Criticism against Stockholm School after suspected sex abuse

It was in September that the school employee reported to the police after a child reported abuse to his guardian. After the police report, the man was taken off duty, but it was not until five weeks later that the school management came out with information at the school about the suspicions against the man.

Already in June, staff made alarms to the school management about the man's inappropriate behavior. The incident then involved a girl who must have received a full body massage from the man at a time when they were alone. The school called the man for a disciplinary call, but the girl's guardian was not informed. The education administration now criticizes the school for the incomplete investigation of the incident.

- You would not have satisfied yourself with a conversation with the man, but you would have investigated what had really happened. In addition, the girl's custodian would have been informed, says Peter Bragner, head of primary school in Stockholm city.

The education administration also criticizes the man was not taken off duty in June.

- You should always do this if there are suspicions of an adult working with children.

Was school management sufficiently responsive when staff raised alarms about the man?

- Yes, the assistant principal was responsive because she had a conversation with the man. But in this case, the wrong judgment was made because they did not proceed with the incident.

Did the rector get no information on what the man should have done?

- The headmaster was only told that a call had taken place, but she did not know in detail what the criticism or the conversation was about, says Peter Bragner, head of primary school in Stockholm city.

That the school waited five weeks to go out with the information at the school about the police report, the education administration sees no fault with.

- This is acceptable because the school had contact with the custodians of the students concerned, what we criticize is that the incident in June where the custodians of the girl were not informed.

The former school employee is suspected of four cases of child sexual abuse. In December he was released from detention, but the suspicions against the man remain.