We can't thank you all enough for signing and spreading the word about the Romeike petition! We've reached, and gone past, our goal of 100,000 signatures!

The Romeikes, along with more than 100,000 signers, agree on one thing: Parents should have the freedom to decide on their children's education. Will you add your voice to theirs? We want to send a loud and clear message to the White House by showing that we stand with hundreds of thousands in support for the Romeike family.

Uwe and Hannelore Romeike were persecuted for homeschooling in Germany. They fled to the United States after facing exorbitant fines, forcible removal of their children, and possible imprisonment. The Romeikes were granted political asylum. The U.S. government appealed and the Board of Immigration Appeals reversed, ordering the Romeikes to be deported. HSLDA is appealing their case to the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals. Oral arguments are scheduled for April 23, 2013.

   While many teens went on vacation and relaxed on a sunny beach last summer, homeschooler Ethan Chu was hard at work designing a helicopter. And his research and hard work paid off. Sikorsky Aircraft Corp., a subsidiary of United Technologies Corp. (NYSE:UTX), and By Kids For Kids Co., an organization that inspires kids to become successful inventors, awarded Indiana teenager, Ethan Chu, the Igor Sikorsky Youth Innovator Award for his conceptual design of a circular-shaped medical evacuation helicopter.

   The HSLDA Store is giving away two free copies of the book Give Them Grace by Elyse M. Fitzpatrick & Jessica Thompson! To enter, all you have to do is share your answer to this question, “What is your favorite Holiday Tradition?”

   We’ll randomly select two winners from all the entrants! Hurry, because the giveaway ends this Friday, December 14, at midnight eastern standard time! Tell your friends and family!

Judge: Homeschooling “Damages” Kids

     Arguing that homeschooling is an abuse of parental authority and that it damages children, a German district court in Darmstadt transferred the custody rights of Dirk and Petra Wunderlich’s four children to the Juhendamt, Germany’s child protective agency.

   Homeschooling has always been at heart of everything God has done in and through Eden Eskaros and her missions.  After helping to raise donations of over 1,000 pairs of shoes for children in Mexico, Eden (affectionately called Eme by her friends and family) took on the vision of bringing school supplies, donations and resources on a return trip to Mexico in order to build and start a school.

   These ministry outreach opportunities would not have been available to Eme had she been going to a regulated school. In an interview, Mrs. Eskaros explains how homeschooling “has been at the very heart of everything God has done in and through Eden and missions”.