A teacher in Boden who was reported to the police after intervening with a student will avoid a legal process. The prosecutor finds that the teacher acted within the framework allowed by the Education Act and supports the principal’s decision to let him remain at work during the entire investigation.
The case sparked strong reactions from parents earlier this year following reports that the teacher had allegedly put a student in a chokehold and dragged him across the floor during a fight in a classroom at a school in Boden.
According to the student’s classmates, the teacher used more force than the situation required when removing the disruptive student from the classroom. Despite the subsequent police report, principal Karin Öberg chose not to suspend the teacher.
The principal questioned the witness statements – and was proven right
After the incident, the school’s leadership carried out their own interviews with students and guardians. According to Karin Öberg, the testimonies did not support the claims of a chokehold or excessive force. Therefore, the school chose to let the teacher continue teaching while the police investigation was ongoing.
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The decision was met with criticism from parents who demanded that the teacher be suspended until the matter was investigated.
– I understand those who want the teacher to be suspended, but they don’t bear employer responsibility. It’s nerve-wracking for teachers – they are scrutinized not just by those directly involved but by so many others, said Karin Öberg at the time.
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The police investigation is now closed. District prosecutor Elin Björkén in Luleå has decided to drop the preliminary investigation.
– We have decided to drop the investigation as no crime has been committed. This is not a case of insufficient evidence to prove a crime, but rather that the teacher handled the classroom situation in a way the Education Act allows, says Elin Björkén.
The teacher, who at the time of the incident was newly qualified, now works at another school.