One in three Danish teachers report abusive language from pupils

One in three teachers in Denmark’s municipal public schools say pupils used offensive language towards them in the past week, according to a survey reported by DR. Among those who experienced it, four in 10 said it happened daily or several times a day.

The survey was conducted by the education magazine Folkeskolen among members of the Danish Union of Teachers. One teacher quoted in the report described being told: “If you write home, I’ll smash you.”

Six in 10 teachers said pupils’ language had become harsher over the past five years, while nearly half said they faced abusive language more often than before. The survey also found that 84 per cent had heard comments described as undermining teachers’ authority, such as “You don’t tell me what to do” and “You’re a fucking idiot.”

Louise Klinge, an independent child and school researcher and member of the Children’s Council, said abusive language can leave teachers feeling powerless and make it harder to build positive relationships with pupils. Over time, it may also affect teachers’ job satisfaction.

Klinge said some children encounter abusive language and boundary-crossing content on screens, and that a lack of sleep can make it harder for them to control their behaviour. She said children should learn constructive ways to communicate from the first years of school, and added that responsibility should not rest solely with parents or individual teachers. Work on children’s social skills is part of the public school law, she said.

Teachers in lower grades reported slightly more cases of abusive language than teachers in the final years of school. The survey does not establish why teachers are experiencing this trend or whether pupils’ language has objectively become harsher over time.

Folkeskolen and the Danish Union of Teachers sent the questionnaire by email to 10,000 union members. They received responses from 1,901 teachers and kindergarten-class leaders, a response rate of 19 per cent. The results are based on teachers’ own experiences, and the survey notes that the low response rate means they should not be generalised to all public school teachers.