Teachers bitten, punched and kicked by pupils, report shows (From South Wales Argus)
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Teachers bitten, punched and kicked by pupils, report shows
2:08pm Tuesday 1st January 2013 in News
GWENT teachers have been punched, kicked, stabbed and had objects thrown at them by pupils - all in a day's work.
Figures obtained under the Freedom of Information Act show there were more than 386 physical attacks on Gwent teaching staff by students in the past three years.
But this may only be the tip of the iceberg a union official has warned.
At least four teachers were stabbed with pens and pencils, several were head butted, while others have been bitten, hit, scratched, kicked and had objects including chairs, scissors, stones and bottles thrown at them, in some of hundreds of attacks since 2009.
These resulted in a number of injuries including a cracked rib, concussion, bleeding, pulled muscles, sprains, cuts and bruises.
The figures show Newport council recorded the highest number of physical violent incidents towards staff totalling 228 over the past three years.
This is broken down as 87 in 2009/10, 82 in 2010/11 and 59 in 2011/12. It also recorded 13 verbal attacks including one incident where a teacher at the then Hartridge Comprehensive School was threatened with a chisel and a metal pole in 2009.
Another pupil at Alway Primary School threatened a teacher with a sharp stick saying he was going to stab her before punching the teacher in the stomach.
A high number of incidents recorded by Newport council took place at Maes Ebbw Special School and Brynglas Primary School, which has a unit for autistic children.
Caerphilly had a total of 89 physical attacks in the past three years, Torfaen saw a total of 51 during the same period, while Blaenau Gwent council has recorded just 18 since 2009. Monmouthshire council said it does not hold information specific to attacks on teachers.
But Tim Cox of teaching union NASUWT believes these figures are only a fraction of the true number of attacks.
He said the system for recording incidents is ineffective and schools often don't want to report them because they are worried it will make them look bad.
He said that while most attacks are minor, it is important all are recorded - as is a requirement of all schools.
He added: "What this shows is schools' management of pupil behaviour is not good and they don't support the people in the classrooms enough."
"Our concern is that attempts are being made to repress results when they [incidents] should be reported - then schools and local authorities can work together to stop them occurring."
All councils said it took the issue of violence against any member of staff or students very seriously and recognised the detrimental effect such behaviour can have.
Caerphilly council said its social inclusion service takes pro-active steps to promote good behaviour, and work with schools to identify and support pupils who may be experiencing difficulty managing their behaviour appropriately, so as to prevent such incidents.
Blaenau Gwent council said it was developing a behaviour strategy to support staff in working with pupils across a range of behaviours and a range of support is available to teachers affected including counselling.
Newport council said authorities use different criteria for recording these statistics but Newport City Council defines violence as any incident in which an employee is abused, threatened or assaulted in the course of his or her employment.
Torfaen's executive Member for children and young people, Cllr Mary Barnett, said instances of violence against staff were rare but are treated very seriously by school governing bodies. Every school has a comprehensive health and safety policy, guidance and procedure and any staff who are subject to violent incidents at work are appropriately supported via occupational health and counselling services, she said.
TORFAEN
Stabbed in chest with pen - bruise to chest.
Mud and sticks thrown and thumped in back
Bite to right breast .
Throwing stones threats to smash face in with half a tile, kicking, grabbing, pushing, hitting, bruises to leg, right forearm, left arm and shoulder
Stabbed in upper right arm
NEWPORT
St Woolos Junior amp; Infants School - bitten and struck in the head with a lunch box by a pupil - bruising
Brynglas Primary School - tripped teacher who fell to the floor - Graze and Bruising
Pill Junior & Infants School jumped from a post he had climbed and hit teacher in chest IP in the chest and kicked twice in the left calf
Hartridge Comprehensive School pupil refused to follow instructions and threatened teacher with a weapon - possibly a chisel - and a metal pole.
