German family faces deportation over homeschooling choice ...

PAEONIAN SPRINGS, VA - Three years ago, a German family sought asylum in America, claiming they were being denied religious freedoms in their home country because they taught their children at home. The Obama Administration decided the Romeikes should return to Germany and face possible fines, prison time and loss of their children's custody. Their case will soon be heard in the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. Wednesday, the Washington Times wrote an editorial in support of the family:

[...] These [above] factors moved U.S. Immigration Judge?Lawrence O. Burman?three years ago to let them stay. ?It does appear that there is animus and vitriol involved here, that the government of?Germany?really resents the home-schoolers, not just because they are not sending the children to school, but because they constitute a group that the government, for some unknown reason, wishes to suppress,? Judge?Burman?wrote.The 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals will hear the case on April 23.?Michael Farris, founder of the Home School Legal Defense Association, represents the Romeikes. ?The?Obama administration?is basically saying there is no right to home-school anywhere,? he told the Fox News Channel.

The Romeike Family

?They are trying to send a family back to?Germany, where they would certainly lose custody of their children.?Mr. Farris? group has opened a petition on the White House website insisting that the?Obama administration?grant permanent legal status to the Romeikes. The petition has garnered nearly 30,000 signatures to date, and it has just over two weeks left to obtain 70,000 additional names to earn an official response from the?administration. This is the chance for home-schoolers to make themselves heard.

The Washington Times says it's a good thing home-schoolers are making themselves heard, because the Obama Administration says home-schoolers have little political power because they're not interactive in the culture enough.?

The Justice Department argues home-schoolers ?lack the social visibility required to constitute a particular social group.? That sounds like code for ?they?re not a voting bloc Democrats care about.? The appellate judges should recognize the real threats against the Romeikes and grant them permanent legal status.

Illinois is home to some of the nation's most liberty-minded home-schooling laws, but those laws are jeopardized as government schools gain more authority over "all children" in their any particular school district jurisdiction.

More on the Romeikes' situation HERE.?HSLDA's petition in support of the Romeike family is HERE.

Source: http://illinoisreview.typepad.com/illinoisreview/2013/04/german-family-faces-deportation-over-homeschooling-choice.html

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