Home School Parents Face Losing Son to State
Christian legal defense groups are uniting forces to fight for a Christian home schooling family that faces permanently losing custody of their only child, attorneys with the Alliance Defense Fund said Tuesday.

Earlier this month, a Swedish court ruled that the government was within its rights to permanently remove 7-year-old Dominic Johansson from his parents' custody because he had not been vaccinated and was home-schooled.

The ADF and the Home School Legal Defense Association are working to persuade the Swedish government to return the child to his parents.

CBN News has reported on the Johansson's legal fight and the growing crack down on home schooling all across Europe. For more on this, click here.


Last year, Swedish authorities removed Christer and Annie Johansson's son from their care because home schooling is not considered appropriate in the country.

"It's one of the most disgraceful abuses of power we have ever witnessed," HSLDA attorney Mike Donnelly said.

"The Swedish government says it is exercising its authority under the U.N. Convention on the Rights of the Child in their unnecessary break up of this family," Donnelly added.

Swedish social services have limited the Johansson's visitation to their son to one hour every fifth week, ADF attorneys said. They will also not be allowed to visit their child on Christmas day because the social workers will be on vacation.

"Parents have the right and authority to make decisions regarding their children's education without government interference," ADF Legal Counsel Roger Kiska said.

"This is about a socialist government trying to create a cookie-cutter child in its own image," Kriska added. "Without help, the parents in these cases are really powerless since the system is so one sided."

If you would like to contact Swedish officials on behalf of the Johansson family:

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 e-mail the Swedish officials listed above, click here to visit the government website.

http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/world/2009/D ... -to-State/