Murder trial hears Alex Radita kicked out of homeschooling program, no ministries notified

1284-1147-7.

In the end, Alex Radita's student number was just that a number.

He was enrolled in a Catholic homeschooling program in September 2009 for Grade 5 but not a single piece of work was ever submitted.

Every grade in Alex's only report card from the five years the Radita family lived in Alberta was a 1, which meant"Assessment not able to complete at this time."

With no work submitted, there was no work to assess.

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Emil and Rodica Radita areon trial for first-degree murder, accused in the neglect and starvation death of their 15-year-old diabetic son, who was found emaciated, weighing just 37 lbs at the time of his death.

Teachers and theprincipalattempted to contact the Radita parents throughout the 2009/2010 school year but were never able to reachthem, despite multiple phone calls and letters.

Alex disappears

Cardell Musyj is the principal of the School of Hope, a distance learning school with offices in Vermilion, Alta., for students in grades 1 to 12. He testified at the murder trial on Friday.

The School of Hope offers both online teacher led and homeschooling parent led programs for students anywhere in Alberta.

The school reports to the East Central Alberta Catholic School Board.

Musyj's testimony exposed holes in provincial systems that allowed Alex Radita to disappear from public view.

Though the Raditas could not be contacted and Alex never submitted any work, there are no laws that require schools to notify the Alberta Education or Child and Family Services ministries.

Alex was simply "considered truant," said Musyj.

In the letter sent by the school to the Radita family on June 10, 2010, they were reminded of their obligation to send any children under the age of 16 to school. But Alex was never again enrolled in any school or program.

"[We're] underno obligation to contact anybody when the child is not in school or no longer with us," said Musyj.

Never saw a doctor

Students like Alex Radita, who are enrolled in the online teacher-led program, are visited by a teacher twice a year thoughMusyj described this as a service provided by the school, not a legal requirement.

The family met with a teacher assistant one time, at the beginning of the 2009 school year.

The other school age Radita children were also enrolled at the School of Hope.

Defence lawyers Jim Lutz and Andrea Serink did not ask Musyj any cross-examination questions.

Other evidence led by prosecutors Susan Pepper and Marta Juzwiak on Friday showed Alex never saw a doctor in this province but there were pharmacy records showing insulin had been dispensed at times throughout the years.

The Court of Queen's Bench judge-alone trial will enter its third week on Monday.

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