Chronicle, Drammen | Does a tragedy have to happen before violence in schools is taken seriously?

Violence and threats has become part of everyday school life for many students and teachers. How on earth are we going to end the spiral of violence in Norwegian schools?

It has been frightening reading about the situation in Drammensskolen through several reports in Drammens Tidende. And the same thing happens in many places: In January, Bråtejordet school in Strømmen in Lillestrøm municipality was closed by the conservation officer as a result of threats against teachers. Shortly afterwards, Tindlund secondary school in Sarpsborg had to close after a serious incident of violence, where, among others, a teacher was subjected to violence.

The issue of violence and threats in school are not new. Now this has become part of the everyday life of many of the country’s teachers. In a survey carried out by the Norwegian Working Environment Institute in 2021, it was found that one in four primary school teachers is exposed to violence and threats.

The Progress Party is strong concerned about the negative trend of violence and threats in schools. As a society, we cannot live with the fact that it is almost normal for teachers to be exposed to this, or for fellow pupils to have to go to school in fear of violence from fellow pupils.

This is both a working environment problem, a safety challenge, a management problem and an unacceptable lack of culture. In some cities, one of the reasons is integration problems, but the negative spiral of violence and threats in schools has grown far beyond the cities.

It’s ours responsibility as a society to act. If we put a lid on this topic and push it under the rug, it will continue to grow. The FRP has therefore put this on the agenda both nationally and locally by putting forward proposals for several measures, but unfortunately there is little support to be had from the other parties. One has to ask oneself whether a tragedy has to happen before the rest of the broad political environment wakes up.

In March suggested Drammen Frp in the chairmanship a reinforced investment against violence and bullying of NOK six million in the Drammen school. It was voted down. And Fremskrittspartiet recently tabled a representative proposal in the Storting to combat the wave of threats and violence in schools. It received little support from the other parties. It was only our proposal to obtain annual statistics on how many employees in schools are exposed to violence and threats that was adopted.

One of the suggestions which was voted down in the Storting was to ensure increased attention to classroom management in teacher education. We believe that would be a good measure to strengthen the teacher’s role as authority and leader in the classroom. Now it is the case that some students assume too much power, which means that the teachers can lose much of their authority.

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Many teachers believe they have limited authority and the opportunity to set limits and come up with reactions if pupils behave unacceptably. The FRP therefore also proposed extended powers for teachers to expel pupils. It should be the teacher who decides in the classroom, but then that person must actually be allowed to be the boss.

There is a need for a greater involvement of parents and guardians when their children commit serious acts such as threats or violence against teachers or fellow students. It is at home that children and young people are to a large extent shaped and taught what is right and wrong. It was liberating to read the article by teenage mother Anniken Inderdal in Drammens Tidende about the parental role and responsibility for raising and shaping the children to become adults, as well as her remark that the teacher must be allowed to bang his fist on the desk when enough is enough. I think many parents recognize the way she thinks and reasons in her post.

Furthermore, Frp believes follow-up teams should be considered at the most burdened schools. When we are faced with a problem on which we do not have the facts, we must dare to think anew to find out what works.

We must have prompt, clear and clear reactions when things get out of control and unacceptable and boundary-crossing actions occur. Violence and threats are unacceptable and have no place either in the classroom, in the schoolyard or during leisure time. Guidelines must be introduced for fixed routines regarding police reports from the school in the event of serious violence and threats that occur in a school context, and serious violations must have consequences.

The school must be a safe place for students who every day hopefully go there to learn – and to lay the foundations for their lives. Our commitment is equally great to the teachers, who use their time every day to make the classrooms important teaching arenas and safe social places for our children.

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