news|violence in school

Primary teachers say we're at risk too
28 September 2006
By LANE NICHOLS

Children as young as five with severe behavioural problems are committing extreme violence against primary teachers and other pupils, teachers say. Other young kids with gang affiliations are turning up to class drunk, or high on cannabis or P, and being encouraged to deal drugs to classmates.

The claims emerged at yesterday's New Zealand Educational Institute annual conference – a day after secondary school teachers spoke out about spiralling classroom violence, labelling schools "battlegrounds". The Secondary Principals Association has called for violent pupils to be removed from schools rather than teachers having to act as social workers.

Education Minister Steve Maharey said parents were not setting clear boundaries for children's behaviour. Addressing classroom violence is a "top priority" for the Government.

Kawakawa school teacher Noeline Lemon said violence and disruptive behaviour was affecting primary teachers' health, as disruptive children increased in numbers, from new entrants to year 8. Some teachers were resigning because of stress.

Hawke's Bay special education adviser Vicki Vaughan said the growing problem of pupils exhibiting dangerous behaviour stemmed from a "dearth" of good parenting skills. Schools needed more resources to safely deal with violent kids. "We're getting children in preschool who are acting out – kids who are so violent that teachers can't restrain them. "These students have cognitive, physical and emotional delay. They place teachers and peers at risk and their behaviours have significant impact on the learning opportunities of other students." Ms Vaughan said she worked with primary and intermediate pupils who "aspire to and are being recruited to the Mongrel Mob". They were encouraged by adults to use and sell drugs at school and wanted to wear gang colours to class.

NZEI national executive member Ian Leckie said primary teachers were being kicked, bitten and threatened daily. Many felt unsafe in their classrooms.

"Teachers are in danger if there are not sufficient supports available for severe behavioural difficulties."

Mr Maharey said parents needed to set clearer behavioural boundaries for children. Severely violent pupils should be dealt with by police and removed from schools. The Government had invested millions of dollars in specialist teachers and resources to tackle behavioural problems, but more was needed.

"Social issues can't be dumped at the doors of schools."

I agree that social issues can't be dumped at the doors of schools, but Steve Maharey, they are being dumped there - SO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT! Schools are like social glasshouses, if you want to see where our society is headed just take a look at our primary schools. Bullying is a huge issue - one that can't be fixed by just putting a sticking plaster over the problem. My 8 year old daughter came home from school last year with finger mark impressions on her neck. She has high functioning autism and now attends a satellite class through a "special school" because our government can't/won't fund enough teacher aide help for her to be able to attend a mainstream school. She is not violent - although she does have impaired social developmental delay, and I realise the above article is not about her as such. Yet, something has to be done. Teachers should not be afraid to teach, and children should not be afraid of going to school.