This paper explores the crossroads between state interference, social justice and leadership at a Swedish elite boarding school. The data consist of interviews published in newspapers and tabloids, reports, and court texts written in response to four serious cases of violence reported at one Swedish boarding school in 2011, 2013 and 2017. The analysis uses a systemic violence perspective, Schöns’ frame reflection theory and Shields’ transformative leadership conception as theoretical starting points. Accordingly, there is a clash between the naming/framing of the Swedish Schools Inspectorate and that of the leaders at the boarding school. The majority of the leaders maintain that the collective is always right, that violence is always the act of one or a few individual actor(s), and that it only matters if there was an intention to cause harm. On the other hand, the Swedish Schools Inspectorate stresses that violent acts need to be dealt with holistically