Swedish government seizes child from home schooling family

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The_Reginator

The_Reginator

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Am I the only one to miss this or was it under reported? I did a quick search here on CAF but I missed the thread if there was one (or more).

I awoke this morning to some talk-radio programming only to hear them discussing an old story that ‘flew under the radar’ of most media outlets (according to the radio station).
I certainly never heard this alarming news:
Swedish government seizes child from home schooling family!!!
Swedish authorities forcibly removed Dominic Johansson from his parents, Christer and Annie Johansson, in June of last year from a plane they had boarded to move to Annie’s home country of India. The officials did not have a warrant nor have they charged the Johanssons with any crime.** The officials seized the child because they believe home schooling is an inappropriate way to raise a child and insist the government should raise Dominic instead.**
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And one year later he’s still being held from his parents. 😦
Sweden Punishes Parents Choosing to Homeschool Child
June 25, 2010 is the one-year anniversary of Domenic Johansson being removed from his parents by Swedish authorities and placed in foster care.
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How much power should a government have in determining how a child should be educated? What laws did Domenic’s parents break? They homeschooled their son. Should homeschooling a child be grounds for losing custody?
State-Sponsored Child-Napping in Sweden
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Domenic Johansson was a typical happy 7-year-old boy with one small difference. His parents made the choice that Domenic be homeschooled instead of attending Swedish public schools and they opted out of having Domenic vaccinated. Both actions are legal in Sweden. As Domenic and his parents were about to fly to India (Domenic’s mother is Indian-born) armed Swedish police stormed the airplane and seized Domenic, taking him away from his parents, possibly permanently.
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The officers had no warrant and the parents have never been charged with any crime. After one year, Domenic is still in a foster home and attending a government school. His parents are only allowed to visit him for one hour every five weeks. With no evidence of any abuse or neglect on the part of the parents, the Swedish government has determined that “the state” is better qualified to raise Domenic than the parents.
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I found more online stories about the treatment of home schoolers in Sweden. I am shocked. This sound more like the U.S.S.R. to me. I’ve thought for decades that Sweden is a very socialist democracy. This doesn’t sound like any democracy to me. How long before this poison spreads?
 
Socialism comes with a price. The price is a big loss of freedom.

This poison has spread to the US already. I recall cases in California that are similar to the one you related. It has not gotten to the point of detaining children yet. However, case are being heard that are against home schooling parents. The school system and liberal legal establishment see homeschooling as a bypass around the very liberal education (indoctrination) program. Homeschooling is a long-term threat to these people.
 
The_Reginator said:
Am I the only one to miss this or was it under reported? I did a quick search here on CAF but I missed the thread if there was one (or more).

I awoke this morning to some talk-radio programming only to hear them discussing an old story that ‘flew under the radar’ of most media outlets (according to the radio station).
I certainly never heard this alarming news:
Swedish government seizes child from home schooling family!!!

And one year later he’s still being held from his parents. 😦
Sweden Punishes Parents Choosing to Homeschool Child

I found more online stories about the treatment of home schoolers in Sweden. I am shocked. This sound more like the U.S.S.R. to me. I’ve thought for decades that Sweden is a very socialist democracy. This doesn’t sound like any democracy to me. How long before this poison spreads?
Click to expand...
I am so grateful that my son is now an adult, as I was homeschooling him. I was fearful of something like this, as most homeschooling parents may be. My ex-husband harrassed me for years, threatening to take me to court, and costing me all kinds of money. He said my son was “socialized” enough, and the instance he cited was my son not cursing like his step-cousin did at this age ( he was 9 at the time).

I will pray for these parents, as I am sure they are devastated and heart-broken. I will pray for this little boy, who must have been terrified being ripped away from his parents. This is the saddest thing I have heard, and I’m crying for them, as I imagine how this all happened.
 
Another reason why we should leave the United Nations. This is disgusting.
 
what an absolutely disgusting act!

A child should never be taken away from his parents, except for proven abuse,
and if that, to other relatives, not into the foster system.

THis kid is going to grow up to be bitter, he will remember that this thing happened to him.
He will be angry.
 
