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Old 02-01-2010, 22:37   #1
Richard
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How German Homeschoolers Won Asylum in the US

And so it goes...

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How German Homeschoolers Won Asylum in the U.S.
Tristana Moore, Time, 1 Feb 2010

Uwe and Hannelore Romeike are not like other asylum seekers, people fleeing war or torture in places like Afghanistan, Iraq or Somalia. They're music teachers from a village in southern Germany. And yet, in what appears to be the first case of its kind, the couple and their five children were granted asylum in the U.S. last week by an immigration judge who ruled that they had a "well-founded fear of persecution" in their home country for engaging in what has become a popular albeit somewhat controversial American practice — homeschooling their children.

The Romeikes, who are Evangelical Christians, took their three eldest children out of school in the town of Bissingen in 2006 because they were concerned about the impact the government-approved curriculum and the public-school environment would have on their social development. "Over the past 10 to 20 years, the curriculum in public schools in Germany has been more and more against Christian values, and my eldest children were having problems with violence, bullying and peer pressure. It's important for parents to have the freedom to choose the way their children can be taught," Uwe Romeike said in a statement provided by the couple's attorney, Michael Donnelly of the Virginia-based Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA).

But here's the problem: in Germany it's compulsory for children to attend school, and the Romeikes soon found themselves on the wrong side of the law. Local authorities slapped the couple with a $10,000 fine, and police even took their children to school when the Romeikes refused to send them. Fearing that they could lose custody of their kids or even be put in jail, the Romeikes fled to the U.S. in 2008, looking for a community where they could educate their kids as they saw fit.

That's exactly what they found in Morristown, Tenn., a town of about 27,000 deep in the Bible Belt. Donnelly says the Romeikes flourished in the environment, becoming "very disciplined" teachers tackling subjects like math, history and social science with the help of textbooks and other teaching materials, all in accordance with state law. The couple also joined a local group that organizes activities and field trips for homeschooled children in the area. Once they were settled in their new community, they applied for asylum in the U.S., claiming they'd be persecuted if they were sent back to Germany.

Memphis judge Lawrence Burman's ruling sparked outrage in Germany. Authorities in the state of Baden-Württemberg, where the Romeikes had lived, angrily dismissed suggestions that the couple had been persecuted. "We have compulsory schooling, and this law applies to everyone, including the Romeikes," says Thomas Hilsenbeck, a spokesman for the state Education Ministry. "If parents don't want to send their children to a public school, they can send them to alternative private schools."

While there is a thriving homeschool movement in the U.S. — some 2 million children are now taught at home, or about 4% of the total school-age population, according to HSLDA — it is still a very new concept in Germany. According to the German media, there are only between 500 and 1,000 families in the country who homeschool their children — most in violation of the law. According to the compulsory-education statute introduced by the Prussians in the 18th century, all children must attend school from the ages of 6 to 16. And it's traditionally been viewed as a child's right rather than an obligation. "Compulsory schooling is one of the greatest social achievements of our time," Josef Kraus, head of the German Teachers' Association, tells TIME. "This law protects children."

Kraus strongly disagrees with the asylum ruling, saying it "treated Germany like a banana republic instead of a democratic country with its own laws." He also argues that homeschooling deprives children of important social lessons. "No parental couple can offer a breadth of education and replace experienced teachers. Kids also lose contact with their peers," he says. Advocates of homeschooling, however, argue that children benefit from tailored one-on-one instruction and that they're able to learn at their own pace without distractions in the classroom. The HSLDA goes one step further, saying research suggests that homeschooled children score significantly higher than their peers on standardized achievement tests.

The ruling is sure to ignite passions on both sides of the debate — and may spur other parents around the world to follow the Romeikes' lead. If this happens, the U.S. could see a flood of a new type of refugees —educational asylum seekers.

http://www.time.com/time/world/artic...958059,00.html
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Old 02-01-2010, 23:00   #2
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The reasons that some people are granted political asylum in this country are sometimes suprising. I don't think this particular case warranted it.

I can understand why many people in this country homeschool their children. Some public schools are ok but others aren't. If I had children and had the resources I would probably send them to a private school. We have a few close to where I live but the tuition there is more than the tuition at a State University.

