"SoupDragon Tue 10-Jan-12 10:15:31
Seriously, it's bloody stupid. Police in schools? If the staff can't discipline the pupils effectively without police intervention they should be sacked."
Actually, whilst I think the report is shocking and definitely OTT, I do disagree entirely with your comment soupdragon.
If a child commits an offence that is outside of the law then absolutely the police should be brought in. Just because the teacher is unable to prevent something happening does not mean they are a bad teacher!
At 7 months pregnant asked a 13y boy to get on with his work. I didn't shout, I wasn't nasty. It was a polite request. However, said boy, stood up, lifted his chair and hit my hard in my stomach with the chair. He then ran out of the classroom, smashing two door windows as he went.
Okay, I didn't call the police. But I did call for help from senior staff. The boy had actually committed criminal offences and, in some people's opinions, ought to have been dealt with more formally. As it was, as what oftne happens in schools, the matter was dealt with internally. The child was out of school for two days - officially for smashing the windows, not assaulting me. I got no apology and was expected to have the child in class again the next week.
IMO I did not behave wrongly. I was not being incompetent. There was no way I could react to this that would have stopped it occuring.
Teachers being verbally and physically assaulted at their work place, by their students - and sometimes by parents - is sadly not that uncommon in England.
This does not mean that these teachers are incompetent.
Why should a teacher be sacked for asking for reinforcement in their classroom?