February 9, 2007 04:44 PM

Hotline: Home School Persecution in Germany

Home schooling families in Germany face an almost impossible situation, because while it is not illegal, the fact is it is not allowed. Authorities often use extreme measures to ensure that children attend the public schools, including jail time and fines for parents who wish to teach their own children.

On the Crosstalk program on February 9, Chris Klicka, Senior Counsel with the Home School Legal Defense Association, detailed the following account of home school persecution in Germany:

Melissa Busekros is German girl who at age 15 was attending public school. She was doing well in most of her studies but having some trouble with two classes so her parents decided to home tutor her. The school didn't like the arrangement so they expelled Melissa. Her parents then made the decision to home school her on a full time basis.

At one point, Police officials and social workers took her forcibly away from her parents and transported her to a psychiatric ward where she was interrogated for four hours. She was then allowed to return home for a couple of days.

Then on February 1, , 15 police officers took custody of Melissa and checked her into the psychiatric ward again where she is being treated for "school phobia."