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Is the Child at Home the One at Risk of Being Excluded from the Community?
🇳🇴 Norway /Culture & Society

Is the Child at Home the One at Risk of Being Excluded from the Community?

From Aftenposten · () Norwegian

Translated from Norwegian, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

Opinion Sources not specified New plan
  • A proposal suggests schools can temporarily place students outside their regular groups for up to four weeks to address behavior impacting classmates or learning.
  • The proposal aims to help vulnerable students struggling with self-esteem and emotional regulation, offering them support within the classroom.
  • Foster parents argue that removing children would confirm their feelings of worthlessness and increase their sense of exclusion.

A proposal from Norway's Ministry of Education suggests schools could temporarily remove students from their regular groups for up to four weeks, renewable once, if their behavior disrupts classmates' safety, the school environment, or learning. This measure would not require student or parental consent and bypasses the neighborhood school principle and group affiliation rules.

The proposal, however, has drawn criticism for not addressing the underlying causes of disruptive behavior, such as adverse childhood experiences or emotional regulation difficulties. The authors, identifying as foster parents to a child affected by neglect, argue that children exhibiting such behaviors often suffer from low self-esteem and a lack of mastery, leading them to seek negative attention.

No child wants to destroy for others. Children want to belong to a community.

— Anonymous foster parentsExpressing the fundamental desire of children to be part of a group, countering the idea of isolating disruptive students.

They share their foster child's experience, detailing disruptive behavior in class, including inappropriate language, wandering, and conflicts with staff and peers. Despite these challenges, the child remained in the regular class, receiving tailored support, learning to apologize, experiencing acceptance, and developing a sense of belonging. This inclusive approach, they argue, is crucial for building self-worth and fostering positive social interactions.

The foster parents contend that removing their child from the classroom would reinforce feelings of worthlessness and exclusion, making reintegration extremely difficult. They believe that instead of isolation, these vulnerable students need help understanding their own reactions and building self-esteem. The article emphasizes that inclusion is paramount, especially for children who feel they don't belong, and that skilled teachers can provide the necessary care and clear boundaries within the existing classroom structure.

If the school had decided that our foster child should be referred to another school for a period, we are quite sure that they would have thought: 'That's what I knew – I am someone who only ruins things for others, I don't belong in the class, I have no value.'

— Anonymous foster parentsIllustrating the potential negative psychological impact of temporary exclusion on a vulnerable child.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Aftenposten in Norwegian. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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