At 8:00 a.m. on Thursday, August 29, 2013, in what has been called a “brutal and vicious act,” a team of 20 social workers, police officers, and special agents stormed a homeschooling family’s residence near Darmstadt, Germany, forcibly removing all four of the family’s children (ages 7-14). The sole grounds for removal were that the parents, Dirk and Petra Wunderlich, continued to homeschool their children in defiance of a German ban on home education.

Hundreds of homes in Colorado have been scorched by wildfires last week with still more in the path of these devastating flames. Already the Home School Foundation, HSLDA's charitable arm, has been notified of several homeschool families who have lost their home and school materials as a result of the fires.

HSF can help. But only through your support.

Because of generous donations to HSF’s Compassion Emergency Response, a program to help homeschool families impacted by a natural disaster, we can provide some relief to these families by replacing textbooks, teaching materials, and basic school supplies.

Heart racing, your pulse beats in your ears. Taking a deep breath, you sigh and let it out again. Scanning over the papers in your hands, you check them just to make sure you’ve got everything. To your left paces your teammate, reciting out loud important facts about the case. A door opens behind you and your mentor walks in. It’s time! You take a couple deep breaths, straighten your suit, and walk confidently into the court room.

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!