The Kingdom of Sweden took a dramatic turn toward totalitarianism with the adoption of a sweeping new education “reform” package that essentially prohibits home schooling and forces all schools to teach the same government curriculum.

The draconian 1,500-page law — deceptively referred to by the Swedish government as “The new Education Act - for knowledge, choice and security” — was approved by Parliament last week amidst strong criticism and opposition. When it goes into effect next year, the entire educational system will be transformed, and alternative education abolished.

So-called “independent schools,” already financed and largely controlled by government, will now have to submit to the same regulatory framework as regular government schools. They will also be required to follow state-issued syllabi and curricula.

“[Religious schools] can’t make any children to pray or confess to the God, but they will still be allowed [to exist],” Education Ministry press secretary Anna Neuman told The New American in a telephone interview. Essentially, there will no longer be any difference between “private” schools and government schools, she explained. And there will be no other option.  

In addition to abolishing any remaining distinctions among schools, the new education act also prohibits home schooling for religious or philosophical reasons. Home education can be allowed only in “exceptional circumstances” like extreme bullying, Neuman explained. Lawyers have said the new condition basically means never. 

Regulation of home schooling was already impossibly strict in Sweden, where, as reported recently by The New American, social service workers took a seven-year-old boy from his parents because he was being educated at home — even when it was technically legal. But under the new rules, home education will be all but done away with.

“It’s a fear that [home schooling] doesn’t work appropriate[ly],” press secretary Neuman explained, though she admitted there was no report or evidence to back up the fear.

But Swedish home schoolers (and indeed, home schoolers around the world) disagree with the notion that home schooling doesn‘t work, and they have fought a valiant battle against the new ban. “[The Swedish Association of Home Education] ROHUS has vigorously, with its limited resources, worked to stop this new law since it was suggested,” ROHUS President Jonas Himmelstrand told The New American in an e-mail.

The group wrote a 228-page report for the Ministry of Education, lobbied members of Parliament, worked with the media, and tried unsuccessfully to meet with the Education Minister. “In the last week before the vote I, as the President of ROHUS, wrote one e-mail a day, each with a new argument, to all 349 members of parliament,” Himmelstrand explained. Unfortunately, the bill passed anyway.

“Basically, it seems that the 50-100 Swedish homeschooling families are too few to matter politically — human rights notwithstanding,” he said, noting that the group had tried to educate officials on the benefits of home education using solid evidence.

But the battle is not over. For one, there is a Parliamentary election coming up in September. Even though the new law is not expected to be changed much, there is hope that the draconian restriction on home schooling could be loosened if enough pressure is applied. But even if the prohibition remains in place, the fight will go on.

“The Swedish political authorities have deeply underestimated the convictions of Swedish homeschoolers,” Himmelstrand said. “Most will not accept the new law. They will respond with civil disobedience, or political exile."

When asked about the thought of Swedish home-schooling families fleeing from government persecution (like German home schoolers granted asylum as refugees in the United States), Education Ministry spokesperson Neuman dismissed the idea. “Right now there are only about 200 children that have home schooling, so it doesn’t concern a lot of families,” she said. 

But for the families involved, it’s a big deal. They plan to take the issue all the way to the Swedish Supreme Court and even the European Court of Human Rights if necessary. And there is still hope.

“The situation may be brighter than it looks, as this year long struggle has shown that there is a small, but strong and intelligent, opposition to restricting home schooling in Sweden, and that this opposition has many international friends,” said Himmelstrand.

The international friends are already getting involved, too. “We’re consulting with various organizations to determine how to move forward,” explained Mike Donnelly, the director for international relations and a staff attorney with the U.S.-based Home School Legal Defense Association. “Of course we’re disappointed that the Swedish Parliament would do this … but we’ll be supporting the home schoolers however we can,” he told The New American in a telephone interview.

In an analysis of the new law on ROHUS’ website, an even greater matter is also raised that supporters hope could become a catalyst for serious change in Sweden. “The new school law has brought into the open a much bigger issue than the question of home schooling. No democratic Government should have the possibility to abolish a human right through law. There needs to be rules to what a Government can do. In other countries this is called a constitution. Sweden lacks a true constitution and an elected Swedish Government has great freedom to do whatever it wishes,” Himmelstrand explained in the piece.

“Human rights do not have strong support in Sweden,” he added. “In Sweden it is possible for a human right to be abolished in Parliament based on prejudices and ignorance – this is exactly what we witnessed just now. This is the ultimate reason for home schooling being restricted as close to being fully illegal as can be. The worst part is that the present Swedish Government actually used this democratic weakness. It is hard to write in a civilized way what Swedish homeschoolers feel about this.”

