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This is not the same family, the Dudek's from Archfeldt, this blog opened with but this is a landmark case for us as a nation, recognizing that Germany is violating basic human rights, to the point we are willing to grant homeschoolers shelter.
Please keep praying for the Dudek's.
http://www.hslda.org/hs/international/Germany/201001260.asp
I am praying for these people daily it seems, God keeps putting them on my heart. Interestingly, friends of ours have a homeschooled son who lives in Germany with his wife. When our friends were visiting the newlyweds in Germany, these parents were being arrested a few streets over.
I am so glad Mike Donnolly's on this case. He's an excellent attorney.
many blessings, Karen
November 25, 2009
Judge Fines Homeschoolers, No Jail Sentence
Jurgen and Rosemarie Dudek of Archfeld, Germany, were found guilty under the German State of Hessen’s criminal law that requires that all children go to school. Even as Judge Drier recognized that the family was doing a fine job in educating their children, he still imposed a fine of 120 euros on them.
“We recognize in our German basic law about philosophical and religious conviction and that parents have rights, but the basic law also includes that it is the state’s role to educate all children,” said Drier.
In 2008 the couple had been sentenced to 90 days in jail each. Their trial was completed today after being continued from last week.
As the family left the courtroom they were swarmed by German reporters and media, who have been following this case very closely. Mr. Dudek told the reporters that they had a duty to keep covering this issue for the sake of the country and for what is right.
“It is time for Germany to look beyond the rim of their bowl—to look beyond its borders to see how other countries handle this issue of homeschooling,” said Mr. Dudek.
He chastised the media for not having done more to bring attention to this issue, and that the result has been a heavy burden for his family.
“This whole situation with us as a family wouldn’t have come so far, with all this burden and pressure and sentences, if you had taken up this issue before and looked at this before,” Mr. Dudek said. “Now it is up to you to keep up the interest and reporting on this issue. Germany’s treatment of parents like us is wrong, and it is up to you to help people see this.”
Mr. Dudek felt that their family had received a fair trial, but surmised the judge did not feel like he could do any less than find them guilty and impose a fine.
“God has heard our prayers and our requests for justice,” he said. “The difference between this trial and the last is night and day. We feel that we had a fair trial, and that the judge was very careful to be fair. We disagree with the result, and we are thinking about appealing.”
The pressure on the family has been high, Mr Dudek said, but he is grateful for the international support he has received.
“There has been some much pressure on our family through this with all of the attention and the threat of jail,” he explained. “We know that what we are doing is right, and it is frustrating to have this same result that all homeschoolers in Germany get. The support of HSLDA and homeschoolers in America and other countries has really helped to carry us through.”
Michael Donnelly, staff attorney for HSLDA, who has been working in support of German homeschoolers and in close contact with the family, was relieved that they were not sent to jail. However, the family is still subject to future prosecution and potentially higher fines if they continue to homeschool.
“No family should go to jail or be fined for homeschooling,” Donnelly said. “German public policy makers need to make changes to their laws to stop this kind of persecution of homeschoolers.”
Donnelly was encouraged by the media’s response to the case.
“The ray of sunshine here is the response by the German media. Never before has a homeschooling case captured this much positive attention in the German media. To me, this means that things are changing. As the media reports on this there is a chance of public opinion and laws. But it will take time.”
Donnelly asked that homeschoolers continue their support of these brave families.
“We need to keep supporting these families who are fighting for a basic right that many of us take for granted. Juergen Dudek is a hero to me. His simple faith and trust in God’s providence and his courage to stand for what he knows is right inspires me. But like all of us, he needs encouragement. I hope we will all continue to keep him and his family in our prayers and continue to send notes of encouragement and support.”
You can send letters of support and encouragement to the family at:
Family Dudek
Friederichestr No. 6
37293 Archfeld, Germany
Unfortunately our current national governmental party in charge is not supporting homeschooling so we are in a battle to retain this freedom we have enjoyed for quite a few years now. I have been homeschooling for fifteen years.
However, many homeschoolers "Down Under" suspect that State and Federal governments are aiming to have greater influence and control over the subject content and teaching methods that are used by parents in the home. The government would prefer homeschoolers to fall in line with the standards and practices of the State for various reasons - makes assessment and accountability easier to manage and helps them to slot people more efficiently into the economic needs of the state.
The situation of the homeschoolers in Germany is one that, I think, many concerned parents may like to be aware of - to give their support to the family and to assess and monitor their own legal rights.
Education is of crucial importance to every individual (of course!) Personally, I believe that parents should be allowed to oversee and guide the education of their own children and that the State should not charge them as criminals if they choose to opt out of the State system which does not serve them adequately, although it may be fine for others in the community.
Public schooling is a trend of modern times. Historically, it has not been a department of the governments of "free" nations.
I'll stop writing now before I make this a comment that will need to be deleted. :-)
And, Karen, I'll go and have a look at the "Calling All Parents" blog!
I posted this for homeschoolers and really for all parents.
It is interesting the prosecutor is using law from Hitler's era, particularly since all the other laws Hitler implemented have been abandoned. His methodology tried to separate children from their parents legally so that he could influence their thinking and build his dream army of Hitler youth.
Today homeschooling is under attack in countries that embrace the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. An insidious international treaty that threatens healthy family relationships. This is in relation to that. Interesting that Hitler was anti-homeschooling as well.
I have another blog called "Calling All Parents". This relates to that blog as well. :)
But now, it's the teacher's union that is pulling some weight with the UNCRC issues and trying to stop this kind of thing from happening. If the State takes over, they will lose their jobs to State workers/teachers.
I have met many teachers since who are in it for the families, which is so encouraging.
Wordessori sounds good. Homeschoolers do co-ops which are nice and easy.
Here in CA they just passed Harvey Milk Gay Day. It would be great to see a "franchise" of good Word based schools start up, sort of like a "Word-essori".