Is it a parent's right to educate their children as they choose without government restrictions?

Question

In Germany it is forbidden to "homeschool". Is this against basic human and parental rights?

Answer 1

It is legal in america..and it should be the parents rights everywhere..

Answer 2

Even though our freedoms have been sharply curtailed in the post-feminist era, we still have some freedoms here in the US beyond what other countries have. And, most states now allow homeschooling.

This was not always the case. Not too many years ago, Iowa only allowed certain religious groups to home school, and parents who insisted were jailed and their kids taken away from them. Now, in Iowa, home schooled kids average much higher on mandatory annual standardized tests than public school kids do.

Home schooled kids are also allegedly scoring much higher on college admission tests such as SAT.

I am convinced that parents who want the best education money can buy will home school.

I agree with the person who encouraged you to immigrate to the US if you can do it legally.

There are many companies which produce excellent study materials, which include teacher's guides for parents. The variety is very wide, much wider than public schools provide.

If you want an interesting thing to investigate, find out who was the first US president to NOT be homeschooled. I really don't know, and the earliest presidents were from extremely rich families.

Answer 3

I would say that it *is* against basic human and parental rights if a government forbids parents to raise their own children which is what forbidding homeschooling is, imho.

I'm undecided about government restrictions. On the one hand, I think, "Why should they have a right to say how I should be teaching my kids?" On the other hand, I think about people who are truly neglectful and wonder if certain restrictions might not be a bad idea. After all, it's the government that ends up paying for people on welfare and things like that.

Answer 4

In Canada it is every parent's right to choose to homeschool in most circumstances. If an agency has a concern (Children's aid for example) that it is being done as a means to not have to send kids to school, the government has the right to investigate, but otherwise homeschooling assiciations have become a powerful lobbying group the governemnt doesn't want to mess with

Answer 5

I'm not going to comment on what's going on in Germany, but I will say this:
Thank GOD for the USA!!!! :)
You know, I've read another comment from you, and I feel my answer was a bit, well, calloused.
I apologize for that. I really thought you were someone that was just pulling an example out of thin air.
And that's what I get for assuming.
Again, I apologize.
Oh, and to answer your question. I firmly believe it is not the governments responsibility to tell people how to educate their children. Now, you can get in to all types of arguments about guidelines, standards, accountability, so on and so forth, but I guess if you live in Germany, you probably have a real taste of what it can be like when those checks and balances get out of control.

Answer 6

I've heard that Hitler made homeschooling illegal, but haven't investigated. Of course it is against basic human rights to say the government shall decide and parents can't.

There is a tension, however, in the rights between the parent and child. Interestingly, in America, those who most strongly support the independent rights of a fetus most strongly oppose independent rights of children, but that's just delicious irony. Those folks aside, obviously, a parent who feels locking a child in an iron maiden is necessary for proper education can be allowed complete impunity to act as they wish. This is at the extreme, and society must hash out the line where rightful parenting rights end and the violation of the child's rights begin.

For me, hitting a child is a violation of their human rights and no parent should be allowed to do it. For me, use of formula instead of mommy's milk is a grave violation of a mammalian infant's rights. For me, the use of day care for infants and toddlers is a huge violation of their human rights.

Lots of abuse is tolerated by all sides. But for me (again!) it would be positively unacceptable for the government to say our style of homeschooling - unschooling, not school at all - is not permitted. They have no right to decide how my child can be educated - tho at the same time, the govt is, by design, instituted to ensure that not even parents can violate a person's rights.

Fur Menschliches: Hallo,

Hier in USA, unsere Schule sagen dass Christopher Columbus einer guter Mann war. Unsere Schule sagen nicht wie Das Native Amerikanischer getot haben.

Ich glaube, dass man viele scheisse in der Schule, nicht nur has Heim, gelerned kann.
Ich hoffe, dass du diese verstehen kannst.

Answer 7

It is legal is the US, but in most states a parent must use a state approved curriculum. If they choose to desing their own, and even in some states as a matter of choice, you may have to submit a portfolio of the childs work for assesment at regular intervals. I strongly feel that all families should have the option to home school and was unaware it was illegal in Germany. Interesting since many military families choose homeschooling when stationed overseas.

Answer 8

Yes, of course it is the parent's right to choose the school. The government should not tell us how to educate the children. As long as they're well-educated, who should care if its homeschool, private school or public school?

Answer 9

In Ontario Canada one has the right to take their student out of class provided they are providing an appropriate eduction.

The parents are LEGALLY OBLIGATED to provide an appropriate education... what is appropriate is determined by some authority.

It is in the Education Act of Ontario if you care to peruse it.

however, Its absurd to call this a human right. The word 'right' is thrown around way to much these days.

If you want to homeschool then pressure the government to allow it.

Answer 10

I think that since parents have to take care of they're kids when there baby's(mothers have to give birth!),buy all toys,furniture,and clothes,put food on the table(while having to deal with lots of 'Ewww's,change diapers,discipline they're kids,drive them to Friends houses,pay for they're kids college,sleep deprivation,And on top of all that,they have to babysit they're grand kids,I think that they have a right to choose how they're kid is taught how to read,write,and do math,since they have to do everything else,WITHOUT the government lending any help at all,the government shouldn't have ANY say in how kids are taught.Hope that helps.

Answer 11

i am from germany, but i dont think i would think otherwise when i lived in the us. i am convinced that parent's might teach their children a lot of s.h.i.t. if they were alowed to by the government. no one could countroll it. the parents could teach the children, that hitler was great. and no normal human beeing wants a child to think that hitler was great. he was the worst man in history. so there are governement restrictions! do you really think that's bad??