Denmark set to allow the return of 'physical force' to maintain order in schools
Denmark is planning to reform its education laws to allow teachers to use physical restraint against disruptive students starting in 2027. This marks a significant shift from the country's 1967 ban on corporal punishment, aiming to address classroom management challenges.
Why it matters
This policy change reflects a growing global debate on balancing student discipline with child safety and the rights of educators in the classroom.
Mette Frederiksen, Denmark's prime minister, in Parliament, Copenhagen, October 8, 2026. THOMAS TRAASDAHL/AFP The reform introduced by the center-left government in Copenhagen on Thursday, October 8, is likely one of the most controversial in Danish education in recent years. Nearly 60 years after Denmark banned corporal punishment and the use of force in schools in 1967, the Scandinavian country plans to allow teachers to use physical restraint to remove disruptive students as of August 2027.
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