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More than 2000 parents in Kärra, Säve and Torslanda have written protest lists against the chaotic school choice situation in the city. The students have been placed in schools they have not chosen, the children are being raised by their classmates and end up in schools with a long journey, despite having applied for admission to schools in the immediate area.
Appeals have come from parents, elementary school board politicians have been in a crisis meeting, and opposition politicians demand that the active school choice be suspended.
On Wednesday, a group of parents met with Nils Kaiser, acting head of the elementary school administration department, to hand out the lists and demand answers to their questions.
READ MORE: Protest lists against school choice: “Children cry for sleep”
Mathilda Jussila’s two youngest sons attend Hisings Kärra – Lillekärrskolan, but have now been told that their oldest daughter, who will start fourth grade, will be transferred to Lövgärdesskolan.
– It takes you an hour to get there, with three bus changes to get there. She feels really bad now, she is very worried, she says.
Sent between districts
Several parents testify of a similar situation, in which children are not allowed to go to school with their former preschoolers or classmates, and instead move from the immediate environment and where children are sent between different parts of the city. Some families have also chosen to settle in areas near the schools they saw in front of their children to attend.
– When you move to a district, you hope you can plan your life there and have your children in school there and not be sent to the other side of the city, or end up on the other side of the river, says Father Sebastian Andersson.
– If you don’t solve this, you can expect a massive escape from Gothenburg, says another parent.
READ MORE: Mass criticism of the Gothenburg school elections: “total failure”
Lina Molander Ekström says the family has always spoken of Bräckeskolan as “their school”, and that they chose a preschool for their son right next to the school so that he would be safe in that environment. Instead, the son is placed in the Shumila school.
– You are completely alone in your preschool to be placed in another school. You could never have imagined it would be like this. We are incredible people who are stressed and children who are sad throughout the city, ”she says.
Children cry on the teachers lap
Eva Aronsson Tegelberg, Kärraskolan teacher, tells about students who dream of nightmares about nights because they should not be together with their classmates and children who have become extroverts, even though they have not been before.
– It is horrible to see the children sitting and crying in the lap of the ladies. And all the conversations about development where parents try not to cry.
READ MORE: Crisis meeting after chaos surrounding school choice: “Must be corrected quickly”
She says the children’s social network is about going to school with their friends in the area, taking friends to school, or training after school, playing and moving around in the area where they live.
– We are going to disappoint children and society will fail children, she says.
750 appeals
So far, 750 appeals have been filed with the elementary school administration, says Nils Kaiser at the elementary school administration. He says they are now doing everything possible to resolve the situation as quickly as possible.
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Nils Kaiser, Acting Head of Department Authority, Elementary School Administration. Image: Anders Ylander
– It is unfortunate that it has become like this. It is nothing that we have planned or desired. We understand that there is a lot of frustration and irritation in the custodians.
How serious is that?
– Obviously, it’s serious. We will do our best to find a good solution for children, he says.
He says most have been given their first choice, but notes that the information does not help those who are trapped.
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