privilege of having dinner with home both in his home and mine on different occasions and most recently dialogued with him earlier this week. As someone who was Doug's former supervisor, he continues to hold Doug in the highest esteem. And while I do not formally write on Chris' or their behalf, the same goes for the rest of the HSDLA leadership. I know the confidence they expressed in Doug during his tenure at HSLDA which has remain unchanged through this recent attempt to discredit him by the Epsteins.



Having attended a number of THSC and HSLDA Leadership events starting in the mid-1990s, I have gained the acquaintance of numerous home school leaders from across the states. Since receiving the Epstein's letter attacking Doug Phillips in late April, I have spoken to many of these leaders. The response I have received from each one has almost been an echo: "We are praying that God will give grace to Doug's family through these senseless attacks and bring the Epsteins to repentance."



These conversations were had in the wake of Mark and Jennifer's e-mail broadcast. While I have not spoken with many leaders since this outlandish blog post, I can say with a great deal of confidence that once any longstanding home school leader sees the video debacle with Kirk and Beverly in the middle of it, that the outpouring of prayers for this faithful couple as well as for Doug and Beall Phillips will only increase -- and the Epsteins will only be brought to greater shame for their sins.



I am greatly grieved to see how the Epsteins have sought to ensnare others through their calculated attacks, and am I praying for the McCords -- and the Phillips especially -- during this time.



This being said, what comes to mind when I observe the Epstein's tactics is this: "Whoso diggeth a pit shall fall therein: and he that rolleth a stone, it will return upon him" (Proverbs 26:27).



As the Epsteins dig their pit deeper and deeper, I believe that they are digging their own spiritual grave, absent God's intervening grace.



Mark and Jennifer, please listen: it is time for you to soften your heart to God's spirit and repent before you bring greater judgment upon your own head.



For the honor of King,

A Longtime Texas Home Schooler