German Homeschool Family Vows to Stay and Fight
Posted in Homespun Blog on Monday, September 8, 2014
One year after Dirk and Petra Wunderlich watched German officials seize their children, the family has vowed to stay in Germany and fight for the freedom to homeschool.
According to the Christian News Network, the couple regained legal custody of their kids in an appeals court decision last week, a right they lost last August when German officials snatched the four children for failing to send them to public school. Last September authorities returned physical custody to the parents but maintained legal custody.
Now, in a small victory, the appeals court ruled that it was wrong for a family court judge in the case to keep legal custody away from the parents; however, the court also maintained that the Wunderlichs were wrong for homeschooling, stating that home education endangers children.
After abandoning their original plan to flee to France, where homeschooling is legal, the Wunderlichs will now risk fines and incarceration by continuing to homeschool in Germany with the support of HSLDA, which has faithfully advocated for the family’s rights.
If you were the Wunderlichs, what would you do next?
Comments(1 comment)
Diana Hammermeister 09/23/2014 16:36:42
wow! What a tough decision! They could be pioneers that get the homeschool ball rolling and legal in Germany, paving the way for others. At the same time...................risking having your kids being taken away, or being forced to do something you do not believe in, is a consequence that may not be worth living with! This is truelly a decision that would take a lot of prayer and discussion to arrive at a right answer! I will certainly be praying for them!