"Who shall teach?": a global concern: parents' natural urge to direct the education of their children--and government's urge to nullify that direction--is universal.

Although government-controlled education is the norm in the United States, Europe, Japan, and elsewhere, parents usually want to direct their children's education at least to some extent, and are not willing to completely entrust it to government. This desire is natural, of course, since parents have both a right and a responsibility to educate their children, whether through home schooling or schools they control and support.

As John Locke explained: "God [has] made the parents instruments in His great design of continuing the race of mankind and the occasions of life to their children" and has "laid on them an obligation to nourish, preserve, and bring up their offspring...." And as Pope John Paul II said, "Those in society who are in charge of schools must never forget that the parents have been appointed by God himself as the first and principal educators of their children and that their right is completely inalienable."

In places such as Romania and Germany, where state control is extremely strong, exercising that right and responsibility can require some courage. As long as governments in Europe and around the globe consider themselves the source of all power--and promulgate that power by controlling the education of young citizens--parents can never truly direct their children's education. Yet even in these countries, small but significant numbers of parents are now home-schooling, despite the sacrifices and the risk of a government backlash.

Home Schooling Around the World

In Germany, home schooling is illegal, and authorities have no compunctions about punishing families who choose to home-school. In 2004, seven home schooling fathers in Germany were imprisoned for refusing to send their children to government schools. Despite spending between one and two weeks in a lock-up facility in Augsborg, Bavaria, the fathers are still committed to home-schooling their children. "The prison sentence wasn't easy," said one father, "but it did nothing to change our convictions.... How far have we fallen, if any kind of perverse way of life is being applauded, but a sincere education according to the Bible is being punished?"

In addition to being imprisoned, the families have also been fined heavily by the German authorities. On January 7, 2005, the Paderborn County (Germany) school district ordered police to forcibly take the children to school. Any resistance by the parents would result in the removal of these 13 elementary-age children from their homes and into state custody. Heinz Kohler, the county education director, stated that "you and your children are not living in isolation ... but rather in an environment posing intra- and extracurricular situations where you'll have to accept that your world view will be curtailed."

The Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA) estimates there are about 400 home-schooling families in Germany.

In Japan, home schooling is technically legal, but according to Yuji Shimohashi, an official at Japan's Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology Ministry, families can be fined for violating their obligation to provide their children with education. In addition, Japanese home-schooled children cannot receive school diplomas because only educational institutions authorized under the School Education Law can issue diplomas. The lack of a diploma can be a serious obstacle to pursuing higher education in Japan. While the Japanese government distrusts home schooling, the business community has embraced it and is largely responsible for fostering the movement. The Home School Support Association of Japan estimates that there are between 2,000 to 3,000 children being home-schooled in Japan.

In the Czech Republic, the government threw a bone to home-schoolers in 1999 by enacting an experimental (five-year) allowance for home-schooling children between the ages of 5 and 12. Then in June 2004, a new education bill made its way through the Czech Parliament. As originally written, the bill would have allowed home schooling only for families who could "prove a serious need, especially needs related to health," essentially eliminating home schooling in the Czech Republic.

Thanks to a concerted effort on the part of the U.S. HSLDA and home-school supporters around the world, who stormed the Czech Parliament with e-mails, calls, and letters, the bill was amended to leave out the "especially needs related to health" phrase. While this small victory is laudable, it also serves as a warning. As long as government has complete control over a populace and over education, parents' ability to exercise their right to educate their children as they see fit is tenuous at best. The HSLDA estimates that 500 Czech families home-school.

In Romania, home schooling is illegal for any child over the age of seven. Bruce Purdy, a pastor from Lancaster, Ohio, attended a home-school conference in Romania to encourage and support home-schooling families living in this still very totalitarian country. After returning from Hungary and Romania, Purdy said, "What beautiful countries these people have. Yet in the midst of the beauty lies a desperate need: a need for the Gospel and for the truth of God's Word." The outlook for home-schoolers is pretty bleak in Romania, as is the outlook for spreading God's word--only churches recognized by the state (meaning the state has approved their bylaws) are allowed to worship freely. According to Purdy, any other churches are not allowed to build public buildings and cannot be in the "public eye." "They must either worship in private homes or privately owned office space," said Purdy.

In Poland, the Polish constitution (1997) allows parents to choose home education for their children. However, the 1991 Educational System Act contradicts the Polish constitution. In an e-mail interview, Polish journalist Natalia Dueholm stated, "Government authorities and school principals have the discretion to make any demand they want on parents before granting them the right to homeschool.... Principals' decisions are absolute and unchallengeable." In addition, home-schooled students must pass non-standardized exams at least once a year; these exams are not required for government-schooled students. Dueholm, who regularly covers home-school issues in Poland, recognizes the need for less government control in Polish education. But she knows these changes won't occur overnight. "As we say in Poland, 'Co nagle, to po diable,' which means in proper English 'haste makes waste' but literally 'if you do something too quickly, devil is happy.'" She continued, "Poland needs educational freedom as well as economic freedom, ... not only Polish people need it, but also Europeans as a whole.... I really don't think it is good to keep [a] government-run monopoly in education." She said proudly that the "people in Poland are known as freedom fighters.... I know we will have more educational freedom and more home-schooling people in the future." Currently, only 20 families in Poland are attempting to home-school (which represents about 60 children, according to Dueholm).

Rough Road Ahead

Despite hardships, persecution, ostracism, and even imprisonment, many courageous parents are willing to sacrifice much to ensure their children receive a good, moral education. In particular, parents who choose to home-school in these countries find themselves in direct competition with government bureaucrats and social planners--socialistic regimes fear the nation of God-fearing, well-educated, articulate, and resolute citizens that would result if parents are allowed to exercise their right to pass along their values to their children and control what they are taught.