Union warns of rising tide of school violence

Cutting exclusions has led to more difficulties, says teachers’ leader

Scotland’s largest teaching union has warned a recent drop in exclusions in Dundee has led to an increase in violence in schools.

The Educational Institute of Scotland (EIS) says a 37.5% drop in the number of pupils barred from council-run primary and secondary schools in the city may lead to teachers “walking away” from the job.

Data released by Dundee City Council following a Freedom of Information request shows the number of exclusions has fallen from 557 in 2014/15 to 356 in 2016/17.

The council says early intervention measures, introduced in 2013 to tackle high rates of exclusions in four secondary schools in the city have led to the decrease.

However, EIS Dundee leader David Baxter said there has been a spike in the number of teachers applying to the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA), which deals with compensation claims from people who have been physically or mentally injured through violent crime.

He said: “There is some pretty horrific stuff happening.

“We can’t go into detail with individual cases but I can say we have had a big spike in violence and aggression and that’s evidenced by the rise in applications to CICA this year.

“There is a deliberate push to reduce exclusions from Dundee schools but the reduction in the last few years isn’t because behaviour is getting better – far from it. Our members have been painting the opposite picture.

“It is all very well saying we want to reduce exclusions and we accept that it does nothing for their life chances but schools have to be safe places.

“The council has identified early intervention as the solution to improving behaviour but this needs staff and we know support staff have been really hammered recently and Dundee doesn’t do well for small class sizes.”

It was revealed last year there was a 43% rise in the number of incidents involving attacks on staff in nurseries, primaries and secondaries around the city in 2015-16.

This led to a plea from teachers for more protection in classrooms.

Mr Baxter added: “The bottom line is, if you don’t give teachers good working conditions, that is affecting young people’s learning conditions.

“You can’t just keep disruptive pupils in classes and say ‘that’s the way of the world’ because that makes teachers’ jobs much more difficult.

“What you will find is that teachers will walk away from the job. They didn’t sign up to be bouncers.”

However, Gregor Murray, children and families convener, insisted it was good to see a reduction in exclusions.

The councillor said: “Early intervention can make a real difference to children from an early age, as well as their families. Results have shown that Inclusion Plus continues to have a highly positive impact on the pupils.”

“There is some pretty horrific stuff happening. I can say we have had a big spike in violence and aggression. DAVID BAXTER, EIS DUNDEE LEADER