<p>On the 1st April 2006 a new legislation came into effect in Sweden; The Prohibiting</p><p>Discrimination and Other Degrading Treatment of Children and Pupils Act (2006:67). The</p><p>Act is applicable to education and other activities referred to in the Education Act</p><p>(1985:1100). This dissertation aims to examine how teachers work to combat</p><p>discrimination, and establishes whether headmasters and teachers have changed their work procedures since the law came into force.</p><p>In order to seek the answers to my questions I have conducted 8 qualitative interviews with headmasters and teachers from two schools in a community outside Karlstad, with both schools comprising of students from pre-school until year 6.</p><p>Discrimination is not a new phenomenon in schools, but neither is the fact that it is the</p><p>schools’ responsibility to work against discrimination. Discrimination is still taking place,</p><p>despite discrimination laws being clearly stated within the Education Act (1985:1100) and</p><p>the school curriculum. The teachers I have interviewed maintain that they are actively</p><p>working in a preventative manner with these issues, but they still believe that much more</p><p>can be done and would like to see an agreed, common work procedure. Despite the new</p><p>legislation, none of the people I have spoken to change the way they work. They are,</p><p>however, feeling positive towards the new legislation and believe as well as hope, that it</p><p>will bring results. Most education workers agree that the school has the primary</p><p>responsibility of preventing discrimination and strongly believe that individual teachers</p><p>have the power to influence their pupils.</p>

On the 1st April 2006 a new legislation came into effect in Sweden; The Prohibiting Discrimination and Other Degrading Treatment of Children and Pupils Act (2006:67). The Act is applicable to education and other activities referred to in the Education Act (1985:1100). This dissertation aims to examine how teachers work to combat discrimination, and establishes whether headmasters and teachers have changed their work procedures since the law came into force. In order to seek the answers to my questions I have conducted 8 qualitative interviews with headmasters and teachers from two schools in a community outside Karlstad, with both schools comprising of students from pre-school until year 6. Discrimination is not a new phenomenon in schools, but neither is the fact that it is the schools’ responsibility to work against discrimination. Discrimination is still taking place, despite discrimination laws being clearly stated within the Education Act (1985:1100) and the school curriculum. The teachers I have interviewed maintain that they are actively working in a preventative manner with these issues, but they still believe that much more can be done and would like to see an agreed, common work procedure. Despite the new legislation, none of the people I have spoken to change the way they work. They are, however, feeling positive towards the new legislation and believe as well as hope, that it will bring results. Most education workers agree that the school has the primary responsibility of preventing discrimination and strongly believe that individual teachers have the power to influence their pupils.