‘I immediately had a bad feeling about this school’

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Marit (39): “When Feline was still a baby, we moved to a beautiful, brand new neighborhood. A large primary school was built right in front of our new-build house. Ideal, we thought. In fact, it was immediately clear to us that Feline would go there from the age of four. We were on the schoolyard in two steps. What else do you want?

Guided tours

When Feline’s fourth birthday was approaching, we signed up for tours of various schools. Actually more for the shape. We had even unofficially registered at the primary school on our doorstep. Still, we enjoyed doing such a tour at other schools. Friends of ours also did that with their child and we saw that they really experienced it as a milestone. Nice to experience, even though our choice had already been made. We first visited two other schools in the city. Very nice schools with a good atmosphere and a warm welcome from the teachers. I had a really good feeling about it, but of course I had in the back of my mind that Feline would not go here. Third and last we had the tour of the school opposite our house. I expected to get at least an equally good feeling here, but things turned out differently.

Grim school

From the moment we walked through the hallways, I had a knot in my stomach. Did I find it more exciting than I thought? That my child would really go to primary school? No, it wasn’t. It was also not the fault of the teachers who gave us the tour or the ultra-modern building. It was really a gut feeling. If I had to give it a word it would be ‘grim’. Something wasn’t right. When we walked home the stomach pain immediately disappeared. My husband clearly didn’t feel the same way, he was excited. When I expressed my doubts, he was surprised. I wasn’t going to tell him that I didn’t want our daughter at this school, was I? The school with the ideal location right on our doorstep? What we’ve been talking about for years? Yes, I did. I let it sink in for another week or two, but my feeling remained too strong. This was not the school my daughter should attend.

Choice made

We eventually enrolled her at the school of the first tour, about ten minutes by bike from our house. Family members and friends reacted with surprise. We had also told them for years that we thought the primary school for our house was so ideal. It turned out to be difficult to explain my feelings to them.

Terrible news item

Feline is now ten and has been having a wonderful time in primary school for years. About three years ago, a terrible piece of news made everything clear to me. A teacher from the school opposite our house was arrested on suspicion of fornication. Child pornography was found during a house search. I don’t think I need to explain how sickening I find this. As a mother, it is your worst nightmare that your child comes into contact with such a disgusting type. Children should be safe at school. The news item hit like a bombshell and, years later, our neighborhood is still not the same as it used to be.

Maternal instinct

I’m convinced my motherly instinct sensed this on the day of the tour. I knew something was wrong and that Feline should not go to school there. I am very happy that I listened to that feeling and convinced my husband to choose another school, even though it seemed so illogical. I don’t want to think about what I might have prevented with it.”

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