A distortion of normalcy

That is the term. A distortion of normalcy. When something absolutely unacceptable happens so many times it eventually turns normal.

Some weeks ago i watched a Swedish documentary - The Scapegoats - about some kids at a Swedish school making so much trouble they got suspended from school. The very minister of education made a statement out of this - explaining there must be law and order in the school and that he would never - ever - accept such a behaviour.

The documentary is very sensible - almost handcrafted. A necessity not to infect the situation even more. Providing a background to all the headlines. Continuous iterations giving a picture of disappointed immigrant families who see the Swedish education as weak. Corporal punishment is seen as the universal and only way to raise children. Stunningly unaware of the fact that their children fight the worst.

All through the documentary I am fascinated by these incredibly well-spoken and bright kids. Constantly with violence in the air. Recognise them so well from the suburbs where I have been working and lectured. So much love so much hate.

If one - instead of turning them into something as self-fulfilling as scapegoats - would channel their energy in a more positive direction - we would have the most well-functioning and multifaceted society. Even the king spoke on this in his yearly christmas speech. If he sees it - why can not their own principal see it. Or the minister of education.

The question appearing clearer by every minute is why these pupils - so empathetic on the camera - are so completely different in school. Why do they feel so left out. Why do they use violence. Why. Maybe because they do not feel the respect love confidence space they deserve. Maybe because they are not treated in the same way as ethnically Swedish children.

The psychologist in the show speaks about a distortion of normalcy. What is normal in an ordinary Swedish villa suburb with a majority of ethnic Swedes - is no longer normal here. In a villa suburb the slightest slap would be reported. Here the principle says jesus we cannot run around reporting all the time. The normalcy is another one. Within the very same Swedish society.

With that insight I listen to the principals weak objections that it is impossible to argue with convinced people - ie the immigrants with a so called different culture. Or - maybe even worse - that she sees no connection whatsoever between violence at home and kids fighting. Or that she does not see a future for these children. It hurts so bad.

After listening to negotiations in the UN - where Sweden is a leading country regarding children's participation and the abolition of corporal punishment - I feel totally devastated by this documentary. And to hear the minister of education being so ignorant. It hurts even worse.

The documentary will be on the net for some more days - but unfortunately in Swedish only.