Maes Ebbw School - poked in both eyes by a pupil - Superficial injuries
Bassaleg Comprehensive School - pupil picked up the table and flipped it towards the IP, IP jerked out of the way - sprain
Primary School pupil threatened teacher with a sharp stick, said he was going to "f****** stab me" then punched me in the lower stomach - No injuries
CAERPHILLY
Desk closed on fingers - Superficial Stabbed by pencil - cut
Headbutt - Cut Punched, Kicked, Hit by an object - Bruise
Kicked, Punched and Spat at - Superficial
BLAENAU GWENT
Teaching assistant punched in the stomach whilst trying to break up a fight
Teacher had hair pulled, pulling neck back by pupil - strain
Teaching assistant kicked in throat by pupil - scrape
Pupil jumped onto teacher assistant's back from a chair - sprain.
MONMOUTHSHIRE
Details not available.
Comments(22)
Howie'
says...
5:50pm Tue 1 Jan 13
Nospin_1 wrote:I stated on the other thread re Teachers that they get little or no support from the public and this guy's comment just proves the point.
Whilst in no way condoning these events I cannot escape the belief that teachers and educationalists have been the engineers of their demise.
The overly pc attitude of their predecessors to discipline has led to them losing all respect and a great deal of control within their working environment.
Their PC attitude to discipline is the reason they get attacked in class 'Nospin' says. You couldn't make it up. Two points:
1.The kids attack Teachers the kids are to blame and If the parents, educationalists and Government stood side by side and supported the teachers then the kids would be less likely to behave the way that they do.
2. The Government, not Teachers or their predecessors, dictate by legislation what Teachers are allowed to do to discipline pupils and the Teachers are afraid to go past that point because they will be hung out to dry and face the prospect of legal action against them and their career terminated.
let em swing
says...
7:21pm Tue 1 Jan 13
smokintheweed
says...
8:19pm Tue 1 Jan 13
let em swing wrote:When was the last time you were down a mine?
Teachers are far too liberal and deserve most of the stick they get, they are well rewarded, well holidayed, and always on the moan about conditions, imagine if any of them had to go down a mine for a day, what a bunch of whingers.
richie55
says...
9:35pm Tue 1 Jan 13
Shame on you Argus!
Howie'
says...
9:41pm Tue 1 Jan 13
let em swing wrote:Shouldn't imagine a Miner would relish the idea of spending a day in front of a class room of kids...whats your point?
Teachers are far too liberal and deserve most of the stick they get, they are well rewarded, well holidayed, and always on the moan about conditions, imagine if any of them had to go down a mine for a day, what a bunch of whingers.
What constitutes 'too Liberal'? I would have thought the social views of teachers represent a cross section of society but you obviously have access to a survey of the thousands of teachers on their social and political views, maybe you could share it with us! I mean you wouldn't make it up to try and score a point would you?
dodo777
says...
10:31pm Tue 1 Jan 13
Again out of touch tories,civil unrest will come again just like in the 80s as cuts and bedroom tax, cuts to benefits .Tories will keep taking till society at large kicks off .
Why dont the pm and mps take a cut or freeze in wages to show commitment to austerity ?NEVER their to busy feathering their own nests before their booted out.
Dai the Milk
says...
11:48am Wed 2 Jan 13
dodo777 wrote:Changes to corporal punishment in schools happened in 1986. I have personally witnessed as an independent observer outrageous behaviour by children in the classroom locally. Throwing missiles at the teacher, slamming of glass-plated door in their face etc etc. Whoever introduced the liberal regulations should be made to face these yobs on a daily basis themselves.
I seen children change in the middle of the 70s when the stick was banned by do gooders.Since then i have seen a downward spiral of society.
Again out of touch tories,civil unrest will come again just like in the 80s as cuts and bedroom tax, cuts to benefits .Tories will keep taking till society at large kicks off .
Why dont the pm and mps take a cut or freeze in wages to show commitment to austerity ?NEVER their to busy feathering their own nests before their booted out.
rover100rich
says...
12:11pm Wed 2 Jan 13
let em swing
says...
12:22pm Wed 2 Jan 13
Howie' wrote:By too liberal i mean, for example, the headteacher of a cwmbran junior school who refused to suspend / expell a child who strangled my daughter one day, then karate kicked her in the stomach the next, as i spent the whole day in his office, and threatened to take my children, and a score of others out of the school he finally suspended the child, he didnt want to though, the bullying policy of these schools is criminal to the victims.
let em swing wrote:Shouldn't imagine a Miner would relish the idea of spending a day in front of a class room of kids...whats your point?
