Staff in schools deserve better

■ YOUR front page titled “Class War” about what’s happening in our schools is shocking (Feb 26). When I was at school we had some very strict teachers. If you said anything out of place you got lines, a detention or the cane. Now we have gone to the other extreme and we read about children as young as seven acting up.

It seems we’ve gone soft with kids being able to walk all over teachers while the Tory cuts to school budgets have only added to the crisis. The whole system needs a good shake-up as it can’t carry on like this. When I was a boy you daren’t say boo to a teacher otherwise you’d be in big trouble. Dave Mellor, Warrington

■ We shouldn’t be putting our teachers in a position where they fear going to work. For them to have to try and teach abusive kids who just don’t want to learn is impossible. In my view these children should be sent to special schools for badly behaved pupils. The number of disruptive pupils has increased in the last 20 years and even more so since the pandemic, and it affects those children who actually do want an education. Disruptive kids mainly come from families who were the same when they were at school. It’s always gone on but has got worse to the point where talented teachers are leaving the profession or going off sick. Tony Howard, Salford

■ Is it any wonder teachers are quitting the profession in their droves when pupil behaviour has deteriorated to such an extent some are afraid to go to work? Teaching used to be a decent, wellpaid profession while teachers were respected members of the community. Now, thanks to successive Tory governments, teachers’ pay has been eroded and pupils as young as seven and eight are running amok.

It’s well past time government did more to support our teachers. After all, the future of the next generation is in their hands. Margaret Robson Chesterfield, Derbys

■ It’s not surprising that teachers have had enough of the violence in schools when you see how some parents behave at the school gates when dropping off or collecting their children.

Parents at many schools in my city, Aberdeen, can be seen parking in the “no parking” areas and smoking in their cars with their children inside. This sends the wrong message to children that rules are there to be ignored and ends with predictable violence

when they are confronted by teachers while in school.

Dennis Grattan, Aberdeen

■ When I was in school in the 50s and 60s discipline was a priority and only one or two children misbehaved. Now parents and teachers are scared to take control. There is a lot more truancy today too. I feel so sorry for teachers and staff as they have their hands tied. Keith Robinson, Gosport, Hants

■ Regarding your story “Class War”, you can’t blame the Tories for everything. If children are acting like thugs and throwing tantrums, I put it down to the parents. Over the last 10 years it has been getting worse with children doing what they want. I blame social media. Ian Fleck, Par, Cornwall

■ Lazy parents who can’t be bothered to take proper care of their offspring are causing this disruption., and little is being done to stop it. I feel sorry for teachers who are put in an intolerable position by abusive children and parents. It’s a disgraceful situation. Pat Carrick, Southampton