EDITORIAL

Home school

It's "our fundamental right to decide how we want to teach our children," says Uwe Romeike, an evangelical Christian and concert pianist who sold his treasured Steinway to help move his family to the United States -- and who last month became the first immigrant to be granted asylum here over the issue of educational freedom.

The European slave state which the Romeikes escaped? Germany.

A German appeals court in 2007 not only affirmed a lower court's decision that removed a different 15-year-old home schooler from her family, but also ordered her parents to be given psychiatric evaluations.

The Romeikes decided to uproot their family in 2008 after they'd accrued about $10,000 in fines for home schooling their three oldest children and police had turned up at their doorstep to escort the kids to school, "by force if necessary."

Wolfgang Drautz, consul general of the Federal Republic of Germany, explains that government figures it "has a legitimate interest in countering the rise of parallel societies that are based on religion or motivated by different world views and in integrating minorities into the population as a whole."

On Jan. 26, a Memphis immigration judge made the Romeikes the first people granted asylum in here because they were persecuted for home schooling.

At which point -- are you ready? -- in late February, the Obama administration formally appealed the Romeike ruling, expressing concerns that the already heavily backlogged immigration courts would be flooded with asylum petitions from home schoolers in countries "typically regarded as having non-repressive governments, including Spain and the Netherlands," which allow home schooling only under exceptional circumstances.

But liberty is liberty, even if the regimes threatening parental freedom of conscience are "typically regarded as having non-repressive governments."

The Memphis judge was right to grant the Romeikes asylum, because U.S. law covers social groups with "a well-founded fear of persecution" in their home countries.

As to the notion that federal immigration officers -- who couldn't find one of our estimated 10 million illegal immigrants with both hands in a La Raza parade -- are now suddenly concerned about being "swamped" by a few hundred legitimate European asylum seekers? Hey, good one.

So long as they do it by the book, let's reiterate: Send us your huddled masses, yearning to breathe free.

That's what America's for.

Trending topics:

• asylum
• educational freedom
• Germany
• home school
• persecution
• Uwe Romeike

Comments

Note: Comments made by reporters and editors of the Las Vegas Review-Journal are presented with a yellow background.

1. zteccc Mar. 17, 2010 | 5:54 p.m. Report Abuse

   Darion,
   
   Here's a link to the American Immigration Law Center which details some of the US asylum law in common language. http://bit.ly/br4QYp
   
   As you can see, there is no requirement that someone petition for asylum at the time of entry into the US. As long as the Romeikes entered the US legally, then they haven't done anything illegal in their immigration process.
   
   If you can substantiate that they came here illegally, then I'd frankly be upset that they did so and I'd be upset that they were granted asylum, but as it stands, I have to support them and the decision.
   
   -- Jeff

2. zteccc Mar. 17, 2010 | 5:26 p.m. Report Abuse

   Darion,
   
   If they are moving here from another country, including seeking asylum, I would consider that immigration. The English dictionary (Merriam Webster) definition of immigration is: "to come into a country of which one is not a native for permanent residence". The definition fits their actions. Seeking asylum is simply part of that process for this family. It is absolutely certain that they could have chosen another avenue to do this. The process that they chose, presumably based on advice from the attorneys at HSLDA, was nonetheless a legal process.
   
   You are correct that we don't know how they entered the US. I am basing my argument on the belief that an attorney for the HSLDA would not have recommended any illegal methods of entry into the US because doing so would put the HSLDA at risk of prosecution and put the attorney at risk of losing his/her license. It doesn't appear that the HSLDA or any of its attorneys are being investigated for such violations, nor does it appear logical that they would take such a risk. I suspect that they entered on a tourism visa, but I can't find a resource to confirm or deny this.
   
   A person can ask for asylum at any time that they are on US territory. For example, some people have asked for asylum after time in this country if conditions in their homeland have changed (such as in a change of government). Some performers, athletes, etc. have asked for asylum at the end of their stay in the country instead of returning to their nation of origin. It is true that a person can apply for asylum even if they are in the US illegally, however there is no objective evidence that this has happened in this case.
   
   -- Jeff

3. zteccc Mar. 12, 2010 | 2:23 p.m. Report Abuse

   patrick,
   
   Sorry, been busy at work, so I didn't have the time to check this article.
   
   There is simply no logic in saying that a family should migrate to a geographically closer country over one further away. They definitely came because they were invited by the HSLDA, and yes, their faith may have been involved, but none of that makes their immigration more or less legal. Neither does their choice of destinations. They chose, based partially on the invitation, to migrate to a place where there was a great likelihood that they would succeed in their aims. Our policy should be to encourage such a move if made legally.
   
   Your "belief" that the family arrived illegally simply hasn't been supported by your arguments, but I'd be happy to consider any new information that you haven't presented here. To argue such based on no fact but your belief just doesn't fulfill your burden of proof. I suspect that you maintain this belief primarily because it is the only basis for your arguments so far, but feel free to try to convince me otherwise using logic and any fact that you can dig up.
   
   As to their resources. The article states that the father is a concert pianist. Many performers have been awarded asylum in the United States bringing only their talent as a resource. They may choose to continue their performance art or may even teach their art which certainly is a welcome contribution to the United States. By the way, Mr Romeike does indeed teach piano: http://bit.ly/a5vA4e As such, he contributes to society in a way that brings a rare (if not unique based on his ability) talent to this nation.
   
   -- Jeff

4. patrick Mar. 9, 2010 | 8:56 p.m. Report Abuse

   Jeff:
   
   I doubt that you're still around, but any reason you can think of why this family didn't move to a European country where homeschooling is permitted (Austria for one) which seems like it would be much closer, must less expensive, much much better IF homeschooling were the reason why they wanted to leave Germany?
   
   It remains my belief, based on what I have read, that this family was in the U.S. illegally for some time, and it remains my opinion that the family did not come to this country JUST to escape to a country that permitted homeschooling.
   
   Since the last assumption is most certainly true, should it be the policy of this country to admit people who can relocate to other countries and avoid whatever problems they might be having in their own, as a FIRST resort? Particularly in light of the fact that the only apparent "resources" this family brings is that they are Christians?
   
   I mean, you do know that that is precisely why this group went out and got them; right?

5. Waitaminute Mar. 8, 2010 | 8:22 p.m. Report Abuse

   government figures it "has a legitimate interest in countering the rise of parallel societies that are based on religion or motivated by different world views and in integrating minorities into the population as a whole."
   
   Spoken in true Hitler fashion.

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