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EDUCATION

Teachers report sexism common in Swedish schools

A new survey shows that 73 percent of Sweden’s teachers feel they’ve experienced disturbing examples of sexism while on the job.

In addition, 58 percent of the teachers surveyed said that they hadn’t received adequate training or preparation in questions related to basic values.

Every fourth teacher also reports that they witnessed situations at school relating to racism, xenophobia, sexism and/or homophobia.

The results come from a study carried out by the Sifo polling firm on behalf of the National Union of Teachers (Lärarnas riksförbund) and published in an article by union chair Metta Fjelkner and Eva Swartz, head of the Natur & Kultur foundation, in the Dagens Nyheter (DN) newspaper.

Sifo conducted in-depth interviews with 500 elementary and high school teachers about their views on how schools deal with issues related to basic values.

Nearly 90 percent believe their own schools aren’t especially active and nearly one in three say the leadership at their schools aren’t actively engaged in questions of basic values.