According to the School Act, a teacher has the right to intervene physically if a student disturbs the order, offends someone or is violent. The intervention must then be proportionate to the purpose. The aim in this case is to get the student to change their behavior and make things calm in the classroom.
But even if the law is now to be clearer, it is still the student who largely decides what constitutes abusive treatment.
– The law is based on a, to some extent, subjective assessment on the part of the student, says Maria Refors Legge in an interview in SVT’s Aktuell on Thursday.
Start the clip to see Maria Refors Legge explain whether a teacher is allowed to take a student by the arm according to the school law.