Sweden is often held up as an example of a model socialist democracy- one where there is material plenty, freedom, and a wide array of social services. It sounds like the best of both worlds, doesn’t it? Well, maybe-kinda-sort of. Apparently, some Swedes aren’t so “free” in the model socialist democracy.
STOCKHOLM (LifeSiteNews.com) – The government of Sweden is taking a hard line against homeschoolers, proposing a bill that will only allow home education under “extraordinary circumstances,” reports the Home School Legal Defense Association. The bill is expected to pass in the Swedish parliament, following a review by the Supreme Administrative Court, and will allow for homeschooling families to face criminal charges.
The news of the socialist government’s hardening attitude toward homeschoolers comes following the state seizure eight months ago of seven year-old Dominic Johansson, whose parents were educating him at home. Since the removal of Dominic by police from a plane the family had boarded with the intention of moving to India, Christer and Annie Johansson have been allowed to see their son for one hour every five weeks.
Despite the seizure of Johansson, homeschooling is not officially illegal in Sweden. But the statist views of the current government are deeply antagonistic towards any movement of citizens away from the state control of education.
Basically, these folks were attempting to leave the country, and they were taken off the plane? What are they going to do next, build an…oh… say… maybe a wall?
SO here we have a socialist state that is very concerned about control. This should not surprise us.
HSLDA said that while Sweden is often portrayed as a “social utopia,” what is not widely known is its antagonism toward homeschoolers, “and, in reality, anyone who deviates from what the Swedish government defines as ‘normal’.”
One American homeschooling mother, Lisa Angerstig, who is married to a Swede, said that the government is becoming “increasingly aggressive,” having already fined the family the equivalent of U.S. $1400.
“Sweden is a beautiful country,” she said, “and the people are very nice. But the government has become increasingly aggressive about education, trying to require that all children go to the state schools. For a country that prides itself on human rights, this type of aggressive behavior is quite shocking.”
What these people are forgetting is that in socialist states, there are no freedoms that are not granted by the government. Therefore, what the government can give, the government can take away. There are no unalienable rights, other than the state’s right to do as it pleases.
Given the stance and actions of our current government, it shouldn’t be a stretch to assume that it can and eventually will happen here. Remember, in the socialist state, all must be indoctrinated. There can be no real dissent, or no real options. Everything is from the state, and all is of the state, including you; body, mind, and soul.
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Matt
I believe that future generations should have the same opportunities that myself, and those that came before me, had. My parents taught me that I could do anything I wanted to do. I don’t want to have to tell my daughter, “You can do whatever the government tells you to do.” We are at a crossroads in this country; are we going to be free, or are we going to be slaves to the nanny state. I choose freedom.
Great drawing, it says it all. Reminds me of my growing up. I think that is why I want my kids to be home schooled until high school.
Thanks Trestin, but I didn’t do the drawing.
I’m a single parent who has had the good fortune of having my sister homeschool my kids.
When they were in public school, they didn’t pay attention in class, didn’t write down their homework assignments and rarely studied for tests. Some would say “why didn’t I make them?” When they were young, it was no problem, because teachers sent home a paper each week saying what they were studying that week, what homeschool was on what days and when the tests would be. I then made them do the work.
When they got to middle school, the teachers expect the kids to be responsible for all this themselves. I had no communication. I never knew if the kids were telling me the truth about homework assignments, never knew when the tests were. They never had complete study guides to study. It was a nightmare.
Now they actually do school work during the week days. They actually do homework assignments and study for tests. They are actually learning. And the beauty is, they are the ones choosing to do so, not out of pressure from me. Their behavior has done a 180 degree turn-around.
They think for themselves and are not brain-washed. I guess that is why socialists HATE homeschoolers.
We need to get the h.j.res 42 or s.j.res 16 amendment passed so that the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child treaty will not get ratified in the United States.
Well said Jackie, and thanks!
I feel so bad for those parents. I could not fathom the pain of being forcibly separated from my child.
It’s scary, isn’t it. What kills me is that they were leaving. They just came and took them off the plane. If that isn’t fascist, I don’t what is.
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This post was mentioned on Twitter by MrEvilMatt: From the Culture Wars: Sweden to Jail Homeschoolers http://ff.im/-hWLsG...
Europeans and their darned social tinkering… It always blows up in their faces. But then we foolish Americans try the same thing. After it has already failed a time or two in Europe.
Hopefully this is one bad Euro idea we don’t end up trying…
The sad thing is, our lefties think the eurolefties are great too.
All any Swedish homeschooling parent needs is a gun to deter crap like this. No one would be taking my kids because we homeschool; they’d have to deal with me, and it wouldn’t be a pleasant experience for them.
Speaking of pleasant experiences, I’d apologize for not being around much, but it’s been enjoyable to spend more time with my family and less time blogging and jumping around to other blogs and getting all riled up about the exploits of Zero and his Merry Band of Criminals. I haven’t stayed away completely, and I know I’ll get intense about it all at some point, but I have to say that focusing on work and home and play for a change, and all but ignoring the blogosphere … including my own chunk … has been good.
Hope you don’t mind.
Dave, you have to do whatever is best for you and your family. That’s the most important thing. Stop by whenever you like.