Oslo teachers on self-defence courses to deal with student conflicts

Fighting.Photo: Sara Johannessen / SCANPIX

Teachers at Stovner Videregående Skole (High School/Upper School) are taking a course in dealing with student conflicts. The Educational Federation believes it could create a false sense of security.

 

The school in Oslo has suffered a number of cases of fighting, threats and vandalism wrote Dagsavisen newspaper, and the principal has decided that all teachers must be trained in the school area.

In order to better cope with potentially violent students, employees have completed a one and a half hour course in martial arts techniques.They learn how to protect themselves with their hands, stand more steadily when pushed and avoid dangerous rises in the conflict situation. According to the newspaper, the guards who were during the last school year were present to watch the school have now gone.

The Education Federation’s contact person for videregående schools in Oslo,Odd Erling Olsen, believes it is a deeply worrying step to put teachers into a potentially dangerous situation that they do not have the skills or experience to deal with. He further doubts that a course of this kind is enough to handle situations with problem students.

Olsen also warned all teachers against physical intervention against students,as it may potentially mean losing their jobs.

“It seems that there is an expectation that teachers will have to use physical means of power towards students. It can put teachers in a very difficult situation in view of Section 9A of the Education Act, which states that students should not experience physical violence,” said Olsen.

 

© NTB scanpix / #Norway Today