Swedish schools today are characterised by language problems, threats, dominant behaviour, and pupils who, according to certain teachers, do not accept female authorities. At the same time, school leadership withdraws out of fear of conflicts and accusations of racism.
That is the opinion of lower secondary school teacher Maria Liljedahl, who in an interview with Jonas Andersson from Samnytt describes how immigration, according to her, has fundamentally changed school culture.
Teacher Liljedahl in Köping, who is also a politician for the Sweden Democrats (Sverigedemokraterna, SD), explains how immigration has altered the culture in Swedish schools — not only linguistically and educationally, but also socially and hierarchically.
“I believe that a very large part of this concerns immigration. It has changed the culture in schools enormously,” she says.
Liljedahl believes that respect for the teaching profession has been severely weakened, and that certain forms of behaviour have become significantly more common in step with changes in the composition of pupils.
“One thing that one did not experience before, except perhaps among a few pupils, was this dominant behaviour that we are now seeing. And in that respect it is almost as though our pupils are becoming more exposed to it,” she says.
She also believes that this dominant behaviour is already visible in primary school.
Are Swedish pupils the ones most exposed to this dominant behaviour?
“Yes, it is Swedish pupils, but it is also Christian pupils from other countries. They have created a hierarchy. For us, this is very strange.”
Can one say that this is a Muslim dominant behaviour?
“Yes, exactly. But it does not apply to everyone. It depends somewhat on where one comes from and what sort of families they are.”
Many teachers describe that they are afraid of certain pupils and their families and clans — does she recognise that picture?
“There are a few cases here in Köping, but it is not as widespread as I have heard about in other places — and we nevertheless have a higher proportion of immigrants here than in other municipalities.”
Certain pupils have difficulty accepting female teachers. They can hang out of windows and shout “whore” at mothers who came to collect their children. Women are not respected.
Liljedahl also describes how language problems affect teaching far more than many outside schools understand. Not only in contact with parents, but in the actual acquisition of knowledge itself.
“One really has to think carefully about how one expresses oneself in order for it to be understandable to everyone. Sometimes one has to operate at a much lower level than one otherwise would have needed to,” she tells Samnytt.
As an example, she mentions how pupils lack basic frames of reference that were previously taken for granted. You are completely certain that everyone knows what a hedgehog is. Or which flower you are talking about. And then suddenly there are pupils sitting there who do not understand this.
The consequence is that teaching is simplified for the entire class. Even some who are born in Sweden can have an incredibly poor vocabulary.
“We become simpler in language. And that is not good. When we lower the level, it means that we cannot properly elevate other pupils.”
Catastrophic results for immigrant children: Every second 15-tear-old cannot read or count
She also describes how development discussions and acute situations become more difficult when parents do not speak Swedish.
“If there is an incident and one has to call quickly, then it is a problem. We are fortunate to have Arabic-speaking staff who help us sometimes, but if a school does not have those resources, then it is much worse,” she says.
At the same time, Liljedahl directs criticism at how Swedish schools and head teachers handle disciplinary problems. She believes that many adults withdraw out of fear of conflicts, complaints, or aggressive parents.
Concepts such as racism and Islamophobia are used routinely in the school environment — not as considered accusations, but as a way of striking back at authorities or avoiding responsibility for one’s own behaviour.
Liljedahl also believes that the current curriculum disadvantages boys and rewards qualities that girls generally develop earlier. The curriculum is also strongly ideologised.
If she herself were allowed to change the school system without regard for political correctness, the focus would lie on discipline, structure, and authority.
“I would first ensure that the status of the teaching profession was strengthened and that we regained more traditional classroom teaching,” she states.
She concludes with a comment on how far, in her opinion, the teaching profession has moved away from its original mission.
“Teachers should be allowed to be teachers and not engage in such nonsense,” Maria Liljedahl believes.