Gavin Peterson's death sparks nationwide calls for tighter control of homeschooling in Utah

WEST HAVEN, Utah (KUTV) — The tragic death of 12-year-old Gavin Peterson of West Haven is garnering national attention and a child protection group is calling on Utah to reconsider its homeschooling laws.

The group argues that vulnerable children like Gavin need greater protection.

This push for change comes ahead of a closed session of Parliament in September, when MPs will discuss the case and examine what went wrong.

State Board of Education officials confirmed to 2News that the USBE has no oversight of home schooling and any changes to the law must come from the legislature.

But advocates stress that reform is essential, as they believe Gavin's case underscores the need for better controls and checks on homeschooling.

Nearly a month after Sabrina Tracy organized a demonstration demanding answers in the Gavin Peterson case, child advocates across the country have taken notice.

“People have seen it, they are interested and they want change,” Tracy said.

The Coalition for Responsible Home Education (CRHE), a children's advocacy group, is using Gavin's story to urge Utah to rethink its homeschooling laws, calling his death a “tragic example of how the state's laws fail to protect homeschooled children.”

See CRHE’s statement on Gavin Peterson.

Marie Cohen, a Washington DC-based attorney who writes extensively on child protection issues, became aware of Gavin's case through the protests.

A year before his death, Gavin's father and stepmother took him out of school and taught him at home after school officials filed multiple reports with the state.

MORE about GAVIN PETERSON:

“The decision to remove him from school is significant,” Cohen said. “These are not dedicated homeschooling parents who want to educate their children at home – this was different.”

When asked if she thought new legislation like the proposed Make Homeschool Safe Act could make a difference, Cohen replied, “I think it could help.”

The law introduced by the CRHE calls for stricter supervision, including mandatory social checks.

Cohen supports the concept, especially the focus on child safety, but hopes that responsible homeschooling families will also support the initiative.

“They took him out of school so he wouldn't attract attention and so there wouldn't be any more reports,” Cohen said. “It's going to be difficult enough to pass a law requiring an annual screening. Personally, I think kids should be screened four times a year because a lot can happen in just three months.”

2News asked several politicians whether they thought such legislation was necessary, but received no response.

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