High schools in Copenhagen report negative social control as party proposes expulsions

Several high schools in the Copenhagen area have documented cases of negative social control among students, according to reports obtained by Berlingske and reviewed by Danish broadcaster DR.

The incidents include harassment over clothing, alcohol, and smoking at Ørestad Gymnasium, as well as students at VUC Lyngby monitoring peers and judging who is a “good or bad Muslim,” the reports state. Maja Bødtcher-Hansen, chair of Danske Gymnasier (Danish High Schools), argues that schools cannot address the issue alone and calls for political action, including redistributing students to better reflect local communities.

In response, the Denmark Democrats party has proposed three measures to combat the problem. Party leader Inger Støjberg told Ritzau that students should be expelled for speaking any language other than Danish on school grounds, claiming this would allow teachers to monitor conversations. “If someone is so eager to speak Arabic, English, or German, they can do it at home,” Støjberg said.

The party also advocates for consistent expulsions of students engaged in negative social control and mandatory reporting when female students wear “Islamic headscarves.”