– It is very, very painful, says a worried mother. The teenage daughter has not been in school lately. – She has been home for the second week in a row, and the school seems to be perfectly fine, says the mother despairingly. A large group of parents is now sounding the alarm about the conditions at a secondary school in Sarpsborg. They have notified the school repeatedly, but feel they are not being heard. Now they fear for the children’s safety. news has chosen to anonymize both the school and the parents in this case. This is for the sake of the young people involved. The parents talk about violence, drugs and threats. They believe a group of students commits vandalism, shows pornographic films during recess and physically attacks fellow students. – They break glass and doors, they sell drugs at school and they smoke e-cigarettes, says a mother. – My daughter is going to a psychologist because of what is happening now. It really hurts the mother’s heart, says another guardian. A short time ago, a gym class was canceled because a group had vandalized the changing room. The incident affects the students. Photo: Screenshot Has notified the State Administrator A father who has two children at secondary school says that both children came home a short time ago with several injuries on their bodies. They were involved in a fight at school. The incident is said to have been filmed and shared on social media. – Minstemann refuses to go to school now. He is afraid and fears for his everyday life. I cannot accept that as a father. I am furious. More students are afraid to go to school. Photo: Rahand Bazaz / news The principal at the school does not take the situation as seriously as the parents. – We have deployed more teachers in the breaks, opened up more areas for physical activity and quiet zones. The teachers are also in closer dialogue with the students. If parents experience things that are inappropriate, they must notify us, she tells news. Director of education in Sarpsborg municipality, Erik Bråthen, on the other hand, acknowledges that there are problems at the school in question. – This is not how it should be at the schools in Sarpsborg. What is happening now is also a social problem, but we have a number of challenging young people. Here we have to find better solutions together with those involved, he says. The police confirm reports of concern Now the parents have had enough. They have notified the State Administrator in Oslo and Viken. They claim the school is not doing enough to improve the situation. “We have asked the headmaster to explain whether the school environment is safe and good for the pupils, but we have not received concrete answers. It is a very serious situation, which we see ourselves having to ask the State Administrator to investigate,” the letter says. One of the toilets at the school has been vandalised. Photo: Tipper The State Administrator does not wish to comment on the case, but the police confirm that they have received reports of concern relating to the school. – It is quite demanding work because there are children in the picture. We talk to them, to the parents and to the school. We are looking at this with the highest priority, says Kjetil Lunde, section leader at Sarpsborg police station. Teacher has left the school Several of the teachers at the school are now on sick leave. news has been in contact with several of them. They tell everyone that the situation at school is the background. One has chosen to quit his job. – You don’t feel safe in any way. I love being a teacher, but this doesn’t work, she says. She claims there are several schools in the district struggling with the same problem. – Several of the students carry knives, and some use scissors as knives. They have a very particular view of what a man should be, and it is very sad, she says. Director of education in Sarpsborg municipality, Erik Bråthen, says he is not aware of teachers being on sick leave because of the school environment. Hi! Do you have any tips on what my next case might be about? Send me an e-mail! I have written about this in the past, among other things:
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