When you and your spouse were married, your child simply went to a school that was close to your house. It was convenient and simple.
However, the two of you have gotten divorced. You share custody of your child, who lives with the opposite parent every other week.
The problem is that your ex still lives close to the school that the child used to attend, but you moved 40 minutes away in order to find housing. You would like to enroll your child in a new school that is closer to your house. Can you do this after your divorce?
Considering your legal custody rights
You may be able to have your child switch schools, but choosing an educational institution is one of the rights given to parents who have legal custody. You and your ex share physical custody, but legal custody is a different component altogether. It governs decision-making abilities, such as school, healthcare, religion, financial decisions and much more.
If you have sole legal custody, then it is up to you what school your child attends. If you would like them to switch to the school closer to your house, you can do so.
But if you and your ex share legal custody the same way that you share physical custody, then the two of you have to work together. You must both agree to switch schools, and you cannot just pull your child out of their current school and enroll them in another one without talking to your ex first.
Your parental rights
Issues like this sometimes lead to significant disputes between parents, which is when it is so important to understand all of your parental rights and the legal options at your disposal.
