One in five secondary school teachers fear that students will bring weapons to school, according to a new survey by the Swedish Teachers’ Union. In middle and upper secondary schools, one in ten teachers is worried.
The survey was conducted between April and May this year, with responses from 3,198 randomly selected teachers from after-school programs, preschool classes, primary schools and upper secondary schools. It shows that more than half of middle and high school teachers were concerned about students who were violent toward other students in the past year. In addition, more than one in three primary school teachers fully or partially agree that there is a problem with teachers being exposed to threats and violence from students.
In middle and upper secondary schools, one in ten teachers have been concerned about a student bringing a weapon to school in the past twelve months. In high schools, one in five teachers have worried for the same length of time.
– The concern changes according to what happens in the environment, it leaves its mark, Robin Smith, vice-president of the Swedish Teachers’ Association, told the Bonnier newspaper DN.
Last week, a pupil at a school in Trångsund was shot by another pupil. The student survived but was seriously injured, and a 15-year-old boy is now in custody on suspicion of attempted murder and aggravated weapons offenses. The state’s school safety investigator, Jonas Trolle, says it’s not surprising that teachers are concerned as gang violence creeps down the age scale.
– The guys running around with guns are in school somewhere, he tells the newspaper.
