Source: The Washington Times

We brought attention to the difficult climate for home-schooling in Germany in this column in March 2007. We shared the trials and tribulations of the Busekros family, whose 15-year-old daughter was forcibly removed from their home because she was being home-schooled. Melissa was placed in the psychiatric wing of a Bavarian clinic and was deemed to be suffering from "school-phobia."

There is good news to report on behalf of the Busekros family. When she turned 16, Melissa walked away from the clinic and returned home. Bavarian officials did not consent to her leaving, but because she had reached the age where she could not be compelled to attend school daily, they could not force her to stay.

The bad news is that the situation for home-schooling families has not improved in Germany and may be even worse. One of our Home School Legal Defense Association staff attorneys just returned from a two-week assessment of the home-schooling climate in Germany.

Sadly, home-school families continue to be aggressively pursued by school authorities and youth welfare officials. In addition, home-schoolers in Germany have more cause to be concerned than in the past because of action by the federal parliament that has made it easier to take children from home-schooling parents. Under the old law, government officials had to show that the child was in danger because of abuse by the parents. All that is required under the new law is that the child’s welfare is in danger, a vague requirement that is undefined by the current law. Although the law has not been signed by the federal president, he is expected to do so at any time.