Updated 22:37 | Published 20:57
“Take, and win, all conflicts” – is the new watchword for schools in Kalix municipality. But the new way of working – which has been shown to include restraint and punishment – has been strongly criticized by both parents and educators. The municipality held a crisis meeting on Monday and is now pausing the method.
It has been noisy at the schools in Kalix municipality for a long time – something that has caused the municipality to hire a consultant. With the help of the so-called “Take, and win, all conflicts” method, the pedagogues should keep things calm in the classrooms.
But both parents and educators now testify that the method also means “unjustified” restraints – not least for students with different diagnoses. – They say outwardly that they do not work with restraints and violence, other than if the student is considered a danger to himself or others, an employee tells NSD and adds how he himself witnessed parts of a restraint: – I understand that the student was disturbing because he did, but not that the student was dangerous to anyone so he needed to be pulled out, and then held down by several adults in a separate room.
During the Monday evening, the education committee held an extra meeting and then decided to pause its cooperation with the consultant. – We have had a review of what is happening based on the concerns that have come and received a description of what the working method entails. It is a joint committee that is behind the decision that we pause the collaboration with the consultant pending an investigation of the work so far. It is not a single event behind the decision, it is the overall picture of the situation that was decisive, says Viktoria Wikström (S), chairman of the board of education, to NSD, on Monday evening.
Punishments are also said to occur through a system where students receive stripes when they make mistakes. The stretch is in turn converted into minutes of sitting. Social media also abound with pictures of various agreements with rules that the student undertakes to follow through his signature.
“Take, and win, all conflicts” method:
The so-called “Take, and win, all conflicts” method has been used in the municipal school operations in Kalix municipality since May this year. The working method aims to “improve the learning environment for all students with clear leadership, consequences, and encouragement”. For his help, a consultant has been hired, with experience from Storvretskolan in Botkyrka in Stockholm, which had major problems with disruptive students. Director of Education Charlotte Sundqvist has previously explained to NSD that school staff are allowed to intervene physically against students who are violent, but it must be as mild as possible and for as short a time as possible. It must not take place for punitive purposes or constitute abusive treatment. An example is that the teacher can grab the student’s arm and lead him out of the classroom – a possibility that, according to her, has also existed before.
The information has sparked debate on social media, and Kalix municipality was recently reported to the Ombudsman, JO, by a private person. Over the weekend, complaints and criticism reached the municipality, which led to the board of education calling for an extra meeting on Monday evening. Chair Viktoria Wikström (S), says that the situation is complex. – We have currently reduced it to a handful of people who have had a negative experience, while the vast majority have been very positive and responded well to the working method, she says and adds: – But when this type of information reaches us, we have to investigate what has happened. If there is a risk that children may have been harmed, then we have to take it very seriously and look at it straight away, hence this special meeting tonight.
Kalix head of school Charlotte Sundqvist has called the municipality’s board of education to a meeting on Monday evening.
Does this new method involve holding children?
– Not that I know of. But we have requested all of this and will go through with it. After that, I will have more information about what this criticism is based on.
But testimonies say so, right?
– It may happen that in the case of repeated reprimands, you have had to take a child out of the classroom and that in that sense you have had to act physically. But it’s nothing like the method it sounded on social media.
Are these “agreements” also part of the method?
– It is true that there are a few such, but it is not a contract but an agreement similar to those that can also be made orally.
How do you view the criticism?
– You can always guess that there will be those who do not like changes, but we did not expect this reaction. But now, as I said, we have to look and see if there is anything in this that is justified.
Do you feel safe with the method?
– So far I have done it, but as soon as someone raises the alarm about concerns for children, we have to take it seriously.