School staff have long complained about problems keeping calm in the classroom. Many have also told about the lack of opportunity to intervene against misbehaving pupils in the current Education Act. New figures also show that violence against teachers is increasing sharply. – It has happened that I have had to take the class out with me because the student has remained in the classroom and I have not been able to remove that person. That’s what teacher Espen Dalberg says at Bråtejorde school in Lillestrøm. The teachers at Bråtejord school believe that greater opportunity to intervene physically will provide a calmer and better learning environment. From left: Carianne Sivertsen, Are Nerem, Espen Dalberg Photo: Trond Lydersen / news He is positive about the new signals from the government. For now, Education Minister Kari Nessa Nordtun and the government will give teachers the opportunity to intervene more often than before. Intervene physically This means that the teachers must be able to intervene when a student verbally bullies other students. They must also be able to intervene when pupils spoil the teaching for the whole class. In May, former knowledge minister Tonje Brenna (Ap) sent out proposals for rules on the prevention of injury and the use of physical intervention in the new Education Act for consultation. – In light of the consultation input that has come in, we have seen a need for a proposal that deals with employees’ ability to intervene in the event of verbal attacks on others, or in the event of disruptions in teaching that disrupt the students’ learning environment and employees’ working conditions, says Nordtun. Therefore, an additional hearing will be sent out shortly. – What can you do then, if you are a teacher? – What is on the table now and which the Storting must decide on, is whether teachers should be able to do to their pupils the same as parents would have the opportunity to do to their children, she replies. Education Minister Kari Nessa Nordtun and the government give teachers the opportunity to intervene more often than before. Photo: William Jobling / news The student organization: – A threat Contact teacher Carianne Sivertsen at Bråtejordet school believes that the proposal to be able to intervene physically against students is high time. – I think it’s nice that they know that we can actually do something. That we don’t just stand there as we have done for many years, almost bound hand and foot and unable to touch them. And they just say: “you can’t touch me, you can’t touch me”. Just over a year ago, the school closed for two days after noise and fireworks indoors. Since then, the school has gained several additional employees. Now adviser Are Nerem tells about a much better learning environment. Nevertheless, he believes new rules are necessary. – I feel that many students today leave here and have suffered because it has been too poor a learning environment. This leads to poorer grades. They may not get into the education program they are supposed to, he says. The student organization, on the other hand, is not positive. – I don’t think this is the right way to build healthy attitudes in the students, says head of the student organization Petter Andreas Lona. Petter Andrea Lona, leader of the Student Organization Photo: Hanna Baarøy He fears that situations may arise where teachers harm students. – The fact that the teacher should be given greater opportunities to throw students out of the classroom is, in that case, perceived as a threat. Threatening students to behave is not the right way to go. Rather, you have to get them to behave educationally, says Lona. Høyre and Rødt positive – SV awaits Hege Bae Nyhold (Rødt) is head of the education and research committee at the Storting, and believes that measures other than giving teachers greater opportunity to intervene physically are necessary, but is positive about the measures that have been announced. – It is good that there are measures that give teachers legal certainty. But I have to see the full bill to conclude whether Rødt can support the proposal, says Bae Nyholt. She says that she receives weekly inquiries from teachers, pupils and parents about violence and unrest in the school. – It is important that the teacher is given legal certainty without undermining the pupil’s legal certainty, she continues. School policy spokesman in the Conservative Party and former education minister Jan Tore Sanner believes it is right and absolutely necessary to give teachers more opportunity to use force. – It’s about teachers’ legal security in demanding situations, says Sanner. However, SV finds it difficult to take a position on the proposal now. – SV believes it is important to listen to both teachers and pupils when it comes to legislative changes for schools, and is waiting to make a decision until proposals have been consulted, writes school policy spokesperson in SV, Grete Wold.
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Teachers should be given greater opportunity to intervene physically against pupils – news Norway – Overview of news from different parts of the country
