Teachers in torment

SCHOOLS should be places for learning and the nurturing of talent.

Those who work there – whether teachers, classroom assistants or dinner ladies – should be praised for the work they do.

So it is depressing to find attacks on staff have become more and more common, places of sanctuary becoming hotbeds of violence.

We reveal today nearly 5,000 crimes were committed against teachers in the past three years. Some are truly shocking – including staff being raped, stabbed and assaulted.

Part of the problem is cuts to mental health services and special needs provision.

But there is also a duty on parents to instil basic standards of behaviour and decency.

If we want our children to flourish, we need to make sure teachers can work in safe, secure environments. By failing to protect them, we are driving good people away from the profession and letting down pupils who deserve the best possible education.