>From one point of view, I'm not too unhappy about the emigration of the family involved to the US; cynically one might observe that the event serves to raise the rationality quotient of both countries :-).
As Orn points out, the issue is complex; going beyond the choice of a school form. One aspect is that home-schooling would seem to have the predicate (in most cases at any rate) that a classical "traditional" family model is in place - two parents, one electing to stay at home to supervise and, to a large extent, carry out the chidrens' education. This automatically factors in socio-economic issues, home- schooling becoming an option that many families simply cannot afford - even should they want it - as both parents are forced to work in order to keep the economic unit called family on an even keel. For single- parent families, the very idea seems to be completely economically impossible. It would also presume that the parents themselves have achieved the necessary educational competences to enable them to carry out the task. Then, of course, there's the question of roles, particularly relevant for women. One of the reasons given for demographic stagnation in European countries (particularly among the indigenous - as opposed to the immigrant - populations) is the increasing unwillingness of women (for whatever reasons) to "sacrifice" career for family. In this context it is interesting to note that the success of one major country, France, in bucking this trend, is generally credited to the large resources invested by the French state in offering adequate, affordable, professional pre-school childcare for young families. In Germany, at the moment, a general political consensus on the desirability of increasing pre-school facilities is being bucked by the conservative (largely Catholic) majority party in Bavaria, which wants to pay a cash premium to stay-at-home mothers of small children. Most experts agree that such a premium would prove most attractive to the socio-economically weakest members of society, whose children are most in need of the social competences (including, for many immigrant children, basic linguistic competence) which are learned in kindergartens. But our societies are still strongly influenced by various "holy family" myths, which have little to do with reality. Francis On 1 Feb., 23:16, gabbydott <[email protected]> wrote: > If not even a religious school in southern Germany is Christian enough > for them, I think the birth land of fundamental rights is the right > land to live out their fears. If they were only dissatisfied with the > schools they knew, they could have found other compatriots to open up > a new school, like other parents do. But there you go, the right to be > fear-ridden is a basic human right and it is protected. > > On 1 Feb., 18:52, frantheman <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > > A German family has been given political asylum in the US because of > > their refusal to send their children to school in Germany and the > > subsequent, according to the US judge granting the application, "well > > founded fear of persecution." > > > http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/0,1518,674492,00.html > > > Germany does not allow home schooling. The article in "der Spiegel" > > explains: "Mandatory school attendance is based on "the idea that > > group learning in school also helps develop social skills," says > > Martina Elschenbroich, an expert on education law with the Culture > > Minister Conference, an assembly that brings together education > > ministers from Germany's 16 states. Children learn how to interact > > with people who hold different views, which serves as the basis of a > > democratic society, says Elschenbroich." The German position has been > > upheld by the European Court of Human Rights in 2006. > > > I am aware that the radical libertarian tradition in the US (and the > > impossibility of mandatory school attendance for many chidren in the > > legendary frontier days of the 19th. Century) gives home-schooling a > > certain cachet. On the other hand, it seems to me that it harbours > > great dangers in giving all kinds of - sorry to be so blunt - nuts the > > chance to indocrinate their children with rubbish. > > > Any thoughts? > > > Francis -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups ""Minds Eye"" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected]. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/minds-eye?hl=en.
