Today there is a discussion on Swedish publicly funded radio regarding violence in the schools which has increased during the last years. The discussion is between a teacher and some managing director.
The teacher is very upset because he believes the director think that it is the teacher's responsibility to make sure that the schools are a violence-free place. The teacher states that his duty is to create and facilitate lessons and teach the students. Not to make sure they don't rob each other. Not to make sure that the students don't stab each other. Not to make sure that they don't shoot each other.
Because this happens in the Swedish schools - a lot because of the last year's irresponsible immigration policies. I agree with the teacher, it's not their job to police the children, or at least, it should not be.
In Sweden school is mandatory for children below 15 years of age, and it's also a right to every child to have the possibility to go to school. But when that right is in conflict with the other children's rights to NOT be robbed, stabbed or shot, we have to change something.
Let me give some easy suggestion that could ease this matter. Let's call it "Zero Tolerance against crime in school.", sounds like that is obvious? It's not. Today we give our little friends a second-, a third-, a fourth chance and so on.
Instead, let's do like this.
- If a child is committing a minor crime (stealing some cheap thing, getting into a fight, threating someone in anger), give them a warning and exclude them from school for a couple of days. If it happens again, expel the student from school forever and let the students parents take care of the education.
- If the crime severely, expel the student without warnings.
It can and should not be the school's task to handle and take care of criminals, and we have to be very clear that it is not ok to harm your fellow students. There are no excuses and the victimization of these small gangsters must stop. Of course, it's hard to come from Somalia or Aghganistan to this cold country up in the north, but if that does not fit you, you are free to take the boat back. It does not matter who you are, you simply do not harm your fellow citizens and there are no excuses.