28 suspended after school closure

A fierce debate has erupted following the closure of a school in the southern town of Landskrona yesterday. Gustav Adolf School reopened on Friday amid calls for tighter discipline, more surveillance cameras and a new principal.

• School backtracks on language ban (25 Jan 07)
• 'Swedish only' at Landskrona school (20 Jan 07)
• Swedish schoolgirls strike over boys' taunts (15 Dec 06)

A series of disturbances have meant that six pupils will now be moved to other schools, while 22 others have been suspended for a week.

In December nine 15-year-old girls at the school went on strike after accusing male classmates of bullying. They say the boys used foul language, spat on them from a balcony and put sticky tape in their hair.

There have also been reports of boys urinating in girls' shoes, as well as threats and beatings on school premises.

When leftover fireworks from the recent new year's celebrations exploded inside the school on Thursday, health and safety representative Leif Paulsson ordered the school's immediate closure.

The Swedish Work Environment Authority was brought in before the turbulent day came to an end with a meeting for all parents.

"It was a good meeting, with several parents taking responsibility," said district manager Lisbeth Månsson.

Mecide Özer, who has two children at the school, was met with applause when she stressed the importance of parents talking to the their children.

"The home should be a school too. I think that parents can do a lot. They have to sit down and talk. Children maybe won't listen the first time but you have to try again," she said.

She explained that her children have long reacted strongly to fighting and fireworks at the school. The school has also taken up the issue in the form of letters sent to parents.

Local newspaper Landskrona Posten has been bombarded with web correspondence criticising both the school and the parents.

"Sort out your snot-nosed kids," wrote one anonymous respondent.

"I would like to see the school principal fired immediately," wrote a disappointed parent.