Visit Sweden To Help Homeschoolers There

Swedish homeschoolers are asking for support and help to keep homeschooling legal there. In particular, Jenny Lantz, one of the organizers I've been in touch with, has asked that the following letter be shared with American homeschoolers. I hope some who read it will be able to fly to Sweden and stand in solidarity with them. I am not able to attend in person, but I hope to make a virtual appearance via Skype to help rally the troops. Here is the letter:

Dear homeschoolers in America!

As you may already know, the Swedish Government is suggesting a school law that would effectively ban legal homeschooling in Sweden with increased penalties, including prison, creating a German-like homeschooling situation in Sweden. The current Swedish centre-right government is going in the opposite direction from the rest of the world where home education is growing. This is a dangerous development for all homeschooloers in Europe, as Sweden is often held as an example of the perfected social  state.

The Swedish Association for Home Education (Rohus) wants to stop this law. That possibility may only be four members of parliament away.  But we need your help. The Swedish Parliament will discuss the proposed law on June 21 and the vote will be made on June 22. We want to make those two days an international manifestation for the right to home school and also make it the start of a European Network of Home Education, which can bring the issue to a European level.

Swedish home educators are seasoned after years of struggle with today's permissive but extremely restricted-as-implemented school law. We go to court, fight fines and go in exile now and then. During the last year the Rohus board has lobbied for home education at the National Parliament level.  Politicians who meet with us get a whole different view of home education.
 
If we do not manage to stop the law in June, we believe we need to approach the European level, which requires us to form a network with other European Home Education Associations. If we win we still want to support this effort to make homeschooling permitted throughout the European Union, which is the best safe guard for all of us.

Please respond to our invitation if you can. We are working to find youth hostel-type living situations in Stockholm during June 20-23, so that you can help us meet our Members of Parliament with flyers, speeches and personal meetings throughout the two days and help form the European Network for Home Education.

Rohus is a politically and religiously unaffiliated organization, formed two years ago  when we realized political struggle was necessary; see our English  homepage:
http://www.rohus.nu/?English_information

Contact Jenny Lantz, adminstrative manager  for practical details about joining us in Sweden: jenny@rohus.nu or contact Jonas  Himmelstrand, President: jonas@rohus.nu

Warm regards

Jenny  Lantz, Rohus