How many teachers have been attacked / threatened by students?

[feelingunsupported]

I've been thinking about this a lot over the last few days in light of the sentencing for the murder of Mrs Maguire. I've namechanged for obvious reasons but am a regular - Reasties xmas threads mainly

In my small school this year so far

• teacher's arm jammed in a door. Student made to write a note of apology

-male staff member had to deflect a punch from student. Staff member interviewed by manager for use of force. No comeback on student -student threatened to nut a teacher. Approached teacher looking like he was going to do it. Student suspended for 2 days then back into class -teachers told to fuck off / called cunts etc regularly

Off the top of my head, things that have happened in the school I work in include staff being:
Punched
Kicked
Spat out
Bitten
Pushed down the stairs
Attacked with chairs/other weapons
Tables thrown at them
A pregnant colleague threatened with a metal bar
Swearing and abuse is so regular that we barely even notice it.
Staff have also been threatened by parents, some have also been physically attacked by parents (headbutted, punched)

Amongst all sorts of low level nonsense, I was egged twice. First time was in car park as I was leaving school, at the end of the day. Another member of staff witnessed it and the perpetrator was permanently excluded, as he was already on his final final final warning and an injunction was taken out, barring him from the school premises.

Second time was on the school gate. It wasn't the first time staff had been targeted on gate duty, at the end of the week by ex pupils/ones who simply didn't bother turning up. Unions subsequently advised us to refuse to go to the gate without police back up.

Like other posters have said, it's career suicide to go to the police when the SMT don't want you to. Constructive Dismissal is not easy or quick and when you have a mortgage to pay and mouths to feed, it's a risk most can't afford to take.

I think you'll struggle to find a teacher that hasn't been attacked or threatened.

I was pushed over by tall sixteen year old complained and was investigated for putting my hands out to stop him knocking me over. I had a door pushed into my arm that left a bruise. I've been sworn at and threatened countless times. I no longer teach.

Going to the police is the death knell for your career.

In a profession that still runs on old boys clubs and 'references' verbally given at meetings, blacklisting teachers who involve unions etc. This still happens in some schools, even more so with academy chains limiting possible schools to work in if you have gone against management and involved the police.

There is a culture of fear in schools that few outside of the profession realise.

I was blocking a year 9 boy from going for another year 9 boy in my lab by literally standing in front of my door. Some of the children inside were screaming he has got a knife so instinct kicked in and literally just pushed against the door with my back. I had bruises up and down my spine from the door and door handle being repeatedly bashed against me. Said boy was in the next day as no knife was found.
Another time I had a year 11 touch me in a sexual manner, he was also in the next day as he had a troubled home life, although he wasn't allowed into my lessons for a week. If I would have done the same to the child I would have been locked up!
Needless to say I handed in my notice and no longer teach. Ofsted inspectors said my lessons were excellent, I really cared about the kids I taught, and was a popular member of staff, but I began to feel sick going to bed at night knowing what I might have to put up with the next day.

I'm Primary and have had 2 physical incidents - had my fingers slammed in a door and been hit in the eyebrow with a chair leg (I was very lucky with that one.) Had plenty of "fuck offs." It was sickening because the Head liked to be thought of a "cool guy" and NEVER dealt with these incidents effectively. When children were brought to his office for violence they ended up sitting on the floor with him doing jigsaws or playing on the Wii.

My secondary science teacher mate has it much worse. He's an outstanding teacher, very well respected, very successful. He recently moved to a new school and every day it's "you fat cunt" "you fat poof" etc. It actually shocks me that he sticks it. SLT are totally ineffective and, surprise, surprise, when you phone home the parents recognise the school's number and don't answer, or they hang up, or they make excuses.

I wish the newspapers would publish this :(

I am retired but during my worst year I had chairs thrown across the classroom, a board rubber thrown at me, threatened with having a fire extinguisher thrown at me, but managed to wrestle it off child (that one left me a wreck), had various items from children's tables thrown around the room, spat at, sworn at and my HLTA was so badly bitten that it left a scar. The latter did not even result in an exclusion for the child.
All these children were in Year 2. I was a good teacher with over 25 years experience, not a newbie.

