From the ‘Washington Times’

While the freedom to home-school in America continues to expand, the opposite is true in Europe. Since 1982, 38 U.S. states have adopted home-school statutes or regulations that have removed restrictions on home-schoolers. This year, two more states, North Dakota and Idaho, made significant progress in recognizing the value of home-schooling.

North Dakota, which was one of the most regulated states, just amended its home-school law to make it possible for more parents to home-school freely. No longer will a home-schooling parent have to hold a baccalaureate degree, be a certified teacher or be monitored by a certified teacher if they have only a high school diploma in order to home-school. All home-schooling parents in North Dakota can provide the individualized education that best fits their children.

Idaho, which has been a home-school-friendly state, got even better. A recently passed law allows parents to use people outside the immediate family to support their home-school program, and gives more flexibility to home-schoolers regarding their teaching schedule.

While home-schooling freedom and flexibility continues to improve in the U.S., it appears to be going in the opposite direction in Europe. Germany leads the way as the most oppressive European state, because it routinely fines and threatens to imprison home-schoolers.

While other European countries have not embraced the German methods, there is a move in some countries to crack down on home-schoolers. For example, in Sweden, the government released a suggestion on June 15 that all schools, including home-schools, must provide an education that is acceptable to all pupils regardless of religious or philosophical beliefs, or the beliefs of the parents. The study concludes that there is no need for the new law to recognize the possibility of home-schooling because of religious or philosophical reasons in the family. We are confident the authors are aware that this effectively would end home-schooling in Sweden as most families are home-schooling for religious or philosophical reasons.

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