The ruling is tricky politically for Washington and its allies in Europe, where several countries - including Spain and the Netherlands - allow homeschooling only under exceptional circumstances, such as when a child is extremely ill. That helps explain why in late February, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement formally appealed the Romeike ruling, which was issued by an immigration judge in Memphis, Tenn. His unprecedented decision has raised concerns that the already heavily backlogged immigration courts will be flooded with asylum petitions from homeschoolers in countries typically regarded as having nonrepressive governments.
Apparently there is no way for a person in a European country to be persecuted. I think this has more to do with the general attitude toward home education in this country than it does about whether this is a legitimate case for asylum. After all, what could be repressive about a public school system?
Is there anything more fundamental to freedom than the freedom to worship (or not) and to raise your children as you see fit? America as a nation was founded by those seeking the freedom to worship. We have welcomed all sorts of religions and people of no religion at all. Quakers, Shakers, Amish, Mennonites, Jews, Catholics, Hutterites, Baptists. Muslim and Hindu. Atheist and agnostic. I am pleased to see that this is still a land that welcomes those who wish to worship in their own way.
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