There it is finally, the first German applicants for educational freedom of choice have been granted political asylum in the United States. This battle had been going on for quite a while and I had posted about Homeschooling in Germany a while ago.
Kinderlehrer from Educating Germany had been part of this battle all along. Their website is (quoting): Passionately supporting home education (aka homeschooling) law reform in Germany as a human right. In contrast, for those new to the situation in Germany: home educating is (perceived as) illegal. The common citation for forced school attendance is to protect against parallel societies.
Visit Educating Germany‘s website to learn more about the current home educating situation in Germany.
As I had stated in a previous post from April 2009, I do not homeschool my own children, but I believe in having the right to do so.
As Mike Donnelly, staff attorney and Director of International Relations for HSLDA stated, “It is embarrassing for Germany since a western nation should uphold basic human rights, which include allowing parents to raise and educate their own children. This Judge understood the case perfectly and he called Germany out. We hope this decision will cause Germany to stop persecuting homeschoolers.”
The German Tagesschau had the following report: US judge grants German homeschooling family asylum.
I do not know how long Educating Germany has been fighting for the right to homeschool children in Germany, but I am sure they feel elated by this outcome.
Germany and its people are just so habitual at times. It takes forever to change laws, introduce new ideas, and implement new strategies. On the other hand, it comes as no surprise that the United States acted upon this precedent. Change for the Germans might produce a loss of security or angst. I was raised like this and often reminded to stick to what I know and NOT to deviate.
This German family seeking political asylum is not representative of the majority of Germans – the Romeike family actually fought for a change.