Preschools that divide their activities according to target groups have become an increasingly common feature in municipal family policy. But these arrangements are now drawing fierce criticism. SD leader Mattias Karlsson argues that children are being discriminated against in public operations – and demands changes to the law to stop what he describes as an ideological shift in welfare institutions.

Open preschools are voluntary and free municipal activities aimed at supporting families with small children and creating social meeting places. In recent years, many municipalities, including Stockholm, have developed their services with special initiatives targeted at specific groups.

The motive has been said to be about reaching families who otherwise do not participate, for example migrants or so-called “rainbow families.” At the same time, these arrangements have sparked discussions about where the line is between targeted support and exclusive practices in public organizations.

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The issue touches on fundamental principles in municipal operations, where legislation and legal practice emphasize equal treatment of residents. Critics argue that welfare services funded by taxpayers should primarily be accessible to everyone.

Mattias Karlsson (SD): “Devastating for Community Cohesion”

Mattias Karlsson is a Member of Parliament for the Sweden Democrats and has previously served as group leader in the parliament and as interim party leader for a period in 2015.

Karlsson has long played a prominent role in the party’s strategic and ideological work, with a special focus on issues such as migration, cultural policy, and societal development. He is seen as a central voice in the party’s long-term political direction and public debate.

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He now directs strong criticism at how some open preschools are organizing their activities.

What do you consider to be the principled issue with this?

– My main principled objection is that it is wrong to exclude small children from school and socializing with others based on their sexual orientation or their parents’ country of birth. He continues:

– It would never be accepted if children of homosexuals or children of foreign-born parents were excluded from open preschool during certain days and times, so the opposite should not be tolerated either.

My wife and my daughter had the door shut in their faces and my daughter had to stand outside crying in -10 degrees and watch other children playing in the warmth inside, because her mom and dad were considered to have the “wrong” sexual orientation.

Mattias Karlsson (SD)

How do you think this type of division affects the view of equal treatment in public services?

– There is obviously no equal treatment in this area of public services right now.

What does this, in your opinion, say about how welfare institutions today interpret concepts like inclusion and equality?

– They clearly have a Marxist, Orwellian newspeak definition of these terms, where exclusion is seen as inclusion and discrimination is seen as equality.

In what way can targeted times or special target groups affect trust in the public system?

– It signals that people, even small children, have different value in the eyes of some authorities, and this is obviously ultimately devastating for trust and community in society.

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Karlsson believes that the highlighted cases are not isolated incidents but rather examples of a broader trend. He claims that he and his family have on several occasions encountered what he describes as discriminatory arrangements in open preschools. He emphasizes that these examples now being discussed may be signs of a much larger pattern.

If the current discrimination law does not protect children from being excluded from publicly funded activities on grounds such as their parents’ sexual orientation or country of birth, then this legislation obviously needs to be changed as soon as possible, or abolished completely.

Mattias Karlsson (SD)

At the same time, he links the issue to what he describes as an ideological shift in public institutions. Karlsson believes that what he calls “woke left identity politics” has gained increased influence in societal organizations and in how municipal services are shaped.

He further argues that the starting point for all preschool activity should be the children’s needs and perspectives. Preschools that, according to him, differentiate between children or families, he says, should not be entitled to continued public funding.

What political or legislative changes do you believe are needed to counter the kind of arrangement you are criticizing?

– If the current anti-discrimination law does not protect children from being excluded from publicly funded activities because of their parents’ sexual orientation or country of birth, then this law obviously needs to be changed as soon as possible, or abolished altogether. Karlsson continues:

– We certainly cannot have a selective discrimination law.

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What message do you think such arrangements send to parents and children regarding society’s view of community and belonging?

– Well, my wife and my daughter had the door closed in their faces and my daughter had to stand outside crying in -10 degrees and watch other kids play inside in the warmth, because her mom and dad supposedly had the “wrong” sexual orientation. The SD leader concludes:

– My trust has definitely been damaged by having to experience this, and I believe that most who go through the same thing feel similarly. It is naturally not good for the general sense of community and belonging.

Part of a Broader Debate

The debate about identity and focus in preschool activities is not new in Stockholm. When the “norm-critical” preschool Egalia in Södermalm was to be closed down in 2024, the decision met sharp criticism mainly from the Liberals and Centre Party.

Liberal opposition city councilor Jan Jönsson argued at the time that the city should instead have invested more in developing and highlighting LGBTQ activities, which he described as important for acceptance and inclusion efforts.

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The issue of targeted initiatives in welfare has for several years been a topic of political debate, not least regarding how the principle of equal treatment of services should be interpreted in practice. How open preschools are organized is largely decided at the municipal level, where local priorities can have major consequences.

Samnytt has reached out to those responsible within the preschool administration and relevant district administration but has not received a response.