Absolutely, Mind-Blowingly Outrageous and Disgusting.

I will praying for a Resolution to the Nightmare these poor people are going through.

Sheesh.😦
 
Good grief, I don’t even know what to say. My blood is on fire right now. :mad::mad::mad:
 
Mike5575 said:
Another reason why we should leave the United Nations. This is disgusting.
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What are you talking about? Are you saying you don’t love the UN SSR? We in the west need to recover our identity to prevent this **** from happening. If parents want to homeschool let them freedom of speech. Of course freedom of speech is usually a double standard today, I assume Communism is legal in Sweden? I have read the Communist Manifesto and the very last line (and most of that damn book) says the only way that marxism can be achieved is in bloody revolution i which the bourgoise is executed. These porr parents have their child stripped from them because of homeschool but the commies have their freedoms protected… makes you think.
 
Hi, I’m new to this site. Just thought members might like to know about a petition supporting this family. There is also a website and a facebook group The family is suffering terribly and are grateful for all the support they can get.
Thank You
 
Although I have my own points of disagreement with home schooling and if I were to have children, I’d never even consider the option, it disgusts me that parents are legally being deprived of their rights to educate how they see fit. If this wasn’t the government of a country acting, it would be an act of kidnapping. This makes my blood boil…
 
The_Reginator said:
Am I the only one to miss this or was it under reported? I did a quick search here on CAF but I missed the thread if there was one (or more)
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State believed that the parents were neglecting Dominic because they had never taken him to a dentist, despite the fact that his teeth were riddled with cavities and had had never had him vaccinated. In regards to homeschooling, his parents never acquired a permit in compliance with Swedesh law demonstrating that they were qualified to homeschool. They were allowed supervised visits with a social worker present until the father snatched him and took him home for an unauthorized visit.
 
The_Reginator said:
Am I the only one to miss this or was it under reported? I did a quick search here on CAF but I missed the thread if there was one (or more).

I awoke this morning to some talk-radio programming only to hear them discussing an old story that ‘flew under the radar’ of most media outlets (according to the radio station).
I certainly never heard this alarming news:
Swedish government seizes child from home schooling family!!!

And one year later he’s still being held from his parents. 😦
Sweden Punishes Parents Choosing to Homeschool Child

I found more online stories about the treatment of home schoolers in Sweden. I am shocked. This sound more like the U.S.S.R. to me. I’ve thought for decades that Sweden is a very socialist democracy. This doesn’t sound like any democracy to me. How long before this poison spreads?
Click to expand...
Interestingly enough, upon reading the article, there were no quotes from any government official, just speculation from the newspaper, so there is probably more to the story then meets the eye. I think you have to consider the fact that It’s quite possible that the newspaper is putting its spin on it to generate sympathy for the parents or its own agenda.

Additionally, Swedish law maybe be radically different from law from countries such as the United States or Canada and while i’m not well versed on Swedish law, a warrant may not be required. Remember your dealing with a Socialist government as well.
 
EmperorNapoleon said:
State believed that the parents were neglecting Dominic because they had never taken him to a dentist, despite the fact that his teeth were riddled with cavities and had had never had him vaccinated. In regards to homeschooling, his parents never acquired a permit in compliance with Swedesh law demonstrating that they were qualified to homeschool. They were allowed supervised visits with a social worker present until the father snatched him and took him home for an unauthorized visit.
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I’m not sure where you got the information about Domenic’s teeth being ‘riddled’ with cavities. Two cavities were found after Domenic had been in state care for some time. Parental neglect was never originally cited as a justification for removing him into state care. The parents also had concerns about the safety of vaccinations (as have many others) which is why they chose to delay them. This is legal. and certainly not a reason to tear a child from loving parents. The Johansson’s, who were due to leave Sweden shortly after Domenic reached school age, applied for permission to homeschool which is what triggered the social service involvement. (As to their ability to homeschool, Domenic’s mother is a graduate with two masters degrees.)