Teachers are far too liberal and deserve most of the stick they get, they are well rewarded, well holidayed, and always on the moan about conditions, imagine if any of them had to go down a mine for a day, what a bunch of whingers.
What constitutes 'too Liberal'? I would have thought the social views of teachers represent a cross section of society but you obviously have access to a survey of the thousands of teachers on their social and political views, maybe you could share it with us! I mean you wouldn't make it up to try and score a point would you?
Mr Angry
says...
12:59pm Wed 2 Jan 13
let em swing wrote:Nobody whatever their job, should be subject to abuse , violence or both at their workplace.
Teachers are far too liberal and deserve most of the stick they get, they are well rewarded, well holidayed, and always on the moan about conditions, imagine if any of them had to go down a mine for a day, what a bunch of whingers.
What sort of person are you ?
let em swing
says...
1:16pm Wed 2 Jan 13
Mr Angry wrote:the stick i was referring to is criticism in general not assaults, they do love a whinge.
let em swing wrote:Nobody whatever their job, should be subject to abuse , violence or both at their workplace.
Teachers are far too liberal and deserve most of the stick they get, they are well rewarded, well holidayed, and always on the moan about conditions, imagine if any of them had to go down a mine for a day, what a bunch of whingers.
What sort of person are you ?
Carrot's
says...
3:54pm Wed 2 Jan 13
If we do whinge it is for a reason - things are not good!!!
I have been a teacher for a while and remember an old colleague giving the cane to any child who came bottom of the class twice in a test. It certainly sharpened the mind.
Perhaps if we reintroduced corporal punishment in the form of TAZER it may help restore discipline? Or the birch?
Howie'
says...
4:59pm Wed 2 Jan 13
Carrot's wrote:Go away you troll.
This is why I am off with stress!!!
If we do whinge it is for a reason - things are not good!!!
I have been a teacher for a while and remember an old colleague giving the cane to any child who came bottom of the class twice in a test. It certainly sharpened the mind.
Perhaps if we reintroduced corporal punishment in the form of TAZER it may help restore discipline? Or the birch?
Howie'
says...
5:30pm Wed 2 Jan 13
let em swing wrote:I don't see a definition of Liberal there, what I see is a head who would rather deal with a problem in house. The heads are under enormous pressure from Government not to suspend/ exclude kids from school, the Children's Commissioner has told heads and school governors that suspension and exclusion should be a last resort. Schools should consider using detentions or teaching pupils in isolation as an alternative punishment. If they suspend a child they could well be censured by Ofsted and have their funding reduced. I understand your anger, a similar thing happened to my son in School but heads are very reluctant to suspend preferring other ways to deal with the problem. Given freedom to suspend I think most schools would get rid of all the troublemakers but Government and the Children's Commissioner claim that being excluded from school leads to a life of crime. The teachers get little or no support sadly.
Howie' wrote:By too liberal i mean, for example, the headteacher of a cwmbran junior school who refused to suspend / expell a child who strangled my daughter one day, then karate kicked her in the stomach the next, as i spent the whole day in his office, and threatened to take my children, and a score of others out of the school he finally suspended the child, he didnt want to though, the bullying policy of these schools is criminal to the victims.
let em swing wrote:Shouldn't imagine a Miner would relish the idea of spending a day in front of a class room of kids...whats your point?
Teachers are far too liberal and deserve most of the stick they get, they are well rewarded, well holidayed, and always on the moan about conditions, imagine if any of them had to go down a mine for a day, what a bunch of whingers.
What constitutes 'too Liberal'? I would have thought the social views of teachers represent a cross section of society but you obviously have access to a survey of the thousands of teachers on their social and political views, maybe you could share it with us! I mean you wouldn't make it up to try and score a point would you?
Dave on his Soapbox
says...
6:00pm Wed 2 Jan 13
.....typified by Monmouthshire not keeping any records for attacks on teachers....
...like too many aspects of wider behaviour and anti-social behaviour....it's brushed under the carpet.....or given token lip service....as there isn't the money or will to address the problem in some schools...wher others have really made good efforts to address the problem....and again best practice is like a Post Code Lottery like a lot of other area of public service....
gabriel williams
says...
11:51pm Wed 2 Jan 13
cardifflass87
says...
