Mike Donnelly, an attorney with the Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA) reports home schoolers in Germany are persecuted for their efforts. Many German families home school in secret. If discovered, parents can be fined thousands of dollars, lose their personal property, face jail time, or even have their children taken from them.
In Switzerland, several cantons are following Germany’s example of severely restricting home schooling.
Read the alarming OneNewsNow account here.
Meanwhile, LifeSiteNews reports that a Brazilian family has been convicted by a second civil court in Brazil for home schooling their children, despite passing government-imposed tests that teachers admitted they could not pass themselves.
The three judge panel in the court of second instance refused even to examine the test results, which give a passing grade to both of their sons for a series of highly rigorous tests on a variety of subjects, including mathematics, geography, science, history, Portuguese, English, arts, and physical education.
“We cannot even allow the examination here of the quality of education that is being given at home, because home schooling never can be substituted for regular instruction,” said a member of the panel. The tests were ordered by a criminal judge who is trying the same case in his own court.
Americans should remain vigilant as these intrusions on parental rights are backed by courts in other nations.
January 6, 2009 at 7:40 pm
It’s not only in Europe and South America where these intrusions are taking place. Much closer to home is CALIFORNIA where home schooling parents are under serious assault.
I urge you to read this sobering TIME Magazine article on the subject called, “Criminalizing Home Schoolers.”
http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1720697,00.html
January 6, 2009 at 7:44 pm
Well, when your education philosophy is loco parentis, then you reap this harvest.
January 6, 2009 at 9:10 pm
I had no idea home schooling was under attack in so many places. What better function can a parent provide than that of primary educator? It’s not for everyone but why rule out the possiblity?
January 6, 2009 at 10:22 pm
Loco parentis, ron? My sister-in-law, who has an advanced degree, has home schooled all three of their children. My oldest niece won a scholarship to ASU. Has it ever occurred to you that you spell your name with a lower case “R” as a result of attending government schools? And, no doubt that’s where you were imbued with your leftist leanings.
January 7, 2009 at 4:01 pm
Anna, I’m not positive about ron’s intent but I think you’ve got ron wrong here. “(In) loco parentis” is a legal Latin phrase for “in the place of the parents.” Those opposed to home schooling wish to elevate their school systems to such a level.
I suspect “ron” spells his name as he does to differentiate himself from “Ron” who also contributes regularly to this site.
Incidentally, ASU *IS* a leftist government school, and a criminally unprofessional one at that (and there is some reportage to back that up). Not that I want to detract from your eldest niece’s accomplishment, but it seems inconsistent to attack ron for attending such schools while citing your niece’s scholarship to the same type of institution.