The law has been fiercely criticized in Sweden far beyond the small community of home schoolers. Even the Swedish Supreme Court’s advisory council, which examines proposed laws, attacked the new education act with 77 pages of “devastating” criticism, saying the “exceptional circumstances” requirement for home schooling was too vague, among other problems.

Media commentators also blasted the new law on several fronts. “The new Education Act poses a threat to educational diversity,” wrote Jim Whiteford on a Swedish political news website in an article entitled ‘New school law a step backward.’ “The state will exert more and more power over the pupil, and an outdated view of knowledge learning is increasingly prioritized and systematic.... We stand in dark times.”

Whiteford said the law “reduces both the students’ and their parents' choice, increasing state control,” adding that he hoped voters would question the welfare state at the next election. “When looking at Sweden's constitutional laws for the defense of individual rights against state power eager pursuit, there is nothing at all,” he said. “Once upon a time someone said that the Swedish Constitution is to protect the state rather than to ensure its citizens' rights.” And that seems to be an accurate description, to the extent that it can even be considered a "constitution" in the true sense. 

Even a member of the political party sponsoring the new education act refused to support it because of the restrictions on home schooling and fears that it could be a prelude to mandatory day-care and pre-school. The opposition parties in Parliament voted against the law for several reasons. Among them: It was rushed, and the Supreme Court’s advisory council criticism was not properly taken into account.

Other changes in the new law include tougher standards for becoming a teacher, and the idea that government day-care (for children as young as one year old) should be considered “school.” The act will also give the “Swedish Schools Inspectorate” the authority to shut down educational institutions that do not bow down to the government’s rules.    

Regimes that have banned home schooling in the past include the National Socialists (Nazis) in Germany, since Hitler feared it could lead to “parallel societies,” and the Soviet communist dictatorship, where government was the sole arbiter of what children would learn.

Most Western nations still allow home schooling, including other Scandinavian countries. It is to be hoped that the Swedish government will reconsider violating such a fundamental human right, lest home schoolers be forced to flee their home country in search of educational freedom.

Photo: Swedish Riksdag (Parliament)

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Flu-Bird said:

	Going down the tubes Sweeden has been going down the tubes for years and now its about to fall into the bottomless pit of socialism just like what OBAMA wants for america
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June 29, 2010
Votes: +33

Justice4All said:

	... Another tragedy in the "socialist utopia" of Sweden. This is a sad day for freedom, education, individual rights, and good government. I hope all of the home schoolers loudly and publicly flee to America! You are welcome here friends. We need more people like you!!
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June 29, 2010
Votes: +46

LBOL said:

... There but for the grace of God go we. We live in perilous days, and unfortunately can no longer afford the luxury of thinking that any of our rights are protected. We have a Constitution here in America, but it is being trampled upon daily! We must pray for our homeschool brothers and sisters in Sweden and continue to lift our own nation to the LORD, for it seems clear that those in authority mean to supplant God Himself as the guarantor of unalienable rights.

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June 29, 2010
Votes: +39

Asylum?????, Lowly rated comment [Show]

cranberry said:

	terrible Where are the parents rights?
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June 29, 2010
Votes: +22

AMADEUS said:

@Hannah Here is how the HSLDA reported the judge's decision to grant asylum to German homeschooling families: “We can’t expect every country to follow our constitution,” said Judge Burman. “The world might be a better place if it did. However, the rights being violated here are basic human rights that no country has a right to violate.” Burman added, “Homeschoolers are a particular social group that the German government is trying to suppress. This family has a well-founded fear of persecution…therefore, they are eligible for asylum…and the court will grant asylum.” In his ruling, Burman said that the scariest thing about this case was the motivation of the government. He noted it appeared that rather than being concerned about the welfare of the children, the government was trying to stamp out parallel societies—something the judge called “odd” and just plain “silly.” In his order the judge expressed concern that while Germany is a democratic country and is an ally, he noted that this particular policy of persecuting homeschoolers is “repellent to everything we believe as Americans.” I couldn't agree more with his ruling. If you don't think these families are being persecuted, read about the families who have had their children taken away by government in Sweden and Germany for refusing to hand them over to government indoctrination camps. It's appalling and an outrage on human dignity and the most basic human rights. For Hannah to diminish their suffering and persecution because some homosexuals were not granted asylum in Britain or because there are some people suffering from other problems doesn't make much sense to me. Swedish people should be ashamed of their government!

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June 29, 2010
Votes: +31

mayra zielinski said:

Right to Believe and raise my own children. If my children are taken away that is persecution for me and especially my children. Anyone that has children would not belittle that poor boy Dominic's or his Mother's and Father's suffering. My heart breaks for this family and all the homeschooling families there. To say that it is OK to take away our religious freedoms or any of our unalienable rights is to not remember what this country was founded on in the first place.

