Norwegian daily Aftenposten revealed an extraordinary bullying case in Oslo. A diplomatic family has moved to Norway one and half year ago. Their three children began public school in Oslo.
After a while, the younger son was not happy at his new school. He felt that he was not included, and some of the students harassed him.
The parents took the matter to the school management in the spring of 2013. The relevant unit investigated the case, but concluded that the boy was not bullied.
Nevertheless, problems continued. 12-year-old started to refuse to go to school, and parents had to force him. The school said the problem lays somewhere else in the boy’s life, and warned the family that the high absenteeism could lead them to engage child welfare into the matter.
After a while the bullying was more physical.
– It was pretty awful. They kicked and punched and choked me. And I have been beaten up a few times, said the boy.
The school did reconsideration. They observed the boy, and the management had meetings with tutors, school assistants and nurse. Yet they came to the same conclusion in February this year: The problem was not school.
The school leaders also felt the boy should be assessed by child and adolescent psychiatry. Even a teacher suggested he should begin doing karate.
These suggestions and evaluation angered the parents. They sought nevertheless psychiatry. Conclusion: The problems were related to the school situation.
The parents moved him to a smaller school, where class size is significantly smaller. The disadvantage is that the travel time can be up to one hour one way from Oslo.
– It’s easier to make friends here. Now I’m friend with everyone in the class, said the boy to Aftenposten.
The boy’s father wrote an article about the family’s experiences. He expressed how difficult it is to be taken seriously, despite the fact that all politicians are competing to show their commitment to eat against bullying.
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