Põltsamaa school hires guards after repeated student disruptions

A small group of students has repeatedly disrupted order at Põltsamaa basic school since spring, prompting the local government to hire a security company and provide teachers with panic buttons, ERR reported.

The students entered the school building despite its closed doors, damaged rubbish bins, kicked doors, caused disturbances and made threats, principal Henry Kallaste said. Parents and teachers raised concerns about safety, and the school decided to bring in security guards.

Kallaste said hiring guards was a last resort after the school had spoken with the students and their parents and sought help from a psychologist, a social pedagogue and child protection services. Those efforts did not bring the desired results.

Aule Kink, executive director of the Estonian School Leaders Association, said other schools have also used guards temporarily, though such cases are rare. She said they involved situations where other measures had not solved the problem.

Kallaste said students could feel they faced no consequences for their actions. Sending a child to a closed institution requires a court order and is considered a last resort, he said.

Estonia has moved towards inclusive education, in which students with behavioural difficulties learn in the same schools as their peers. More than a decade ago, such students were sent to special schools more quickly.

Pille Nelis, a lecturer in inclusive education at the University of Tartu, said research shows that learning in diverse environments can benefit students’ academic results and social and emotional development. She said studies have not shown negative effects for either typically developing students or those who need additional support.

Gerly Lehtmets, who has worked as a teacher in several schools for nearly 10 years, said inclusive education has not been properly put into practice. She said attitudes that students who are different or difficult should be sent elsewhere prevent it from taking hold. Lehtmets also cautioned against shifting responsibility onto parents, teachers or education policy.