Homeschooling was legal when Domenic was siezed, but evidently much frowned upon in Sweden, and has since been made illegal. This is not uncommon in Europe; a German homeschooling family were recently granted asylum in USA because of the state persecution in their own country. The Home School Defence League have taken up Domenic’s case and have submitted an appeal to the European Court of Human Rights. This takes appart the Swedish case point by point. They continue to document the story on their website.

Please check out the family’s blog which contains many lovely photos of a happy and healthy Domenic with his family before he was siezed and some disturbing photos of a not so thriving Domenic since he has been in state ‘care’. These illustrate more than words could ever do the cruelty of this draconian misuse of state power.
http://profile.ak.fbcdn.net/hprofile-ak-snc4/hs1319.snc4/161900_346022854609_7216746_n.jpgPlease help to support this suffering family by signing this petition. Thank You.
 
Margaret_Stone said:
This blogger was convincingly challenged on his comments facility and invited to contact the family for details of their case on which he was speculating so negatively. So far he has not responded to this invitation.
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Is he wrong about the facts ? The depression? The health of the parents? The failure of the parents to comply with Swedish law? The selling off of their belongings and the alarms it raised for social workers already concerned about the mental instability of the parents? Would you not have some qualms about them taking an unvaccinated 7 year old to India?

There is clearly very much more to this story than has been portrayed in the media.
 
Yellow_Belle said:
Is he wrong about the facts ? The depression? The health of the parents? The failure of the parents to comply with Swedish law? The selling off of their belongings and the alarms it raised for social workers already concerned about the mental instability of the parents? Would you not have some qualms about them taking an unvaccinated 7 year old to India?

There is clearly very much more to this story than has been portrayed in the media.
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Hi Yellow Belle, I will try and answer the issues you have mentioned here, but they are most thoroughly dealt with in the legal submission to the European Court of Human Rights which I linked in a previous post.

Christer was depressed and traumatised after he and Annie lost every-thing they owned in an earthquake in India in 2001 (Annie’s native country where they were living at the time). Annie was then expecting Domenic and the family returned to Sweden where Christer sought medical help, mindful of his responsibility to his wife and unborn child. He was prescribed anti-depressants which unfortunately did not agree with him and worsened his condition. He eventually overcame his depression without medication and was given a clean bill of health by his psychiatrist. Annie had never suffered any form of mental ill health until her child was torn from her. Since then she has suffered greviously. Understandable when you realise she is only allowed to see her son for one hour every five weeks and has been threatened with complete suspension of these visits if she cannot supress her tears during them. The health of the parents was otherwise good until the family was torn apart. Furthermore the mental health of the parents was not an issue when Domenic was removed. At that point the only concern was the home-schooling and lack of vaccines (both legal choices when Domenic was taken). They have been raised since in an attempt to justify this outrageous abuse of human rights. The Swedish vaccinations would not have protected Domenic from the health risks in India any-way, and they intended to get appropriate vaccines locally. The selling of possessions was due to their stated intention of returning to Annie’s country of birth where she has a large extended family. Their planned move was another reason for their decision to home school.

I’m sorry I’m going on a bit here. I, like you, found it difficult to believe that such a heart-breaking situation could have been allowed to occur without some good reason. Since researching this I have found numerous similar cases in Europe, and the UK where I live. Mercifully many of these injustices have been righted through courts and through the involvement of concientious politicians. Many Swedish supporters of this family have reported a total media blackout of this story in Sweden, despite the increasing world-wide focus generated through the internet.

http://http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs524.snc3/29832_1378543536901_1031266645_1120947_3739205_n.jpg

http://profile.ak.fbcdn.net/hprofile-ak-snc4/hs1319.snc4/161900_346022854609_7216746_n.jpg

I know it is difficult to believe that this situation has arisen from a family’s decision to home school, but this is not unique in Europe. A German home schooling family was recently granted asylum in USA because of the persecution they suffered in their own country. I am not a home schooler, all five of my children attended state schools. My concern is for this once happy loving family now suffering from this shameful abuse of their human rights.
 
It’s just that the Centre-Right has been in power in Sweden since 2006 but you should never let facts interfere with a good moan, I suppose.
 
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