What's happening to UK kids?

Jacqui D · 04-15-2009, 06:20 PM

Teachers 'forced to wear dog handler armguards and need inoculations to defend against biting pupils'By Daily Mail Reporter
Last updated at 4:48 PM on 15th April 2009

Shocking level of violence towards teachers revealed
Schools tsar warns celebrity culture fuels violence and sex among children
He suggests ban on TVs in bedrooms
1,000 troublemakers suspended at least TEN times
Special school teachers face daily physical and verbal abuse from pupils, union leaders said today.
There is a culture in some schools that this is simply 'part of the job', according to the NASUWT teaching union.
Kicking, punching and biting are commonplace and teachers regularly have to go to hospital to have injuries treated.
Often, teachers are buying their own protective equipment such as armguards to protect against biting, delegates at the union's annual conference in Bournemouth heard.
Geoff Branner, of the union's executive, recounted two cases of which he was aware.
In the first, a teacher was removing a pupil from a classroom when he rushed at her, kicking her in the leg, punching her on the arm and in the face. She later discovered her thumb had been broken.
Teachers at some special schools where they have to deal with unruly pupils are having to protect themselves form being bitten. Picture posed by models
Mr Branner said: 'The pupil was given a five-day exclusion.'
The teacher told her head she wanted the incident reported to the police due to the violence of the attack, but was discouraged.
When she said being violently assaulted was not part of her job, her head replied 'it is part of the job when working in a special school', Mr Branner said.
In the second case, a teacher was attacked by a pupil who had been reprimanded for hitting a fellow student on a school trip.
Mr Branner said on their return to the school the pupil 'leapt into the air, shouted 'I'm going to kill you', jumped on to her back, put her in a headlock and punched her in the face'.
Suzanne Nantcurvis, of the union's executive, said biting was a big issue in special schools, and risk assessments often called for armguards.
More...1,000 troublemakers suspended more than TEN times because heads don't have power to expel them
Celebrity culture is fuelling violence and sex among children, says schools tsar
Blockbusters and Pictionary: The government adviser's guide to livening up school lessons
Teachers told to 'Google' their own names over cyberbully attacks

'There is a cost involved and with tight budgets, this type of item may well go down the list of priorities,' she said.
'In fact I know of members buying their own armguards.'

Special school teachers were also not routinely given free inoculations against tetanus and hepatitis B, she said.
NASUWT general secretary Chris Keates has said previously: 'Regrettably, there is still a culture in some schools, particularly where pupils have serious behavioural problems, that being assaulted is part of the job.'
There are around 14,800 teachers working in special schools.
The shocking stories about violence towards teachers come as it was warned that unruly pupils are copying the worst behaviour they see from footballers and celebrities on television.

Fuelling violence and bad behaviour: Children are copying footballers like Newcastle star Joey Barton, who was jailed for an assault in Liverpool, and singer Amy Winehouse, who has been charged with attacking a fan
Sir Alan Steer, a retired head who has conducted a four-year investigation into school discipline, claimed that abusive football stars fuelled violence in the playground while celebrity sex scandals encouraged teenage promiscuity.

Sir Alan called for parents to spend more time and less money on their children, and must be prepared to say 'No' more often to their demands.

He suggested a ban on TVs in children's bedrooms to minimise the influence of popular culture on the young.

Sir Alan Steer: Abusive football stars fuel violence in the playground and celebrity sex scandals encourage teenage promiscuity
Sir Alan also stressed that schools should make more use of traditional methods of discipline such as detention to tackle unruly pupils.
A big expansion of parenting contracts enforced by fines of up to £1,000 for those who fail to control their loutish children has also be urged under a crackdown on bad behaviour in schools.
The plans come amid claims that indulgent parents are fuelling an epidemic of classroom disruption.
Sir Alan's report calls for schools to make more use of their legal powers to deal with unruly behaviour.

These include imposing 'old-style' evening and weekend detentions at 24 hours' notice, confiscating mobile phones, withdrawing privileges, searching pupils for drugs and ultimately suspending or expelling them.

Teachers can also confiscate baseball caps if children refuse to remove them when entering a classroom.

He wants more 'consistent' use by schools and local authorities of parenting contracts issued to parents who need 'support' in managing their children's behaviour, possibly including parenting classes.

Lisa Walker, the mother jailed over her truant daughter
Parents can also be issued with £100 penalty notices for condoning truancy or failing to control children who have been suspended.
Lisa Walker, of Leeds, was jailed for allowing her 11-year-old daughter to play truant despite living 100 yards from the school.
Schools Secretary Ed Balls presented Sir Alan's report at the NASUWT's conference.
According to the union, more than half of teachers believe parents 'over-indulging' children are largely to blame for poor behaviour which has worsened over the past decade.
A culture in schools of offering unruly children rewards such as games consoles for 'normal' behaviour leads to an even bigger problem, the NASUWT claimed.

A spell in a school isolation unit is seen by yobbish pupils as a 'badge of honour'.
Low-level disruption is so widespread that 16 days of teaching are lost every year in primaries and 26 in secondaries, a union survey found.