Sexually assaulted in my first term of teaching by a yr 10 pupil.

Indecent exposure by a yr 11 pupil.

Had a pupil turn up to an afternoon lesson drunk and the head of year (heavy smoker) "couldn't smell alcohol" on him so just left him in my practical lesson using machinery!!!!

Got injured breaking up a fight when some people from outside chased a pupil into school and attacked him. I was using the principle of "loco parentis", if my child was attacked I would intervene. Funny how SMT only use "loco parentis" against us!

Sworn at, verbally abused, had yr 11 pupils making guns with their hands and "aiming" and "shooting" at me and then laughing. SMT did nothing.

I doubt they would. Much easier to paint teachers as the enemy in line with government thinking.

Because to face the facts about teacher attacks is to open up the possibility that Ann Maguire will not be a very tragic one off but merely the start if things to come.

I'm shocked at these. I teach in an inner city girls school in London. I expected the behaviour to be awful but it's actually fantastic in comparison to these stories! A few instances of swearing at teachers and lots of low level disruption but no violence at all. No idea why it's so different to these experiences as management are still crap

I find this thread depressing. No teacher however weak their teach is deserves that kind of abuse. Schools have become so obcessed with "progress" they have forgotten about producing decent human beings.

The fact that so many teachers drop out of teaching within five years says it all.

My school experience as a student in the 90's was truly appalling , one of the teachers was recently stripped of his OBE for historical crimes committed against children at the school another sacked for the same thing the whole school was a disgrace and a lot of children were let down and abused and forgotten by the system , I fight against my lack of respect for the teaching profession daily and hide it from my Dc because I know that the system has improved but I wonder what affect this had on maybe 800 other fellow students who have children now ?

I was hit a couple of times as an elementary teacher. This was always by male students with terrible parents (not my opinion, a fact!)

I am now a university lecturer and I love it. I've never had any problems.

Catkisser "It was sickening because the Head liked to be thought of a "cool guy" and NEVER dealt with these incidents effectively. When children were brought to his office for violence they ended up sitting on the floor with him doing jigsaws or playing on the Wii."

That sounds horribly familiar - there was similar goings-on at the school where I taught.

WhyTeach I was going to say the same. Ann Maguire is very likely not to be the last.

Can I ask if the incidents of violence were mainly boys?
I have a DS and worry about the rising culture of violence amongst young men especially in London.
Having said that I grew up in the 80's in Hackney and it was just the same.

Very interested to know the answer to that, Jefferson.

I think it's a lose/lose situation, our LA puts pressure on heads not to exclude. Therefore adequate consequences aren't put into place after serious incidents, the children see this and the staff authority is undermined.

You hear children saying it doesn't matter what I do, Mr/Mrs X won't do anything. The sad thing is that they're right.

Schools have become so obcessed with "progress" they have forgotten about producing decent human beings.

I find that fairly offensive, ReallyTired.

Both nasty incidents toward me were girls not boys. They are more likely to be rude verbally and then get upset when you call their mums - the school I am at now is fairly middle class though.

I am absolutely shocked; in no other profession would such assaults be tolerated.

Sorry to sound thick, but who is the "management" often mentioned in this thread. Are they other teachers / heads etc.

Whenever I enter a building where a public service is provided, there are posters on display saying (words to the effect of) "Our staff deserve to work free from fear or physical or verbal assualt - if you assault a member of staff you will be prosecuted".

Now a) I'm not sure how much difference the posters make and b) it is horrific that they need to be there at all but at least they make it clear that the organisation supports it staff. Why are schools any different?

I fight against my lack of respect for the teaching profession daily and hide it from my Dc because I know that the system has improved but I wonder what affect this had on maybe 800 other fellow students who have children now ?

Bloody abuse victims, eh? Bringing it on themselves with their 'working in the same profession as someone who was awful decades ago'.

Harold Shipman doesn't mean that all doctors are shit