Homeschool Legal Giants Intervene in Sweden State Abduction of Homeschooler

[The Straight Story]

Homeschool Legal Giants Intervene in Sweden State Abduction of Homeschooler

STOCKHOLM, March 2, 2010 (LifeSiteNews.com) – Two major legal defense organizations for homeschooling rights are now examining options for a Christian Swedish couple whose seven-year old son was seized by Swedish police and social workers, because his parents chose to educate him at home.

Nearly eight months have passed since Christer and Annie Johansson, with their young son Dominic, boarded a plane to move to India. With one minute before takeoff, Swedish authorities arrested Christer and Annie and whisked Dominic away into the custody of social services.

Since that June, authorities have allowed the parents only one-hour visits with their son – once every five weeks.

In a public statement, the Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA) and the Alliance Defense Fund (ADF) said they are now working together to advise the family and examine all available avenues to help reunite them with their son, who has been living with a foster family.

Last December, the Supreme Administrative Court of Sweden rejected the Johanssons’ final appeal, siding with social workers who reportedly insisted that they were protecting Dominic’s “right to education” against his parents. Social workers also took issue with the parents’ decision to forgo vaccinations for Dominic and dental treatments for two baby teeth with cavities.

http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2010/mar/10030214.html

As a progressive and pro-choice person I support homeschooling as a choice. Whether it be the Amish, me, or someone else making the choice for whatever reason. If someone does not want to home school their kids - their kids, their choice.

Are their problems? Sure - and there are many with public schools as well. Choice is a good thing, and to those who want to limit mine - screw you.

[LWolf]

1. Unrecommended,

not because of your viewpoint, but because of the "screw you."

For the record, I support regulated home schooling, in which parents must offer up regular evidence that their children are receiving an appropriate academic education.

As a teacher, I've taught many students that have come from home (and private) schooling over the course of my career. Some of them were at or above the levels of performance of their peers in public school.

The majority, though, were not.

Including the two I've got this year.

[HeresyLives]

5. Are there no tests??

I guess I always assumed the progress of home-schoolers would be monitored. If not, how can they be sure the kids are even literate much less educated?

[LWolf]

6. Home schooling is monitored differently, if at all, in all 50 states.

Some states have required curriculum with tests or other evidence required; some don't.

The tests and evidence for "passing" can be minimal, and often don't have to include anything requiring students to analyze, interpret, apply evaluate, etc. the content they are learning.

Of course, neither do private schools.

[FBaggins]

8. Most require testing, but comparatively few require the parent to report the results

But if you think about it, that makes sense. Testing primarily exists so that the school can demonstrate to the parent that learning is occurring (because education is primarily a parental responsibility REGARDLESS of how the child is educated)... the parent has little reciprocal obligation to the state.

[LWolf]

11. Depends on what kind of testing, lol.

I favor some kind of regulation and evidence of learning because I don't think parental rights trump the right of the child to an education. I don't have any need to decide how they learn, or how they show that learning. I just want to know that they ARE learning what they need to learn.

[The Straight Story]

9. So you want tests similar to NCLB style tests? (nt)

[LWolf]

12. Me?

Of course not. I just want them to provide evidence of learning; I don't need to dictate the form that takes.

[HeresyLives]

16. Okay, thanks.

This seems to mean that kids even today can skip school altogether, and nobody notices.

Seems to be a violation of their rights, or child abuse or something.

[FBaggins]

7. Not exactly a scientific sampling... but that's hardly the point

Don't you suppose that the kids who leave homeschooling to re-enter the public schools would be the ones whose parents recognized it wasn't working?

If they were ahead of the other kids... don't you think they would continue at home?

-

[LWolf]

10. That's one possible scenario, and

I'm sure it's true for some. I know a few people who are doing a good job educating their kids themselves.

In reality, we tend to get many students when the parents reach their own intellectual limits, or when the parents are tired of dealing with it, or with their kids.

For others, it's simply a function of whatever their lives are like at the time.

It's pretty common for parents who home school their kids during the primary years to put them in public school for secondary education because their own skills aren't up to teaching them at home.

I very, very rarely hear of someone home schooled through 12th grade who is accepted to college. Not that any one person can hear about them all, lol.

I DO hear about some kids who take classes at local community college when they can, from both public school and home school.

My own son took Algebra I at the local community college back in the 80s because it wasn't available in his 8th grade class.

[FBaggins]

13. The statistics don't match your experience

which is not to say that it isn't true. You may just be in an unusual area.

I very, very rarely hear of someone home schooled through 12th grade who is accepted to college

Acceptance rates for homeschoolers are actually higher in some of the most selective universities than for other students. It is by no means rare.

It's pretty common for parents who home school their kids during the primary years to put them in public school for secondary education because their own skills aren't up to teaching them at home.

By the time they reach middle school, the parents' own education level is less important than you may assume (because it's more guidance/resource at that point)... but on average, homeschool parents are significantly better educated than the public at large (and they can obviously afford to have one parent home full time)

[LWolf]

15. Of course statistics don't match my experience.

How could any one person's experience match? That wasn't the point anyway, which I believe you've already acknowledged.

I have to say that I'm not sure what YOUR point is.

I said I support some regulation for home schooling. I offered my experiences, which, while not statistically relevant, are probably broader than most.

You responded as if I were attacking home schooling, which simply isn't the case.

What IS your point?

[izquierdista]

2. Their are problems

Not just with your spelling, but also the missed vaccinations and dental treatments. It's entirely possible that these are complete nutcases who will ruin the kid for life. You know, like these people: http://chronicle.augusta.com/news/metro/2010-02-06/judge-closes-hearings-reuniting-parents-10-children?v=1265499294

[kdmorris]

14. That's ironic

"not just with your spelling"..."their are problems"....

:rofl:

[virgogal]

3. Sweden is getting scarier and scarier. Outrageous !

[Raineyb]

4. Well the lack of vaccinations and poor dental hygiene not to mention the refusal to

do something about the cavities in his teeth makes it seem as though there is more than just not wanting to subject the child to other views other than the parents at work here.

There is no excuse for not having cavities filled.

[Maat]

17. As a former Child Protective Services worker (retired) ...

I'm appalled at this monstrous action by the state (please, don't insult my intelligence by trying to justify it). This child was in NO danger of imminent, serious physical harm or death.

This child will be scarred for life by the removal, and the parents will be dealing with this for the rest of his life, as well as the child's suffering through the ramifications for the rest of his life. Ignorant jerks have interfered with the bonding between parents and child. They could have worked out a plan with the parents, even letting them leave for India (and working through Indian social workers).

I'm get so mad when I think of this case ....

The parents had a right to return to India (Mom's country of origin).

As a homeschooling mom, NO ONE will interfere with my right to choose the manner of education for my child. Oh, and I'm a lawyer, and that helps.