04-15-2009, 06:20 PM	#1
Jacqui D Avalon Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Kent,England Posts: 1,267	What's happening to UK kids? Teachers 'forced to wear dog handler armguards and need inoculations to defend against biting pupils'By Daily Mail Reporter Last updated at 4:48 PM on 15th April 2009 Shocking level of violence towards teachers revealed Schools tsar warns celebrity culture fuels violence and sex among children He suggests ban on TVs in bedrooms 1,000 troublemakers suspended at least TEN times Special school teachers face daily physical and verbal abuse from pupils, union leaders said today. There is a culture in some schools that this is simply 'part of the job', according to the NASUWT teaching union. Kicking, punching and biting are commonplace and teachers regularly have to go to hospital to have injuries treated. Often, teachers are buying their own protective equipment such as armguards to protect against biting, delegates at the union's annual conference in Bournemouth heard. Geoff Branner, of the union's executive, recounted two cases of which he was aware. In the first, a teacher was removing a pupil from a classroom when he rushed at her, kicking her in the leg, punching her on the arm and in the face. She later discovered her thumb had been broken. Teachers at some special schools where they have to deal with unruly pupils are having to protect themselves form being bitten. Picture posed by models Mr Branner said: 'The pupil was given a five-day exclusion.' The teacher told her head she wanted the incident reported to the police due to the violence of the attack, but was discouraged. When she said being violently assaulted was not part of her job, her head replied 'it is part of the job when working in a special school', Mr Branner said. In the second case, a teacher was attacked by a pupil who had been reprimanded for hitting a fellow student on a school trip. Mr Branner said on their return to the school the pupil 'leapt into the air, shouted 'I'm going to kill you', jumped on to her back, put her in a headlock and punched her in the face'. Suzanne Nantcurvis, of the union's executive, said biting was a big issue in special schools, and risk assessments often called for armguards. More...1,000 troublemakers suspended more than TEN times because heads don't have power to expel them Celebrity culture is fuelling violence and sex among children, says schools tsar Blockbusters and Pictionary: The government adviser's guide to livening up school lessons Teachers told to 'Google' their own names over cyberbully attacks 'There is a cost involved and with tight budgets, this type of item may well go down the list of priorities,' she said. 'In fact I know of members buying their own armguards.' Special school teachers were also not routinely given free inoculations against tetanus and hepatitis B, she said. NASUWT general secretary Chris Keates has said previously: 'Regrettably, there is still a culture in some schools, particularly where pupils have serious behavioural problems, that being assaulted is part of the job.' There are around 14,800 teachers working in special schools. The shocking stories about violence towards teachers come as it was warned that unruly pupils are copying the worst behaviour they see from footballers and celebrities on television. Fuelling violence and bad behaviour: Children are copying footballers like Newcastle star Joey Barton, who was jailed for an assault in Liverpool, and singer Amy Winehouse, who has been charged with attacking a fan Sir Alan Steer, a retired head who has conducted a four-year investigation into school discipline, claimed that abusive football stars fuelled violence in the playground while celebrity sex scandals encouraged teenage promiscuity. Sir Alan called for parents to spend more time and less money on their children, and must be prepared to say 'No' more often to their demands. He suggested a ban on TVs in children's bedrooms to minimise the influence of popular culture on the young. Sir Alan Steer: Abusive football stars fuel violence in the playground and celebrity sex scandals encourage teenage promiscuity Sir Alan also stressed that schools should make more use of traditional methods of discipline such as detention to tackle unruly pupils. A big expansion of parenting contracts enforced by fines of up to £1,000 for those who fail to control their loutish children has also be urged under a crackdown on bad behaviour in schools. The plans come amid claims that indulgent parents are fuelling an epidemic of classroom disruption. Sir Alan's report calls for schools to make more use of their legal powers to deal with unruly behaviour. These include imposing 'old-style' evening and weekend detentions at 24 hours' notice, confiscating mobile phones, withdrawing privileges, searching pupils for drugs and ultimately suspending or expelling them. Teachers can also confiscate baseball caps if children refuse to remove them when entering a classroom. He wants more 'consistent' use by schools and local authorities of parenting contracts issued to parents who need 'support' in managing their children's behaviour, possibly including parenting classes. Lisa Walker, the mother jailed over her truant daughter Parents can also be issued with £100 penalty notices for condoning truancy or failing to control children who have been suspended. Lisa Walker, of Leeds, was jailed for allowing her 11-year-old daughter to play truant despite living 100 yards from the school. Schools Secretary Ed Balls presented Sir Alan's report at the NASUWT's conference. According to the union, more than half of teachers believe parents 'over-indulging' children are largely to blame for poor behaviour which has worsened over the past decade. A culture in schools of offering unruly children rewards such as games consoles for 'normal' behaviour leads to an even bigger problem, the NASUWT claimed. A spell in a school isolation unit is seen by yobbish pupils as a 'badge of honour'. Low-level disruption is so widespread that 16 days of teaching are lost every year in primaries and 26 in secondaries, a union survey found.