The Neubronner family in Bremen has been having some tough times recently. After they received a letter announcing yet another increase in the fines imposed (now totalling 7 500 euros) and threatening them with other punitive measures (not elaborated on in the letter), they decided to send their sons to school for the time being. They were concerned, having heard a rumour that the school authorities planned to remove their sons from their custody right before or during the Christmas period, and decided that this step was necessary so that they could at least have a peaceful Christmas.
Thomas is coping ok, although he is incredibly bored and can't bear to look at the acts of brutality among his classmates. Moritz, however, is already showing signs of strain. He told me last night that every three minutes he counts the days till the Christmas vacation and tells his teachers at every opportunity that he is only going because of the Zwangsgeld and the threat of his parents losing custody, but he hates school. Dagmar said that he has already started getting the cough which he had continually when he was previously at school for two years. The other boys tease him maliciously and call him a truant because he was being home educated. In spite of all this, he is demonstrating quiet perseverance while he bears his burden. He is particularly proud of the fact that, in spite of being unschooled (or because of it), he is top of the class in his year and second best among the students in the year ahead of him.
4 comments:
Rina, thanks for the update on the Neubronners. I hope your family is well and I wish you a Happy New Year. And I hope and pray for freedom in Germany. I can hardly stand to read about these issues anymore, it's so upsetting. But thank you for giving a voice to the oppressed! I wish more people would.
Remember, they are societies children, not yours. :)
Thanks for the reminder to be grateful for my freedom.
Could they consider emigrating - perhaps to the UK? We have heard via the Guardian:
http://education.guardian.co.uk/schools/story/0,,2259509,00.html
that some German HE families have arrived in the Isle of Wight where there is a thriving HE community.
They would be welcome in plenty of other areas too. South Wales has some still relatively cheap housing and a great HE community.
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