More focus should be put on the importance of fundamental human rights. Democracy, as was recently established by the Dutch Justice Minister, can easily be misused and abused.
More focus on democracy and freedom of expression are what the minister of education, Bertil Haarder, thinks today's students need. The theme served as the background for his ministry's publication Wednesday of a pamphlet on democracy in education.
'We see a growing number of children that don't have a clear idea about democracy, and that creates problems,' said Haarder. 'It isn't just about immigrant youths, but also Danish kids. They are blind to democracy and simply don't know enough about it.'
Haarder does, however, point to Islamic extremism as a catalyst for the general unruly behaviour among young people.
'It happens in every generation. In the 1930's many intellectuals and artists lost their sense of orientation and were fascinated by dictatorship. We saw it again in the 70's under the Cold War, and now we're seeing it in Islamic communities.'
The Danish People's Party (DF) made the direct link to Muslims, stating that the pamphlet's message should be mandatory education in schools.
'We shouldn't be afraid to put extra weight on the teaching of democracy to students of Muslim background,' said Martin Henriksen, DF's education spokesperson.
Anders Bondo Christensen, chair of the Danish Union of Teachers, does not believe that Haarder's pamphlet will solve behavioural problems at schools in disadvantaged neighbourhoods.
'These schools need real help solving problems, not a pamphlet. Respect for one another isn't something we can teach as a subject, but need to prove on a daily basis.'
Source: Jyllands-Posten (English)
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