Is it the parents or the government? Is this still America?

Quote:The U.S. Department of Justice has revealed in a court filing it agrees with the philosophy of the German government that bureaucrats can punish homeschooling parents.

And the agency explained parental rights to keep their children free from instruction that violates their faith essentially are negligible when the government’s goal is an “open society.”

The arguments were made in a pleading before the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals that encourages the judges to send a German homeschooling family, the Romeikes, back to Germany where members likely would face persecution.

This sounds a bit ominous, as in our DOJ seems to agree with the Germans that parents don't have a right to direct their children's education. Does slippery slope sound familiar? I wish more media would cover this story because it has real implications on everybody.

Quote:The DOJ also brought in international court rulings, noting that, “The European Court of Human Rights has held that parents could not refuse the right to education of a child on the basis of the parents’ convictions, because the child has an independent right to education.”

Such rulings in Europe have been used to confirm that it is the state that makes decisions about education for children, not parents.

“According to the court, this latter right, by its nature, calls for regulation by the state, which enjoys a degree of flexibility in setting up and interpreting rules governing its education system,” the DOJ wrote.

The DOJ continued, “The court upheld the German law, noting – importantly for purposes of this petition – that compulsory attendance does not deprive parents of their right to exercise, with respect to their children, ‘natural parental functions as educators or to guide their children on a path in line with the parents’ own religious or philosophical convictions.’

“The parents are free to attend to their children’s religious training and to offer the children opposing viewpoints from those taught in school, should they feel it necessary to do so,” the DOJ wrote.

The Home School Legal Defense Association is representing the family.

Quote:“Silencing the ‘intolerant’ to promote tolerance is not only illogical; it is antithetical to any theory of freedom of conscience,” the organization argued earlier.

A panel of the court had rejected the family’s asylum request, the HSLDA asked for rehearing, and the court ordered the DOJ to respond.

“Attorney General [Eric] Holder is trying to seek dismissal of this case because he believes that targeting specific groups in the name of tolerance is within the normal legitimate functions of government,” said Michael Farris, HSLDA founder. “This cannot be the ultimate position of the United States without denying the essence of our commitment to liberty.

“We’re trying to provide a home for this family who would otherwise go back to facing fines, jail time, and forcible removal of their children because of their religious convictions about how their children should be educated. Why Attorney General Holder thinks that it is appropriate for any country to do this to a family simply for homeschooling is beyond me.”

Farris had warned that the court’s position has far-reaching consequences.

DOJ: Governments can punish home schoolers

Yep, the goal is cradle to grave. According to Chief Justice Roberts all they have to do is impose a massive fee on anyone who does not use the government education system.

I guess it depends but I hear there are a number of Catholic priests that teach sex ed is pretty extensive.

One nation, one goal, one education,
one exalted leader, one more time....
give us a break!

(07-03-2013 01:16 PM)RobertN Wrote:  I guess it depends but I hear there are a number of Catholic priests that teach sex ed is pretty extensive.

Nah, they can stay in public schools for that. :)

When I was in high school, our history/government teacher was the chairman of the Democrat Party in our city. We obviously received a leftist view of history and politics.

The entire education system is infested with libs. I always de-programmed my kids when they had a left-leaning teacher.

Way too many Libs in education.

(07-03-2013 01:16 PM)RobertN Wrote:  I guess it depends but I hear there are a number of Catholic priests that teach sex ed is pretty extensive.

Shut up retard. Your hobgoblins are showing.