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

I fight against my lack of respect for the teaching profession daily

Oh, and for those of you who are wondering WHY this happens - I would refer you to the above comment.

No - girls are just as bad in my experience

On my PGCE the unions had to take action and refuse to teach a particular boy as teachers didn't feel safe in the classroom with him given that he'd assaulted so many of them. The head wouldn't expel him. I think the parents took him out of the school in the end.

On the same placement a group of children went into the science labs at lunchtime, turned all the gas taps on then locked the classrooms shut.

Teachers were assaulted so regularly that it was common to ask 'who has been assaulted this week?'

I've been at my current school for 10 years and although I've been sworn at a few times, I've never felt threatened. I know other teachers have been, but it's rare rather than the norm it was at the first school.

In my school, 'the management' would be the head and the senior management team. There is: one head, 2 deputy heads and 3 assistant heads. None of these have their own class, so their lack of involvement in behavioural issues is not because they have their own classes to contend with. There are also two no-teaching SENcos. This is a 3-form primary school.

The main aim of these endless numbers of management is to observe teachers, do book scrutitinies, do learning walks, do climate walks, do follow-up observations for those who 'failed' the first one and are heading towards capability, do mock-Ofsteds and do more book scrutitinies.

I think, if they stopped doing all these things and dealt with all of these behavioural issues, the 'teaching and learning' which they are so obsessively trying to improve by watching, observing and criticising, would be significantly improved.

But what do I know? I'm just a lowly teacher with only 18 years' experience.

It is being normalised - we 'joke' about changing our name badges to Mrs Cunt / Mr Bell End etc. Sad eh?

I asked about the posters mentioned above - apparently they might demotivate students.

I fight against my lack of respect for the teaching profession daily

Wow, just wow.

This is really sad to read. I totally respect and admire teachers, I know i could never do it. OFSTED should look at teacher retention rates when assessing schools, that might teach management to pay more attention to how appallingly their staff are being treated.

"I asked about the posters mentioned above - apparently they might demotivate students."

As I assume that the same few students who assault staff are also assaulting other students - wouldn't it actually make the majority of students feel more secure if worded correctly?

It all sounds frighteningly like Alice Through the Looking Glass.

Me, by pupils and by parents.

And if you don't want your dc to go to a school where this kind of thing is the norm you're 'sharp-elbowed middle class'.

This is possibly the most depressing thread I've ever read on Mumsnet.

Why is there nothing in the law to protect teachers and why is it so hard for schools to exclude the pupils who behave like this? You must find yourself wondering why you bother even trying to educate some of these people and the well behaved "normal" children must find it nearly impossible to learn in that environment.

Sorry this has bought out the rage in me

I've been threatened by a lad who described exactly where I live and how he would set fire to me...

I called the police and refused to teach him, involved my union too. I will not be pushed around by management, and I know my value. I am a great teacher, and I make sure everyone knows I know that. Including the kids!

Some of the other students are frightened, some are watching the 'headstrong' (as our managers call them bullies as I like to) ones get away with treating us like shit and think it's ok... vicious circles and all that.

One student was aiming an industrial water sprayer (they were on an external vocational taster) at another boy. Member of staff stepped in, asked the lad to put it down. He refused so staff member took it. Staffmember (of fifteen yyears) was suspended for 3 months because the pulil alleged he'd hurt him when he took it)

I'm a primary school teacher in a fairly nice area. Over the years (7 altogether) I've been slapped in the face, hit, kicked, scratched (with blood drawn) had things thrown at me including chairs and scissors, been sworn at, screamed at and most recently had a child spit in my face! Not once have I received an apology or has the offending child been punished for their behaviour towards me (despite 2 different heads). Exactly the same story for other staff in our school too. Often wonder why I'm still doing this job really. It's sad really.

Worse than I imagined. Makes me take my hat off to teachers even more and I already think (almost all) of you are marvellous and do a fabulous job.
Maybe M'Net should start a petition to campaign for safety in schools?

In my case first incident was a boy. He got a detention. I wasn't even teaching him. Second incident was a girl and she was put on report two weeks after the incident.

Just realised that this will disappear as it's in chat! Anyone know how to get it moved?
Thehedge I used to be really ballsy and NEVER thought I'd be off sick. I need to get that back!

Sorry for depressing you lists

Crikey, this is shocking.

I have been teaching for 27 years in an inner London borough, 17 in primary with many very challenging children and the last 10 in a provision for some of our most challenging and vulnerable children. I have only suffered 2 injuries in all that time - both from the same boy who was about 7/8 at the time and actually had quite a good relationship with me.

DH has been teaching in secondary in other London boroughs for about 23 years and I don't think he has ever been assaulted (despite being smaller than a good many of the older male pupils!)

There were 17,520 school exclusions for physical assault against an adult in the year 2011/12. Given how rare exclusions are this gives you an idea of the violence in schools.

I'm just shocked at some of these stories

H gets assaulted regularly, verbally and physically. However it an EBD school so I guess it's par for the course. All the stuff get training on restraint techniques.

H is calm about it all but having to regularly restrain violent, distressed, angry pupils really upset him. He often cried about it once he got home. I didn't realise it was so common in mainstream.

Meant to add he's toughened up now - doesn't get so upset. Which I suppose is a good thing...

A huge part of the problem is that when you are attacked/insulted/etc you feel it is your fault. And colleagues who say 'well I've taught for 600 years and no one has ever so much as given me a funny look' are part of the problem. That's what senior management say when you report these incidents.

You've been attacked therefore you are weak/useless/failing/bad at discipline.

Like I say, victim-blaming is rife.

When I started to teach in a rough area near Paris (I was 5 months pregnant), I was put on anticipated maternity leave because the pupils (aged 11 to 15) kept trying to push me down the stairs to make me miscarry my baby (or "the little pig", as they kept referring to him).

Wow cherri I'm really surprised by that!

Again - I'm sorry that so many of you are putting up with rubbish too but I am liking the unusual solidarity.