According to the Ministry of Education, there is currently uncertainty among school staff about when it is permissible to physically intervene with pupils. They therefore propose that this be legislated. – Norwegian schools must be a place where children and young people can develop in a safe community. The teachers in the classroom must be confident in what room for action they have when situations arise where students are in danger of harming themselves or others, says Minister of Education Tonje Brenna. In addition, rules are proposed on prevention and documentation, and reporting obligations if physical intervention is required. Can detain students The rules state that if you intervene physically, it must be suitable to prevent or limit the damage, and the way you intervene must be as short-lived and gentle as possible. For example, a teacher can hold students down to break up a fight, but the grip must not be stronger or last longer than is necessary to prevent injury, writes the Ministry of Education in a press release. Any form of physical force towards children that has the character of punishment is punishable. – Clearer rules will not in themselves solve the problems with disruptive behavior in school. But the rules will be one part of the solution in that it strengthens the legal certainty of pupils and staff in situations where it is necessary to intervene physically, says Brenna. Attacked with a hammer – I have experienced being attacked with a hammer, teacher Henriette Selnæs told news earlier this year. Teacher Henriette Selnæs believes the lack of consequences is one of the reasons why violence is increasing. Photo: Private Her student did not like the message she had given him. He got angry and went at her with the hammer. – I wringed it out of his hand, with the result that he bit my thumb, Selnæs said. Teachers in grades 1 to 10 have over four times the risk of being exposed to violence and threats compared to other occupational groups, according to a report from the Norwegian Institute of the Working Environment. A Sintef report from 2019 shows that 56 per cent of teachers were exposed to violence within a year. Henriette Selnæs believes the lack of consequences is one of the reasons why violence is increasing. – We have been deprived of all forms of consequences in the classroom for unacceptable behaviour, she told news. She received support from Bård Skåland, who has researched violence against teachers. – It may appear that the legislators have been very eager to secure the students’ rights at the expense of the teachers’ rights as employees, he told news. Now the Ministry of Education wants to clarify. Handal positive HAPPY FOR BILL: The Education Association’s leader Steffen Handal says he is excited about how the practice will be. Photo: William Jobling / news The Education Association has fought to get a clear set of regulations. – It is good that there will be a legal basis for this. The law will now state that a teacher can physically intervene and prevent damage to a person or object. There has actually been a legal void that has created uncertainty, says Steffen Handal, head of the Education Association, to news. Handal says he is excited about how the law will turn out in detail and how it will be implemented in schools. The ministry proposes: legislating that the municipality and the county council must ensure that the school works continuously and systematically to avoid situations arising that involve physical intervention against pupils. For private primary schools approved under the Education Act, the top management has this responsibility, and for schools approved under the Private Schools Act, the school’s board is responsible. to legislate that school staff can intervene physically against pupils to prevent injury to persons or substantial damage to property. to legislate that the physical interventions must be suitable to prevent or limit the damage in question and be as few, short-lived and gentle as possible. to legislate that the school must document incidents where physical intervention has been carried out with information on how the situation arose, how the intervention was carried out, and how the pupil views the matter. to legislate that employees who have intervened physically against a pupil must report it to the headmaster/day manager and that the headmaster/day manager must report it to the pupil’s parents. to legislate that the headmaster must report to the municipality or the county council when physical interventions have been carried out repeatedly or if the intervention is particularly serious. Principals in private primary schools approved under the Education Act must report to the school’s top management, and day-to-day managers at schools approved under the Private Schools Act must report to the school’s board.
ttn-69
Will legislate that teachers can intervene physically – news Norway – Overview of news from different parts of the country