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June 29, 2010
Votes: +20

Annette said:

	... Boycott IKEA!
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June 29, 2010
Votes: +13

Flu-Bird said:

	The EUROPEAN(SOVIET)UNION So who said the USSR and the SOVIET UNION died when the wall came down its just extended to the enire european continent the EUROPEAN(SOVIET)UNION and thats why they also want the NORTH AMERICAN(SOVEIT)UNION and the sinister CFR
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June 29, 2010
Votes: +8

Gary Covington said:

... This reminds me of Germany during 1939 thru 1955. I gave the year 1955 because most germans didn't start to change their attitudes about Hitler till about that time. Seems all Sweden needs now is a dictator named Adolf Hitler. I pray everday that the Johansan's will be able to get their child back and be able to leave Sweden as fast as they can get out of that Socialist country. What HSLDA needs to do is have every homeschool child from every country write a letter to the Ministry of Education in Sweden and Human Rights Courts to add pressure to change the new law and give back the Johansan's child to them. I encourage everybody to do exactly that. And God willing maybe they will listen.

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June 30, 2010
Votes: +8

Swedeman said:

	Swedes are ignorant but perfect? The Swedish press didn't even make mention of this event so most Swedes haven't heard about this and to be honest they probably don't even care as they hate anyone who goes against their "perfect" system.
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June 30, 2010
Votes: +4

Björn said:

	Corrupt media What Swedeman said. Two of the biggest newspapers in Sweden only just mentioned this: http://www.dn.se/nyheter/polit...-1.1126612 and http://www.svd.se/nyheter/inri...901623.svd Crazy...
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June 30, 2010 | url
Votes: +3

Josefina said:

	... And those two articles, which were identical, are two mere paragraphs in length. Sweden has for a long time been corrupt by the Social Democrats (just a show biz name really, for the Elite behind it), but I have hope. Despite what the media tells us, there are plenty of people here who don't want a nanny state.
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June 30, 2010
Votes: +7

Maria, teacher said:

politics of the RIGHT What's this thing about the socialism and the Social Democrats? It's the RIGHT government who wrote this new educational law... Sweden has for the moment a former military man as a school minister who puts too much weight in the values of the 1950's and wants the state to take 100% control of all the systems, what so ever. To forbid home schooling is just one thing among many in order to make all our children fit into one frame. These are people from the RIGHT, not the social democrats. The social democrats are the ones voting against... At least there's more hope they will vote against... As a teacher, I'm against politics ruling our school so I won't agree with any partie what so ever. Education shouldn't be about politics.

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July 01, 2010
Votes: -2

Paula said:

... @Maria, efforts to take 100% control are typical for socialistic governments, that is proved through history, so this is rather surprising. But, the school minister's working class background might be part of an explanation: During his childhood - if he remembers correctly - nobody sitting down at table in his home had attended high school, he said in an interview. He has no experience of being brought up by parents encouraging learning and creativity, but his teachers demanded activity - I guess he learned to memorize and repeat. Then he chose a non creative job. In practice, a former officer now orders parents to hand over their beloved children to teachers ordered to use carrots and sticks, thus fostering active workers, instead of letting loving supported parents support happy creative - innovative - children.

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July 01, 2010
Votes: +7

R. Wollus said:

... As somebody who has witnessed the horrors perpetrated by governments I am very alarmed about this development. This is a prelude to having a whole nation of people brainwashed with the same statist indoctrination; the total elimination of intellectual diversity if you will. I know some western europeans regimes have a paranoia of religious people and anyone who thinks independently but this is really taking it too far. We also must realize that American rulers would also love to see this in the USA too, its just a question of there are still enough people awake to hold it off for the time being. As for the child taken by his parents for homeschooling, those responsible should be investigated by competent authorities, something is obviously not right when a government can do that.

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July 03, 2010
Votes: +6

Helpless Swede said:

	... Get rid of Obama before it's too late! You need someone from the Paul family or something like that!
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July 04, 2010
Votes: +2

Geraldo said:

By destroying the wall Communism spread all over Europe They thought they have destroyed Communism, really? There is no evidence. Most countries in Europe are electing Socialist/Communist leaders. Over 90% of the countries in the whole world are somehow Socialist, even America, unfortunatelly has a Socialist in the White House. Government has to be controlled by the people. Power corrupt. more power + more government = more corruption. Sweden you are not alone in the fight for freedom and to stop big government.

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July 16, 2010
Votes: +3