12:57pm Thu 3 Jan 13
It is not their fault that rules today mean they cannot punish children as they did years ago. The world is too soft these days it has gone to the other extreme.
I was only in comprehensive school about 10 years ago and even as a child thought it was often too soft.
At the same time it can be argued that yes, of course class control can be down to the teacher. I can remember teachers controlling the naughty kids really well and the class running smoothly and others the same kids could not be controlled. But then that has been the same for years and same in many other careers where some people are better at different aspects of their jobs.
As a country we should be working towards improving the discipline and standars od education rather than sitting behind screens and writing negative and judgemental arguments against teachers. I worry for when I have children so the young ones need to be pro active. I think it is easy to be nagative when it isn't you dealing with issues everyday.
I mean I work in the NHS - having covered A & E, ITU etc where there are huge levels of stress everyday, where a mistake from you could end in death but it is a different type of stress. I agree that we don't get nice holidays and weekends and evenings all the time etc but we chose not to be a teacher so deal with it. I am sure some teachers go into teaching not only because they enjoy teaching, being with children and education but maybe for holidays too but that was their choice. Who are we to judge how stressful teaching is if we have never done it? I wouldn't like someone who has never worked in an A & E department on a friday nights in Cardiff and witnessed nurses being knocked out by drunks to judge how stressful our jobs as doctors, nurses,physios, HCAs etc are.
teachers need to be supported and listened to. They do often have weekends free and evenings where they spend alot of time with extra curricular activities and marking etc. There are good teachers, bad teachers, dedicated and the not so dedicated, good at controlling, not so good, good at actually teaching and not so good but there will always be those differences! - It is what makes and school a school. I learnt different things off the teachers who were not so good at controlling as the ones who were. some were so good at controlling I was scared to ask anything for fear of being told off! That is just differences in life etc.
Overall we just need to support each other and work out what is going wrong. Children need more discipline, guidance and control. Rules need to be changed, There is a massive problem in society with complaints etc. We need to be more firm! inc teachers. Make sure everything is documented and brought up if issues arise and work closer with parents. PARENTS need to take more respinsibility too.
Stop hiding behind computer screens, how many of you who write on here and express opinions ever actually work closely or speak to people directly involved in these stories posted on the argus?? if not then get involved - you must be concerned enough to comment on here so do something positive, please for the kids of the future before this country gets any worse!! It is too soft and attitudes need to be changed and we need to support all careers, teachers, NHS, police, office, everything!!!!!
coalpicker
says...
8:08pm Thu 3 Jan 13
rather than punish, honesty and truth
must be submerged in weasel words ,no one must be offended regardless of the cost ,our society is crumbling and it starts in school. Bad parents even worse
children ,and some teachers who would serve their community best by filling supermarket shelves. This comment will upset people but do not forget ,The truth will set you free of course it can also get you shot.
MR DUDLEY
says...
12:45am Fri 4 Jan 13
Mervyn James
says...
5:06pm Fri 4 Jan 13
Nospin_1 wrote:Not so. PC attitudes were forced on schools by the Child Act leaving them totally vulnerable to assault by children, even raising your voice tot hem is abuse, if you combine that, with absolutely ridiculous health and safety laws, that sue-happy parents immediately invoke to get cash awards if they can, then teachers are bound hand and foot from doing much at all. I'm surprised they are able to do anything about the 3R's. Many of these children start school unable to communicate properly, able to socialise or play properly, or know anything about rules of civilised behaviour, they simply haven't been taught them by parents. Any teacher brave enough to attempt it risks court action and the sack. Assault is unacceptable, full stop. If these kids are beyond reason then they must be excluded it's not teacher's job to do what parents are supposed to be doing, then to get assaulted and sued for it. What sick society are we living in ?
Whilst in no way condoning these events I cannot escape the belief that teachers and educationalists have been the engineers of their demise.
The overly pc attitude of their predecessors to discipline has led to them losing all respect and a great deal of control within their working environment.
Dee-Gee
says...
4:16pm Mon 7 Jan 13
Why is that so hard?
Nospin_1 says...
3:05pm Tue 1 Jan 13
The overly pc attitude of their predecessors to discipline has led to them losing all respect and a great deal of control within their working environment.