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HSLDA | Court Upholds State-Sponsored “Kidnapping” of Homeschooled Boy

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Court Upholds State-Sponsored “Kidnapping” of Homeschooled Boy
Swedish family of Annie and Christer Johansson whose only child, 7-year-old Dominic Johansson, was “kidnapped” by Swedish authorities in June of this year as the family was on a plane leaving the country for a new life and home in India. Annie Johansson is from India where her entire family lives.

Your Help Needed

Please contact Swedish officials on behalf of the Johansson family. We also ask that you keep the Johansson family in your prayers during this incredible trial they are facing.

Contact Information

The social workers

sofi.rosenqvist@gotland.se

caroline.palmqvist@gotland.se

The social workers’ supervisors

kristina.djerf@gotland.se

marika.gardell@gotland.se

National officials

Prime Minister of Sweden Fredrik Reinfeldt

Telephone: +46 8 405 10 00

Mailing Address: Rosenbad 4, SE-103 33 Stockholm

Minister Maria Larsson

Ministry for Elderly Care and Public Health, Ministry of Health and Social Affairs

Telephone +46 8 405 10 00

Fax +46 8 723 11 91

Mail Address: Fredsgatan 8; SE-103 33 Stockholm

To email the officials above visit the webpage:
http://www.sweden.gov.se/sb/d/2052

Local politicians and government leaders

Brittmarie.Fagerlund@lansstyrelsen.se

gustaf.hoffstedt@gotland.se

eva.nypelius@gotland.se

lars.thomsson@gotland.se

lena.celion@gotland.se

gotlands.kommun@gotland.se

Indian Ambassador to Sweden

ambassador@indianembassy.se

Sign Petition Calling for Dominic to Go Home

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/return-dominic-johansson-to-his-parents

The Johanssons’ lives suddenly changed, and a nightmare ensued as police officers took Dominic off the plane at the orders of local social workers. They didn’t have a warrant, and they didn’t charge the Johanssons with any crime. Their reasoning? Dominic had been homeschooled, and the authorities wanted to make sure he was receiving an education.
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- The family had been refused school materials by their local school when they had asked for them last year. As a homeschooling family, the Johanssons lean towards unschooling, profess the Christian faith, and try to live close to nature. Mr. and Mrs. Johannson had made plans to move to India to work with several orphanages to help them to live simply and economically. Although their lifestyle is out of the ordinary to Swedish officials, nothing in their approach to family life justified such a radical state intervention. In addition to living simply, the Johanssons exercised their legal rights to opt out of vaccinations for their son as well as only taking him to the doctor when he was sick, also reasons cited by the court to allow Swedish social services to retain custody of Dominic.
- The Swedish press has reported that the court admits the family has taken care of Dominic as they thought best, but insists the government’s plan is better.
  
  In its opinion the court noted that Dominic had some untreated cavities and had not been vaccinated. The court also said that because Dominic had not been in school he had been “socially isolated.” This, the court said, demonstrated that the parents were not aware of the impact their decision to homeschool would have on Dominic’s future development and opportunities.
- Roger Kiska, an Alliance Defense Fund attorney based in Europe, noted that this kind of behavior was shocking but sadly not without precedent. Kiska has been following the case and has sent several letters expressing concern over the incident.
  
  “What you have here is a socialist country trying to create a cookie cutter kid,” Kiska said. “This family is a little different from the average Swedish family. There are so few homeschoolers in the country that this, along with their issues, has caused the social services agency to take the child in order to coerce changes from the family. Unfortunately. in Europe this kind of thing happens too often where social workers take a child and then just keep him. The parents in these cases are really powerless since the system is so one-sided.”
  
  Michael Donnelly, director of international affairs for HSLDA, expressed indignation at the court decision.
  
  “This court decision is deeply disturbing. The hostility against homeschooling and for parent’s rights is contrary to everything expected from a Western nation. This decision echoes the German courts who have ruled homeschooling illegal, and that it is OK to take children from parents who do homeschool. We had hoped that the appeals court would return Dominic to his family. Since they are not, we believe it is critical all freedom-loving people respond to this outrageous decision.”
  
  Donnelly continued, “HSLDA is gravely concerned about this case as it represents what can happen to other families who might wish to homeschool their children. Furthermore, in response to inquiries from HSLDA, Swedish authorities have cited the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child to explain and defend their actions. If the U.S. were to ever ratify this treaty, then state-sponsored kidnapping could occur here. Every homeschooler would be at risk. Such treatment of families and children is inhumane and inconsistent with a reasonable understanding of basic human rights. Therefore, we are asking our members to contact Swedish officials asking them to return Dominic Johansson to his family.”