Swedish boarding school shut down due to bullying

STOCKHOLM (AP) — Authorities in Sweden have temporarily shut down one of the country’s most renowned boarding schools, after repeated incidents of bullying and violent initiation rituals.

The Swedish Schools Inspectorate on Wednesday ordered Lundsbergs school to close down until the management can assure the safety of boys and girls enrolled there.

The decision follows an incident over the weekend when older students allegedly burned two younger students with a hot iron as part of an initiation ritual at the start of the semester.

The schools watchdog has previously received numerous reports of bullying, degrading "fagging" traditions which forced younger pupils to act as servants for older students, and violent initiation rituals at the school.

Sweden has three national boarding schools. Lundsbergs is the oldest, founded in 1896.