Most of the information I have posted on Germany has focused on the persecution felt by homeschoolers in Germany. In the wake of a few high profile cases, however, there is evidence that public attitude is beginning to shift. There have been a number of positive articles on homeschooling in German newspapers which have looked at the problems in German public education and noted that a number of other nations in the European Union allow homeschooling with positive results.

One example of this is presented in this political cartoon by Goetz Wiedenroth of Flensburg, Schleswig-Holstein. (The copyright information is very specific about not allowing this to be published on a blog. Open it in a separate window and I’ll explain what it says.)

Upper left: a small sign that says “School.” Inside appears to be a war zone. There is even a war ship in the background. The various weapons denote forms of physical violence reported in German schools (from top to bottom): Compulsion, robbery, bodily injury, extortion.

The sign over the door reads: For Life We Learn.

A woman stands with a child who is obviously fearful and asks, “Can’t I just homeschool him?” The angry looking man in black is a judge.

The caption reads: Compulsory school attendance! He goes in or you go in the slammer!

Interestingly, this cartoon described as being on the topic of “Himmelfahrtskommando Schulpflicht.” The second word means “compulsory school attendance.” The former is a military term meaning something like “one way ticket” or “suicide squad.” It is a compulsory mission with little hope of success.

Goetz Wiedenroth has a number of political cartoons which question the relationship between an ever-present state and its private citizens. This cannot be seen as necessarily indicative of the German national sentiment, but it does show that there are other voices outside the homeschooling movement in Germany who are asking the same questions about the educational establishment in Germany. It also focuses directly on issues of concern to most Germans. While the state is concerned with “parallel societies,” the average German is concerned about increasing school violence.

And watching the case of the Neubronner family proceed before the nation seems to strike a nerve. This family does not represent the “religious zealots” that Germany fears. They represent a family much like your average, educated family who is trying to do what is best for their children. Do they deserve imprisonment? It is a “catch 22.”

It is also a perfect opportunity for the German public to see another side to German homeschooling.

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If you would like to participate in a positive action, intended to help keep the Neubronner’s story in the news, please see this post: Postcard action for German homeschoolers.

(Original, unmodified photo from FreeFoto.com

[tags]Germany, homeschooling, Schulpflicht[/tags]