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Updates from Germany--War on homeschooling

5:44 PM, Dec. 18, 2006

Back in October, police officers arrived at the home of the Romeike's to forcibly escort the children to school. Signaling increased hostilities in the state of Baden-Wuerttemburg, the case drew the attention of many homeschoolers in Germany.

Up until recently, Baden-Wuerttemburg was not such a bad place to homeschool, as far as homeschooling in Germany goes. The previous Minister of Education for Baden Wuerttemberg, Annette Schavan had expressly declared that it was not necessary to carry out such acts of force against homeschooling families because "...the children are generally not lacking in any other respects." (Statement of the Ministery on 20.6.2002). The ministry's press officer said at the time, "We do not use such forcible methods in Baden-Wuerttemberg. It is not in the long-term interests of either the children or the police."

But now they have a new education minister, and his philosophy marks a sharp departure from previous policies dealing with homeschooling families.

In response to the forced police escort of the Romeike family, Netz-Bildung Freiheit (Net-Education Freedom), an organization of several homeschooling groups working together to advocate for homeschoolers across Germany, sent a letter to the officials involved. In response, the organization received the following response, which indicates a clear break from the state's previous policy regarding homeschooling. In the email sent to me, it was viewed as a "declaration of war on homeschoolers."

Dear Mr.---

The minister thanks you for your letter. He has charged the appropriate department with the response.

As the Minister shared with you in the letter from October 24, 2006, the Minister of Education does not share your attitudes toward so-called homeschooling and is not prepared to approve a corresponding pilot project.

Through the above-mentioned letter, you complain about the forced school escort of primary school children by the responsible local police officers on the basis of paragraph 86 of the education law as a measure of the execution of authority.

It is known to the ministry of education that primary school students can be particularly burdened by the related contradiction between the norms of the parent-house and that of the public school through such forced escorts.

In order to avoid this in future, the education authority is in conversation with the affected family in order to look for possibilities to bring the religious convictions of the family into line with the unalterable school attendance requirement.

Let me make something clear: the cause of this forced escort was set in place by the parents (emphasis in original) through their illegal conduct. The European Court of Human Rights, specifically in complaint number 35504/02, has conclusively decided that through compulsory school attendance in Baden-Wuerttemburg, the affected are not inhibited in their rights from Article 2 of the Supplementary protocol affecting EMRK (right to an education)--alone as well as in conjunction with Article 14 EMRK (anti-discrimination) through the refusal of the educational authorities to make way for the possibility of homeschooling.

The education administration in future will also not recognize so-called homeschooling and act in proportionate measure considering the individual case and circumstances.

Sincerely,

K. Horstmann
Ministerial Director

(note: I'm not quite sure how to translate the last part of the last sentence. If someone with knowledge of German reads this, how would you translate, "Die Schulverwaltung wird auch zukuenftig das sog. Home-Schooling nicht hinnehmen und unter Beachtung des Einzelfalles und der Verhaeltnismaessigkeit geiegnete Massnahmen in die Wege leiten.")

It is interesting that in a state whose constitution is dominated by religious language and quotes the necessity of building Christian character, as well as guaranteeing the natural right of parents to have a say in the education of their children AND religious freedom, that the state would specifically mention that they are working to "bring the religious convictions of the family in line" with the goals of the state.

Dana Hanley has a degree in Education and Liberal Arts, with a major in Germanic Languages and Literuatures. She spent a total of two years living as an exchange student in Germany, including a year in high school and a year of graduate work at the Christian-Albrechts University in Kiel.

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Comments
interessting

8:03 AM, Dec. 21, 2006, posted by Anonymous

thanks for the article.
and you translation of the last sentence is good.

Id personally use "not tolerate" instead of "not recognize" but as far as german legalese can be translate (or understood) you did a good job

Suppression of Homeschooling in Germany

2:54 PM, Dec. 21, 2006, posted by Anonymous

The spirit of neo-Nazism seems to be ingrained in the hearts and minds of the German government. How little has changed in the last 65 years. It may be time for all Christian homeschoolers to remove to a country which will allow them the freedom to educate their own children according to the dictates of their conscience. What a tragic story.

Untitled Comment

10:23 AM, Dec. 22, 2006, posted by gottsegnet

Thanks for the confirmation on the translation, Anonymous. These kinds of things are little more difficult because they are so dominated by passive constructions.

What is going on is a little concerning. I certainly hope that the views underlying these decisions by the state never take firmer ground her. They already exist, and you can hear the same kinds of arguments made in America, but so far, it hasn't amounted to much.

Untitled Comment

10:59 AM, Dec. 22, 2006, posted by Anonymous

There is no mention of the specific illegal activity of the parents. We need to know so we can have understanding of the basis for the escort. This is absolutely necessary so we are not speaking without appropriate knowledge. So much is is said in ignorance and it appropriately makes believers look ignorant.

Thank you

The responsible minister

3:33 PM, Dec. 22, 2006, posted by Netzwerk Bildungsfreiheit

The responsible minister of education in that case is

Mr. Helmut Rau

Helmut.Rau@km.kv.bwl.de

Ministerium für Kultus, Jugend und Sport

Schlossplatz 4

70173 Stuttgart

Tel: +49 711/279-2531

Fax: +49 711/279-2839

Many letters and Emails from all over the world would possibly help us. Let the german minister know what homeschooling is all about and that people from a free country condemn such acts which violate parental rights. Let him know that a free world looks on Germany.

Joerg.

Untitled Comment

9:14 AM, Dec. 23, 2006, posted by gottsegnet

Yes, homeschooling is illegal in Germany, something many organizations are working to try to change. It seems to me clear that homeschooling is illegal, but perhaps I assume too much. Several organizations in Germany are working together in order to try to change both the image and the law, but that is a long and difficult process, made more difficult by the Konrad decision in the constitutional court and the European Court of Human Rights. Assistance has been requested in the form of international attention and letters to officials involved, with additional information provided above by Joerg, who is on the board of Netz-Bildung Freiheit, the organization which originally sent me this letter.

Don't forget that American homeschoolers once also suffered at the hands of the state and compulsory attendance laws. We were successful in changing that so that homeschooling is legal in all 50 states.

Christianity itself is not tolerated in some nations and of course that leads to imprisonment and even torture. Just because it is illegal, doesn't mean that others cannot draw attention to the cause or discuss it.

help to leave Germany

11:28 AM, Dec. 23, 2006, posted by Anonymous

We would be interested in helping if a family wishes to leave Germany for the US. We could open our home to them for a period of time.

If there is any interest, please email us at brixblocks@gmail.com

blessings,
Dan

Home schooling translation

5:07 AM, Dec. 26, 2006, posted by Jeremy Mott

"Die Schulverwaltung wird auch zukuenftig das sog. Home-Schooling nicht hinnehmen und unter Beachtung des Einzelfalles und der Verhaeltnismaessigkeit geiegnete Massnahmen in die Wege leiten."

The school authority will not accept so called Home-Schooling in the future. Individual cases will be considered and suitable measures taken.

Supporting Home Education Reform in Germany

5:30 PM, Mar. 17, 2007, posted by Kinderlehrer

Visitors to this post may be interested in the discussion of rhetoric for home education reform at educatinggermany.7doves.com

This blog was set up specifically to generate discussion and empower the english-speaking community, both in Germany and Internationally to take action.

Together we can make a difference.

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