Facts: Herlufsholm
The boarding school Herlufsholm was founded on 23 May 1565, then as a school “for the children of noble and honest men”. It is thus Denmark’s oldest boarding school.
It was not until 1966 that girls were allowed to study at school, but only as day students. It was not until 1985 that girls were also allowed to become boarding students.
Today, students from grade 6 and up, including high school, go to school.
Source: DR
“We are deeply shaken by the testimonies that have emerged about Herlufsholm recently. We have also been clear that we as parents of children at the school expect the school to do what is necessary to correct the unacceptable conditions.”
This is what Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Mary write in a statement at the Danish court website where they say that the picture painted by the prestigious school makes them look for new schools for their children.
Revealing reportage
The announcement is the latest development in the serial about Herlufsholm that has imprisoned Denmark in recent weeks.
A digging report on Danish TV2 in early May changed the image of the school, one of Denmark’s most prestigious. Then former students revealed that there is bullying, sexual abuse and violence at the boarding school outside Næstved on Zealand.
In a report last week from the authority Board for Education and Quality, the school received harsh criticism for “not living up to its responsibility for student well-being”.
“Extreme press”
This led to the school’s entire board resigning, and on Sunday it was announced that Prince Christian and Princess Isabella will not show up at the autumn call. The 16-year-old prince already goes to school high school and his one year younger sister Isabella would have started ninth grade there this fall.
The Crown Prince and Crown Princess hope instead “that the school will now have more peace to implement necessary changes and succeed in creating a culture where everyone can thrive and feel safe”.
They (Frederik and Mary) have been exposed to extreme pressure from the public, in a way they have never been before. It has been exceptionally difficult for the Danes to understand why Prince Christian and Princess Isabella would go to a school so burdened with bullying, violence and abuse, says court reporter Jacob Heinel Jensen to DR.