Class warfare

Reporter HAYDN LEWIS looks at who should be taking responsibility.

TEACHERS' leaders have claimed that too many talented new recruits to the profession are falling by the wayside as a result of abuse in the classroom.

"Too many parents still believe that their responsibility for their child's behaviour ends at the school gate.

"Too many still fail to take responsibility for their child's attendance, lateness or completion of work," said Chris Keates, general secretary of the National Association of School Masters and Women Teachers (NASUWT), the largest union representing teachers and head teachers throughout the UK.

The union claims that four in ten teachers across the country are dealing with serious behavioural problems, with staff complaining that the majority of their time is being spent on "crowd control" rather than teaching.

Teachers claim they are being faced with children who swear at them, throw chairs, hang out of windows, spit, spark fights and generally disrupt lessons.

So who is responsible for youngsters who are verbally abusive and often physically aggressive towards their teachers?

Brian Crosby, pictured, head teacher at Manor School, in York, said: "I think most schools have a careful induction programme for newly-qualified teachers in supporting them through difficult times.

"Obviously, through the first few years, they are still learning their craft and knowledge and understanding grows during this time and at this school there is a rigorous mentoring scheme to help them.

"It's important that both the school and parents at home should instil a sense of discipline. The school has a responsibility to protect its staff and, as head master, I would not allow any young colleague to be put under pressure by any badly behaved student and in the last few years we have not had any newly-qualified staff leave us."

Earlier this year, Ofsted said many schools were being held back by low-level disruption and revealed that only one in three secondary schools had acceptable standards of behaviour.

Mr Keates said: "Seeking to ensure that parents are able to play an active role in their child's education is clearly right. Evidence shows that parental support helps to improve educational progress.

"Ensuring systems are in place so that parents feel confid-ent about raising any concerns with schools and have the opportunity to do so is also important.

"However, respect for the rights of parents must be balanced by parents in turn understanding and being prepared to carry out their responsibilities.

"Rights and responsibilities must be equally balanced. NASUWT will be monitoring closely the development of the new parent councils which will apparently be free to focus on any aspect of school life of interest to parents. NASUWT will press for the terms of reference of these councils to be made absolutely clear. There should be no question of them being given any locus to either discuss or evaluate the effectiveness of teachers and head teachers or have any role in matters which affect conditions of service."

Nick Seaton, chairman of the York-based Campaign For Real Education, which lobbies on behalf of parental rights, said teaching youngsters how to behave should be shared between teachers and parents.

"I think most sensible parents would absolutely agree with the teachers' union leaders on this one - that parents should take more responsibility for their children's behaviour because a lot of these problems start long before they get to school.

"Parents should do more, but so should teachers. Too many schools - and I don't necessarily mean those in York - give youngsters the message that children can get away with bad behaviour and as a result young teachers are being driven out of their profession.

"It's up to teachers and parents to use a zero tolerance approach and say "no" more because there are certain things that youngsters just shouldn't be doing."

City of York Council's executive member for education, Coun Carol Runciman, said she was not aware of any case in York where a teacher had left through such severe behavioural problems.

"I think in York our schools have a good system of pastoral care so any teacher despairing of a situation can go to a colleague or local authority for support," said Coun Runciman.

"Another problem of course is the long hours culture we have, where both parents work and neither has enough time at home to help support and enforce discipline where necessary. I think that is a real problem which employers need to keep in mind."

Updated: 10:33 Monday, October 10, 2005