Jul. 6, 2008 - Swiss Homeschoolers seeking help

Subject: Swiss homeschoolers seeking help
Date: Tue, 01 Jul 2008 00:38:12 -0000

Adliswil, Switzerland
June 21,2008

Please note: This letter is written in the international language of
English for convenience sake.

Dear Home Education Supporter,

While many families throughout the world sing the praises of
family-centered education, at the same time many policy-makers all
over the world are endeavoring, with all the power and resources at
their disposal, to curtail this educational option. Partly, this seems
to be a factor of fear of loss of control, partly ideological
rigidness, and partly ignorance of what actually is involved in
parent-directed private instruction. In Switzerland, in most Cantons,
and now also where we live in the Canton of Zürich, there is a
concerted effort -partly resulting from many E.U pressures for
conformity of Switzerland ? to promulgate these restrictions. They are
also being actively contested and resisted by some home educating
families and a few like-minded supporters. We are writing to you to to
ask you to assist us as outlined below.

First, for your information, I would briefly outline the conflict
here. Several years ago the Canton of Zürich proposed a sweeping
revision of the school system and educational laws, which the people
voted down. After some cosmetic revisions and heavy promotion by the
State, the revisions were presented again. As the education system has
been rapidly deteriorating and the changes promised improvement, the
measure passed. Most of the populace would say there have been no
improvements subsequently. In one small section of many others in the
new law, a provision was inserted that no "private instruction"
(meaning tutoring or parental teaching) would be permitted without the
teaching person having a "finished teacher's education." For all
practical purposes the education department intends to ban home
education (though a few very restricted exceptions are allowed, only
by the grace of a bureaucratic choice). No recognition is taken of
inherent prerogatives of parents, or of separate spheres of authority
for Family and State. This provision would make all the children wards
of the State and parents as mere breeders and feeders (at their own
expense) for the State's raw materials. Naturally, some of us are
resisting this.

The problem is intensified in that the restrictions of the new law go
into effect in mid-August of this year, and thus far all of our
considerable efforts to reason, work out acceptable solutions, and
protest, have fallen on totally deaf ears. We are compelled now to
intensify our position. One way you can help, if you will be so
obliging, is to verbalize support for the concept of alternative
education opportunities, and to help dispel the ignorance surrounding
the concept of home education.

It would be helpful if you could do any of the following:

Write a letter (physical, not electronic) saying you are aware of the
conflict regarding home education in the Canton of Zürich, that you
will be following its progress, that you will inform your
group/subscribers/members of the situation, that you have always
understood Switzerland to be a land of freedom and self-responsible
people and have admired the country for those qualities, and that you
hope to see the situation resolved to protect the natural prerogatives
of parents to educate their children in the demonstrably beneficial
way of home education.

Inform as many people as you can of the situation to do likewise.

Include with your letter any enlightening materials regarding home
education. This might include the following:

(for magazine editors) a sample issue

(for group leaders) a summary of your group's purpose and
accomplishments (especially in legal struggles)

(For teaching materials suppliers) a copy of your catalogue

(For researchers) a pertinent research paper.

For the most beneficial effect, we would ask you to observe the
following :

Keep your letter short

Maintain a positive tone with no threats of punitive action

Try not to introduce religious principals, as we might then be labeled
as sectarians and become further restricted.

Mostly emphasize that you are aware of and are watching the situation
(the Swiss are very conscious of their image)

Send the letter and materials as soon as possible, because this is all
coming to a head now and will be decided (to the point of legal
action, exile, or civil disobedience for some families) in the next
couple of weeks.

Perhaps you could also mention that parent-led education is not a
recent American phenomenon (a negative perception here), but rather a
human universal throughout history and throughout the world.

The letters may be written in English, German or French.

The letters and supporting materials can be mailed to the following
people:

Frau Regierungsrätin Regina Aeppli (She is the head of the education
department for the canton of Zürich and is against home education)

Bildungsdirektion Kanton Zürich
Walchestrasse 21
8090 Zürich
Switzerland

Frau Gabriela Winkler (She is a legislator, who is a supporter of home
education and in need of information)
Birchweg 13
CH-8154 Zürich-Oberglatt
Switzerland

To any who sent supportive letters in our earlier struggles, we very
much thank you, and hope you will stand with us again.

If anyone would like to be reimbursed for posting of packets, please
let us know, but please also send them as soon as possible.

If you do send a letter of support, would you also tell us by e-mail,
so we can be prepared for possible reactions.

The undersigned writing to you are home-educating parents in the
Canton of Zürich. We will be happy to answer any questions. Thank you
for any assistance you can give us.

Yours truly,
Sigmund and Sarah Bachmann

• Post A Comment!

Comments