Last edited by mojaveman; 02-02-2010 at 10:18.
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Old 02-02-2010, 01:35   #3
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Good for them. The German Youth Welfare Office ( Jugendamt ) routinely takes away home schooled children from their families, so they were definitely at risk if they returned to Germany. The Jugendamt was created by Adolf Hitler after he banned homeschooling for being subversive to the propagation of National Socialism.
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Old 02-02-2010, 02:39   #4
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well, actually...

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Originally Posted by Plutarch View Post
[...] The Jugendamt was created by Adolf Hitler [...]
Not to be nit-picky, Sir, but you are mistaken. The legislative base for the establishment of this institution was implemented in 1924 and the first Jugendaemter were founded in 1925. The National-Socialist party did not take over until 1939.
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Old 02-02-2010, 04:22   #5
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I do have understanding for this family. I wouldn't send my children to a public school, especially not around the large German cities. One of my fellow officers has his son in a public school on Munich's north side, 8th grade, 30 kids in the class, only 5 German kids...

German authorities told this family that they can send their kids to another school, but what about the parents jobs then ? With an increasing unemployment rate it's not easy to find a new job somewhere else, just because you need to put your kids into another school.

Private school is fine, for those who can afford it. If you don't send your kids to school over here they police will come to your house and take them. Charges will be pressed by the Government because you violated the compulsory schooling law. The Jugendamt will eventually take away custody and put your kids in a protectory.

Sounds like a good reason for asylum to me...
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Old 02-02-2010, 07:12   #6
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The National-Socialist party did not take over until 1939.
Actually - the NSDAP took control of Germany in 1933 - by 1939 they had regained control of Rhineland, Saarland and the Memelland; annexed Austria, the Sudetenland, and Bohemia and Moravia; and taken over half of Poland.

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“Almost any sect, cult, or religion will legislate its creed into law if it acquires the political power to do so.” - Robert Heinlein
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Old 02-02-2010, 07:37   #7
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Originally Posted by Richard View Post
Actually - the NSDAP took control of Germany in 1933 - by 1939 they had regained control of Rhineland, Saarland and the Memelland; annexed Austria, the Sudetenland, and Bohemia and Moravia; and taken over half of Poland.

Richard
Sorry to have caused a misunderstanding, Sir. I admit that the way I phrased my sentence was misleading. What I meant to say was that the NSDAP took over the Jugendaemter in 1939.
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Old 02-02-2010, 08:11   #8
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Jugendämter came into being in 1922 under the Weimar Republic and - IIRC - the NSDAP made it an appointed position within their political structure in 1936 to coordinate the HJ/BDM/Lebensborn programs - 1939 seems way to late in the Nazi time-line for such a maneuver. I'll check my sources and see if I can find the exact date and who headed the Department under the Nazis.

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“Almost any sect, cult, or religion will legislate its creed into law if it acquires the political power to do so.” - Robert Heinlein
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Old 02-02-2010, 09:03   #9
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oops

Sir,

I stand corrected. After rereading and cross checking sources it appears that you are right in that the NSDAP had their hands in the Jugendämter as soon as they seized power in 1932/33.
The institution and its jurisdiction changed often over the years, which is the reason I erroneously posted the date 1939. I will research more thoroughly before posting next time and apologize if my posts led to confusion.

A fairly in depth history seems to be located here for anyone who may be interested: http://www.vaeter-aktuell.de/studien...ugendamtes.htm

Last edited by Geenie; 02-02-2010 at 09:04. Reason: grammar
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Old 02-02-2010, 10:27   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mike-munich View Post
I do have understanding for this family. I wouldn't send my children to a public school, especially not around the large German cities. One of my fellow officers has his son in a public school on Munich's north side, 8th grade, 30 kids in the class, only 5 German kids...

German authorities told this family that they can send their kids to another school, but what about the parents jobs then ? With an increasing unemployment rate it's not easy to find a new job somewhere else, just because you need to put your kids into another school.

Private school is fine, for those who can afford it. If you don't send your kids to school over here they police will come to your house and take them. Charges will be pressed by the Government because you violated the compulsory schooling law. The Jugendamt will eventually take away custody and put your kids in a protectory.

Sounds like a good reason for asylum to me...
I didn't realize that the laws in Germany regarding home schooling were so strict. In my State such rules aren't enforced and a number of my close friends have home schooled their children. There are a few public schools in my city that I wouldn't want my children going anywhere near.
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Old 02-02-2010, 17:23   #11
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All I can say is Welcome. Those kids will probably turn out to be Germany's loss and America's gain.
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