Despite the alleged advantages of homeschooling, the practice can potentially be detrimental to children, particularly if the parents hold extremist views. That said, a very conservative family in South Carolina had two radical traits that usually don’t pair well with homeschooling: “anti-government and highly religious.” The parents were so anti-government that they didn’t want their two children to exist legally, denying them both social security numbers and birth certificates. They accomplished this by giving birth to the kids at home and privately raising them.
The parents got what they wanted: two children heavily sheltered from the ‘evil world,’ but it came at the cost of the two kids’ adulthood. Posting to r/legaladvice, the older of the two siblings asked for any sort of advice, as neither they nor their younger sister could get jobs or driver’s licenses in South Carolina, despite being adults. “[I] never had ANY records of my existence,” OP explains. Clearly, the situation is taking a toll on their mental health as well: “It’s unbearable walking around feeling like I don’t exist.”
The poster explained that they’ve spoken to lawyers and professionals with what little money they had, but the recurring reaction they got was that their situation was “extremely unusual.” Now at their wits’ end, they wonder if there’s any hope left for them and their sister’s lives as adults. “I’m so lost,” they exclaim hopelessly.
The top commenter suggests that the South Carolina homeschooled siblings consider petitioning together for their legal documentation and identification. It wouldn’t make things easier, per se, but it would save time and let them get through the ordeal together. Another highly upvoted comment uplifted OP, saying that this sort of situation has happened before. “Please don’t feel shame for this. And it IS a surmountable problem,” they said as encouragement.
In the end, the only solution for the North Carolinian is to scrounge up any documented evidence they have about their identity, such as vital records, and take it to a government office for inspection. From there, it’s a long yet doable process to eventually get a delayed birth certificate and SSN. The situation is hopeful, yet it’s still quite aggravating that this is all because of the children’s excessively conservative parents.
