Netzwerk Bildungsfreiheit: We have written an open letter to the Swedish government due to the changes in their education law which intends to make homeschooling illegal. Swedish officials received a lot of letters from the international public
Jörg Großelümern
Am Hahnengraben 8
90592 Schwarzenbruck
0162 – 163 7301
0721-151 500 152
info@netzwerk-bildungsfreiheit.de
www.netzwerk-bildungsfreiheit.de
Bankverbindung:
Volksbank Neckar-Bergstraße
Konto-Nr. 61 727 108
Bankleitzahl 670 915 00
Mr.
Jan Björklund
Ministry of Education
Rosenbad 4
SE-103 33 Stockholm
SWEDEN
Home Education in Sweden
Dear Sir,
first, I’d like to introduce myself briefly. My name is Jörg Großelümern. I am a member of the
board of directors of the German „Netzwerk Bildungsfreiheit“ („Network Freedom in Educa-
tion“), which has been campaigning for free choices in education in our country.
In addition, I am the father of 2 children who have been home-schooled for seven years now.
We have learned from our international contacts that Sweden intends to change its school
laws so that home-schooling would be largely prohibited. We are shocked and outraged to
hear that you have denied Christer Johannson and his family departure from Sweden and
that you have removed his son Christopher from the family because they had decided to
home-school him. In addition to it several home schoolers are being harrassed by their local
governments, permission to home school is not given in spite of applications fullfilling the law
and home schoolers having to go through long legal processes. There are also threats of
social authorities and fines for those who home school during the legal appeals process.
Unfortunately, you have joined the inglorious example of the German government, which has
been clinging to a law that the national-socialist dictator Adolf Hitler had introduced more
than 60 years ago. Are you sure you want to emulate this inglorious example of totalitarian-
ism and unfreedom? We had thought that we had put these times behind us, which is the
reason why we are fighting against the injustice that German families experience when they
try to educate their children at home, outside of officially approved institutions.
All free, democratically constituted nations of the West recognize home-schooling as a legal
and legitimate alternative to state education; many actually support it financially. The suc-
cess that home-schooling can demonstrate in the intellectual development and socialization
of children is supported by scientific research as well as the experiences of, world-wide, sev-
eral million home-schoolers who are adults today. They are all well-educated citizens, who
are truly integrated in their respective countries.
Nowhere but in Germany—and now, unfortunately, Sweden—would anyone think that home-
schooling endangers the well-being of children. To the contrary: parents who have decided to
Vorstand Vorstand Vorstand
Jörg Großelümern Klemens Lichter Matthias Maisch
Am Hahnengraben 8 Untere Kippstr. 25 A Teckstr. 8
90592 Schwarzenbruck 69198 Schriesheim 72639 Neuffen
Home Education in Sweden Page 2 of 3
home-school their children are often well-educated themselves and responsible individuals
who are concerned to offer the best education they can to their children. For these aims,
these parents make substantial sacrificies. They dedicate effort, time and money, and any
nation could be proud of such parents who epitomise like few others intact, healthy and sta-
ble families.
May I remind you on this occasion that the U.N. special rapporteur for education Professor
Vernor Munoz de Villalobos said the following about home-schooling at his visit in Germany
in 2007:
According to reports received, it is possible that, in some Länder, education is understood
exclusively to mean school attendance. Even though the Special Rapporteur is a strong ad-
vocate of public, free and compulsory education, it should be noted that education may not
be reduced to mere school attendance and that educational processes should be strength-
ened to ensure that they always and primarily serve the best interests of the child. Distance
learning methods and home schooling represent valid options which could be developed in
certain circumstances, bearing in mind that parents have the right to choose the appropriate
type of education for their children, as stipulated in article 13 of the International Covenant on
Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. The promotion and development of a system of public,
government-funded education should not entail the suppression of forms of education that do
not require attendance at a school. In this context, the Special Rapporteur received com-
plaints about threats to withdraw the parental rights of parents who chose home schooling
methods for their children.
That the necessary measures should be adopted to ensure that the home schooling system
is properly supervised by the State, thereby upholding the right of parents to employ this form
of education when necessary and appropriate, bearing in mind the best interests of the child;
(Report Mission on Germany)
In addition, I’d like to remind you of article 2 of the First Additional Protocol of the European
Human Rights Convention, which states the following:
No person shall be denied the right to education. In the exercise of any functions which it
assumes in relation to education and to teaching, the State shall respect the right of parents
to ensure such education and teaching in conformity with their own religions and philosophi-
cal convictions.
Please also consider Article 26 of Universal Declaration of Human Rights
(3) Parents have a prior right to choose the kind of education that shall be given to their chil-
dren.
Therefore, I want to urge you to reconsider and to rescind your plans to prohibit home-
schooling in Sweden. A prohibition of home-schooling would mean a regression into dark,
pre-democratic times and a violation of the wording and the spirit of the Declaration of Uni-
versal Human Rights, the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union and the
meaning of the very terms democracy and freedom in the Western world.
An effective system of education thrives on variety and alternatives. Limiting the range of
possible forms of education—in the worst case to a school in which attendance seems to be
the highest value—is a regrettable step back of which the results can be observed here in
Germany.
In addition, I want to urge you to ensure that Christer and Annie Johannson will get their son
back, that the right of custody will be placed back into the parents’ hands and that the family
will be permitted to leave Sweden to India or any country of their choice. The international
Home Education in Sweden Page 3 of 3
home-school movement, which has several million members world-wide, is watching with
deep concern on what is happening in Sweden in general and with the Johannson family in
particular.
I look forward to your response.
Yours sincerly
Jörg Großelümern
Netzwerk Bildungsfreiheit
Network Freedom in Education
Board of Directors
