Topic: Homeschool Leader Flees Swedish Persecution

[Pandora]

Weisshaupt started a thread the other day, citing a Slate article bashing homeschoolers.  I thought of that when I read what's happening in Sweden.

http://thenewamerican.com/world-mainmenu-26/europe-mainmenu-35/10895-homeschool-leader-flees-swedish-persecution

As the government intensifies its persecution of homeschoolers in Sweden, the president of the Swedish Association for Home Education (ROHUS) has finally been forced into exile with his family in neighboring Finland. The battle for human rights and homeschooling in the Scandinavian kingdom, however, is far from over.

The Swedish Parliament passed a draconian law in 2010 purporting to ban homeschooling, all school curriculums except the Swedish government’s, and all alternative education nationwide. Despite a global outcry, the prohibition went into effect last year. Dozens of families were left wondering what fate might await them. But so far, the official persecution campaign has backfired in a stunning way.

After fighting a valiant years-long battle for the right to homeschool in his native land, ROHUS chief Jonas Himmelstrand (above left) — probably the most prominent advocate for homeschooling in Scandinavia — decided it was time to join more than a dozen families that have already fled. The persecution was only getting worse, and there was not much cause for optimism about the immediate future.

Until recently, Himmelstrand still held on to some hope. He had decided to stay and keep fighting — at least until the situation deteriorated further. Late last year, however, that time came. It had finally become intolerable.

Local school officials reported the Himmelstrand family to the social services in November when their 7-year-old son did not show up for mandatory schooling. Jonas Himmelstrand — like many other homeschoolers in Sweden — was forced to meet with local “social” officials to explain himself.

“It was just harassment,” he said. “But we were not going to take any chances with anything.... You never know with Swedish social authorities. You never know.”

Because ...

Another homeschooling family, the Johanssons, was viciously ripped apart by the authorities in 2009 over the issue of home education as they attempted to leave for India. The traumatic episode still haunts Swedish homeschoolers and is always in the back of their minds when considering their options.

The Swedish authorities seized the boy from the plane.  They still have him.

No wonder about why there increasing numbers of Swedish parents wanting to homeschool, what with the government discriminating against them in favor of muslims, and egregiousness like this:

Staff at the school try to shed masculine and feminine references from their speech, including the pronouns him or her — "han" or "hon" in Swedish. Instead, they've have adopted the genderless 'hen'.

"We use the word 'Hen' for example when a doctor, police, electrician or plumber or such is coming to the kindergarten," Rajalin says.

"We don't know if it's a he or a she so we just say 'Hen is coming around 2pm'; then the children can imagine both a man or a woman. This widens their view."

The Mail sought the opinion of child psychologist Jay Belsky at the University of California, Davis. He "questioned whether it was the right way to go."

"The kind of things that boys like to do — run around and turn sticks into swords — will soon be disapproved of," he said.

"So gender neutrality at its worst is emasculating maleness."

Meanwhile, Islam continues its very masculine march through Sweden, which includes showing women exactly what the future will hold if Swedish men, or whatever they call themselves, don't stand up and fight.

http://thenewamerican.com/world-mainmenu-26/europe-mainmenu-35/8064-kids-going-genderless-in-sweden-at-pre-school

[Libertas]

Sweden is going to hell fast.  No doubt teachers unions and pol's back here will soon be dong the same damn thing, they are already trying to demonize homeschooled kids here and characterize their parents as whack jobs, so it's not to hard to see them making the next step.

Soon recess will feature goosestepping and book burnings...

[John Florida]

  This is what happens when you vote for the wrong people.You become a subject.

[michelleo]

It would only happen over my dead body.

[Pandora]

It would only happen over my dead body.

That's why Himmelstrand got out, so he didn't have to worry about any dead bodies, theirs or HIS. 

[IronDioPriest]

The Left would see all of Western civilization in a societal suicide pact. The Left globally would see this and worse right here in America. Problem with that is, many of us are not suicidal. That makes what they are doing to society homicidal, not suicidal. I want my civilization to live, and the Left is trying to kill it. It seems they are bent on forcing us to choose whether we allow them to kill Western civilization, or kill the ones who are trying to kill it. I see very little middle ground remaining, as greatly as it pains me. I'm sick and tired of watching their destruction and feeling the way I feel about it. They have to be stopped.

[Libertas]

I have a feeling it will all get sorted out soon enough.