Parents ‘cause’ bullying and drugs in schools

PARENTS were largely to blame for the gangsterism, bullying, extortion and drugs at many schools in the province because they would not take responsibility for their children’s behaviour.

That was the view of community leaders, who felt that parents often deferred the responsibility of disciplining their children to teachers, but when those teachers acted they got into trouble.

The past year had seen a spate of incidents at the schools and in some cases police had to be called to restore order.

Sam Pillay, the head of the Antidrug Forum, said: “Previously, if kids misbehaved in school and the parents found out, they would get another klap (hiding) when they went home. Now parents find excuses for them.”

He said although children should know their rights, many tried to exploit those rights or take advantage of a situation.

“Our laws make it illegal to subject children to corporal punishment, at school or at home.”

Pillay said drug dealers in schools got away with what they were doing because they would claim that they had been assaulted and the focus would shift from the real problem.

“Principals walk on eggshells and worry about how to deal with the kids without getting into trouble.”

The chairperson of the Kwazulu-natal Parents’ Association, Vee Ganie, said many cases of bullying were not reported because pupils were afraid to tell anyone what was happening for fear of what would happen to them afterward.

“Principals and teachers are constantly sorting out discipline issues when their expertise should be in the classroom.”

Gani urged schools to follow proper processes – codes of conduct and tribunals – even though that involved a lengthy process.

He said: “Parents are not taking responsibility for their children’s actions and if they have no control over them, how can they expect a school to handle them?”

Parents were responsible for treating children who had drug problems, not schools, he said.

Childline acting director Adeshnie Naicker said teachers should take the cause of “challenging behaviour” into account and reassess how they disciplined pupils. Social workers could help in schools, she said.