The Sapphire School, formerly the Vetenskapsskolan, has for a long time and on several occasions been criticized by the School Inspectorate, for example for gender separation and sexual education.

The criticism of the school has grown and come from several directions, not least since a person who has been a member of the management group for the school by Säpo is judged to pose a threat to the security of the state and where the government has decided that he should be expelled. He is not present at school now.

In June, Expressen, in collaboration with the Doku Foundation, also revealed that at least four IS returnees were employed by the Sapphire School in Gothenburg. Following the newspaper's review, the Swedish Democrats requested that the School Inspectorate immediately close the school.

Unusual decision

On Wednesday, the local council made the unusual decision to require the School Inspectorate to close the school immediately. It was the Alliance parties and the Social Democrats' claim that went through.

- It is extremely gratifying that all parties in Gothenburg, both in the media and in the local government, have been thinking and now follow the initiative of the Swedish Democrats to shut down the business. For us, the safety of the city's children goes before the well-being of Islamist terrorists, writes the municipal council Jörgen Fågelklou (SD), in a comment to SVT News West.

Head of School: This is called the Ministerial Board

The current Head of School and Principal of the Sapphire School, Sven-Erik Berg, is strongly critical of the municipal council's claim.

- It is an authority, the School Inspectorate, that will make that decision. This is called a ministerial government, when politicians decide what authorities should decide on, says Sven-Erik Berg to SVT News West.

He does not want to comment on whether IS returnees taught children at school.

- If they have any connection to extremism, they should have no service to our school, he says.

Didn't they have it then?

- I don't want to discuss this anymore, says Sven-Erik Berg.

The parties agree

The Municipal Board now also wants the government to tighten the legislation so that the School Inspectorate can withdraw the permit for schools that have links to extremism and terrorism and that there should be clearer requirements for the suitability of school employees.

- I think it is a strength that the municipal council showed a large consensus, says the municipal council Helene Odenjung (L).

She does not think that the municipality demands that the school be closed is about "ministerial government".

- We recommend the School Inspectorate to close the school, had the school principal acted had we not ended up here, says Helene Odenjung (L).

The School Inspectorate has already started a new investigation of the school. Results of it are expected to come shortly.