Renewed attack on Christian schools by Swedish Social Democrats
Christian school in Visby. Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson held her press conference in front of the building. Photo Mittvisby
Northern Europe
Christian schools in Sweden cannot exist in peace. Recently, the Prime Minister of the country, Magdalena Andersson, held a press conference in which she again criticised denominational schools. She proposes even tighter regulations which will hit the schools financially and limit their expansion.
If it were up to Andersson, Christian schools could no longer take dividends and make a profit, Vårt Land reports. During the press conference in Visby, Andersson said that independent schools earn billions of crones yearly. According to her, that enlarges the social differences in society and prevents children from getting a better education. "The pursuit of profit and fragmentation of the school drives segregation", the Prime Minister said.
In addition, Andersson claimed that independent schools give their students so-called "joy grades," which are higher than they are supposed to be. That is reported by Världen iDag. In short, denominational schools should not exist, is Andersson's conclusion. Therefore, she announced that the government would draft a proposal prohibiting the founding of new denominational schools.
However, Swedes fear this is not the final round of restrictions that the Prime Minister wants to implement for independent schools. According to them, it has become evident that the government's goal is to ban all denominational schools, including those that already exist. Andersson herself says that the purpose of her proposed regulations is to "regain democratic control over welfare."
No majority in Parliament
However, it is questionable whether the proposals of the Social Democrats will make it through Parliament. There does not seem to be a majority for her plans. About that, Andersson says: "I know that there is a strong support for this among the Swedish people, but not in the Swedish Parliament."
That statement is risky, critics of the Prime Minister said. "It is dangerous to separate the people's will from the elected representatives."
Bible text
Another remarkable fact is that Andersson held her press conference in front of the entrance of a Christian school. All the time she criticised, there was a Bible text behind her: "The fear of God is the beginning of wisdom" (Psalm 111:10). It was noted by several people, among whom Jacob Rudenstrand from the Swedish Evangelical Alliance on Twitter.
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