Alan & Brenda Leonard

Heather,

Homeschooling is illegal in Germany. Children go to school, period,
beginning at age 6 unless you petition the state to wait until age 7. But
that's all the time you get. It's a socialization issue for the Germans, in
the correct sense of the word. They want their children socialized to be
good citizens of their society, and school is where that is taught.

It's legal for us as U.S. military and civilians working for the U.S.
government to homeschool under the Status of Forces Agreements, because our
children's education is handled by an American government agency, not the
Germans. However, if you are a U.S. citizen living in Germany, outside of
employment by the U.S. government (who sends us there "involuntarily"), you
have voluntarily chosen to live under German law. I go to an American
church there, and had friends in the "ordinary American citizen" category
who have now moved back to the states because their oldest is 6, and they
don't want to school.

In short, No. You are not allowed to, as far as I understand. I do know of
one family that homeschools underground, but it's illegal, they have to be
ridiculously careful, and it's not easy. But that's another question.

brenda


on 4/23/02 8:52 AM, [email protected] at
[email protected] wrote:

> Brenda,
>
> I may have opportunity to work in Germany - you noted that homeschooling is
> illegal in Germany - are you legal because you are an American citizen - or
> because you are military. I was just curious, because this will be a deciding
> factor for me. If I am an ordinary working person - but an American, am I
> allowed to homeschool/unschool while living there?
>
> Thanks for any info :)
>
> Heather