Swedish homeschooling tragedy: Boy held five years and kept from parents: Next FOT

Michael Donnelly

Dominic Johansson’s parents have not seen their son since November of 2010; they are being kept away by Swedish authorities because they homeschooled Dominic, who is now 14. Dominic’s parents, Christer and Annie Johansson were in the process of moving to India, Annie’s homeland, and were already seated on their aircraft when police and social workers boarded and took custody of Dominic.

Authorities initially said they took the boy because the family had been homeschooling. Later they changed their story to say the parents had been neglecting Dominic. In any event the case has wound its way through the Swedish court system and now, after being rejected by the European Court of Human Rights, the family is making one last stand in hopes that the Swedish Supreme Court will hear their case.

Joining Deacon Mike Manno and Gina Noll this week will be Michael Donnelly, staff attorney and director of Global Outreach for the Home School Legal Defense Association, who is working with European and Swedish attorneys to get the case before the Supreme Court.

Also Tuesday we’ll have our monthly visit from our media critic and former Des Moines Register reporter Todd Erzen.

Join Deacon Mike and Gina Tuesday at 9 a.m. (central) – rebroadcast at 9 p.m. – on Iowa Catholic Radio, 1150 AM; 88.5 & 94.5 FM, and streaming on IowaCatholicRadio.com.  

Faith On Trial is supported by Attorney Rick McConville, Coppola, McConville, Coppola, Carroll, Hockenberg & Scalise PC 2100 Westown Parkway, West Des Moines, 515-453-1055; Confluence Brewing Company – off the Bike Trail just south of Grey’s Lake, 1235 Thomas Beck Road where there is live entertainment in the tap room every Thursday, and Rob denHartog, Wealth Management Advisor at Northwestern Mutual Life, NW corner of 128^th Street and Hickman Rd, 515-210-4472.