Former S-top wants to start folk high school against extremism

- We are afraid that there will be a political control of the course content and maybe also the students' films, says Johanna Bernhardson, teacher in film production at Gothenburg Folk High School.

Her concerns are rooted in the history of social democrat Ann-Sofie Hermansson, among others. As then chairman of the municipal council, Hermansson ended up in blustery weather last year when she joined and stopped a screening of the movie Burka songs 2.0 and a subsequent panel discussion. She said that the panel lacked veil opponents and was therefore one-sided and that the conversation gave way to extremists. The statement led to the designators suing her for slander.

- She may not have such a great reputation among cultural workers after that debate. You might not be very happy to hear this precisely for the reason that she controls a lot, says Johanna Bernhardson.

Ann-Sofie Hermansson (S) is the vice-chair of the Selma University Association, which, with its moderate chairman Lisbeth Sundén Andersson, has applied to take over the principal of Gothenburg University College from the Västra Götaland region. The plan submitted by the association states that they want to exchange up to a quarter of the courses and also leave the rest characterized by education in what are called democracy-related problems, such as honor structures and extremism. The changes would mainly apply to a special course that includes film education.

- For my part, I got seriously involved in this when Fadime's dad received a timed penalty. And now the gang crime - which is wreaking havoc everywhere - is also about honor. These are abusive young men, says Lisbeth Sundén Andersson (M).

- There's a lot to do here. We could interact with the rest of society, but it would also be for those who are interested and want to get involved in these issues, ”says Ann-Sofie Hermansson (S).

The two representatives of the Selma Folk High School Association claim that they understand the turmoil at the school, but say they have no plans to change the artistic education at first.

- Everyone has found themselves in workplaces where rumors of reorganization are beginning to be heard. There is always worry and turbulence. But we would like to calm those feelings. This is an extremely well-functioning folk high school, says Ann-Sofie Hermansson (S).

Can you guarantee that there will be no kind of reorganization and that no one who works at the school will now get rid of the job?

- If they do not themselves ... You can never say that people want to do the same things, it's a bit up to the school's own staff. But we need competent and experienced staff, says Ann-Sofie Hermansson (S).

She says she wants the association and the existing staff to work together on the new arrangement at the school.

If the staff does not want it then?

"Then it will be difficult," she says.

How the Västra Götaland Region intends to hand over the principal of the Gothenburg University College will be addressed when the regional board meets.