SVT revealed that reports of violence at primary and middle schools have increased by 60 percent and that there are very serious incidents of violence. Teachers have also testified about a culture of silence, where incidents of violence are not reported to the responsible authority, the Swedish Work Environment Agency.
During a meeting with the government on Wednesday, the union of Sweden’s teachers submitted a list of demands to the government, where they want increased coordination between authorities such as the police, social services, the School Inspectorate and the Public Health Agency regarding violent students, something the union calls an “authority alliance”.
– The municipalities do not take responsibility. We demand that actors at the national level now take responsibility urgently and immediately. It is important that we take a comprehensive approach, says Anna Olskog.
The union also wants a maximum ceiling on children’s groups and more money. With regard to the requirements for funding, Education Minister Lotta Edholm (L) refers to the targeted state grants available for smaller teaching groups. On the other hand, she is positive about the “authority alliance” proposed by the union.
– It is a very interesting proposal. In general, we need to collaborate more around students who are outgoing, she says.
The union also demands state-run emergency schools for disruptive students who need to be taken out of regular education. Such schools have already been started by municipalities and independent schools in various places in the country. The Minister of Education is cautiously positive about state-run emergency schools.
– That is an interesting thought. We have it today for other types of students and it would be a completely new idea to start additional special schools for acting out students, says Lotta Edholm.
New investigation into dark speech
The Minister of Education will give the Swedish National Agency for Education the task of investigating the dark matter of violence against teachers and what obstacles there are to reporting.
– Teachers have been fired when they have told about violence. I don’t want to see that anymore, says Lotta Edholm.
But the union believes that the government is underestimating the problem.
– Teachers are so overwhelmed and overworked that they don’t have time to report. Then the notifications can also get stuck at the principal level, so we need to have a true picture of the reality we find ourselves in, says Anna Olskog.