Danish Party Proposes New Value Rules for High Schools

Students in Danish high schools may face new rules on Danish values. Inger Støjberg leads the Denmark Democrats party. She proposed several strict measures for public upper secondary schools. However, the proposal comes from a small opposition party. It is unlikely to become law in Denmark.

The proposal includes mandatory handshakes on the first day of school. Students must shake hands with school leaders of the opposite sex. It also suggests banning languages other than Danish on school grounds. Støjberg acknowledged that this target is mainly Arabic. Students who break the rules could face expulsion.

New high school students would sign a contract on Danish values. These values include gender equality and personal freedom in choosing partners. Students would also be encouraged to monitor their classmates' behavior. Støjberg stated the goal is to fight negative social control and dominance culture.

The idea follows recent messages sent to schools by an Islamic group. School principals and student unions have criticized the new proposal. Principals agree that social control is a real concern. Yet, they believe strict bans and mandatory rules are not the right solution. Student leaders called the rules symbolic tokenism that targets Muslim youth.

The Denmark Democrats will formally present the proposal in parliament. Parliament will debate the idea after the official submission. Since the party lacks majority support, the rules will likely fail. (Source: The Local)