The Lundsberg school 'iron scandal': a timeline
The Local Sweden - [email protected]
Published: 8 Jan, 2014 CET.
Updated: Wed 8 Jan 2014 11:33 CET
A timeline of the scandal at prestigious Swedish boarding school Lundsberg, where pupils used a hot iron to scald a newly enrolled student in a hazing ritual.
Lundsberg school, alma mater to Prince Carl Philip, has seen its share of publicity following "ritualistic" attacks on new students. In 2012, students told of being forced into oral sex and one student in 2011 reported having their nipples burned with an electric fly swatter. Here, we follow the timeline of the iron "branding" attack that took place at the start of the 2013 fall term, as well as its repercussions on the school and the students involved. 2013 August 24th: Two newly enrolled students, aged 14 and 15, are attacked by nine other students in the school's dorms, with one of the victims burned on his back with a steaming iron. He was hospitalized. August 28th: Sweden's Schools Inspectorate (Skolinspektionen) demands Lundsberg be closed down temporarily. Later that night, the school's principal of ten years, Staffan Hörnberg, is sacked and the entire board resigns as news of the scandal continues to spread, making echoes around the world. September 9th: The school reopens after a court reverses the decision of the School Inspectorate. November 19th: Nine students, all born in 1995, and one school employee are charged for their involvement in the iron hazing incident. The students were charged with making illegal threats, with two additionally charged with causing actual bodily harm (vållande till kroppsskada). The employee, the school's house supervisor, was charged for complicity as he knew about the having plan and had allowed it. November 22nd: The Administrative Court of Appeal rules that the School Inspectorate was wrong to close the school, and lacked the authority to make such a move in the first place. December 11th: Sweden mulls sweeping reforms at all three of the country's national boarding schools, potentially stripping them of state subsidies and banning them from charging tuition fees. Education Minister Jan Björklund says the hazing scandal did not influence the government move. 2014 January 6th: The charged students and employee stand trial. Education Minister Jan Björklund says that students should feel safe at boarding schools both inside and outside the classrooms. June 25th: Sweden's Supreme Administrative Court rules that the school inspectorate was right to close the school.
Comments
See Also
Lundsberg school, alma mater to Prince Carl Philip, has seen its share of publicity following "ritualistic" attacks on new students. In 2012, students told of being forced into oral sex and one student in 2011 reported having their nipples burned with an electric fly swatter.
Here, we follow the timeline of the iron "branding" attack that took place at the start of the 2013 fall term, as well as its repercussions on the school and the students involved.
2013
August 24th: Two newly enrolled students, aged 14 and 15, are attacked by nine other students in the school's dorms, with one of the victims burned on his back with a steaming iron. He was hospitalized.
August 28th: Sweden's Schools Inspectorate (Skolinspektionen) demands Lundsberg be closed down temporarily. Later that night, the school's principal of ten years, Staffan Hörnberg, is sacked and the entire board resigns as news of the scandal continues to spread, making echoes around the world.
September 9th: The school reopens after a court reverses the decision of the School Inspectorate.
November 19th: Nine students, all born in 1995, and one school employee are charged for their involvement in the iron hazing incident. The students were charged with making illegal threats, with two additionally charged with causing actual bodily harm (vållande till kroppsskada). The employee, the school's house supervisor, was charged for complicity as he knew about the having plan and had allowed it.
November 22nd: The Administrative Court of Appeal rules that the School Inspectorate was wrong to close the school, and lacked the authority to make such a move in the first place.
December 11th: Sweden mulls sweeping reforms at all three of the country's national boarding schools, potentially stripping them of state subsidies and banning them from charging tuition fees. Education Minister Jan Björklund says the hazing scandal did not influence the government move.
2014
January 6th: The charged students and employee stand trial. Education Minister Jan Björklund says that students should feel safe at boarding schools both inside and outside the classrooms.
June 25th: Sweden's Supreme Administrative Court rules that the school inspectorate was right to close the school.
Join the conversation in our comments section below. Share your own views and experience and if you have a question or suggestion for our journalists then email us at [email protected].
Please keep comments civil, constructive and on topic – and make sure to read our terms of use before getting involved.
Please log in here to leave a comment.