Edinburgh schools: Violence so bad one teacher asked for self-defence classes

A Freedom of Information survey of local authorities by the Scottish Conservatives found that a similar request had been made in Aberdeenshire.

Tory education spokesman and Lothian MSP Miles Briggs said: “SNP ministers should feel embarrassed and ashamed that the epidemic of classroom violence is so bad that terrified teachers are now requesting self-defence classes.

Violence in Edinburgh schools is on the rise | TSPL

“The breakdown of discipline has been spiralling out of control for years, yet the Nationalists have done precious little to support teachers, instead passing the buck to local authorities and the police.

“Survey after survey by unions has revealed teachers being punched, kicked and spat on by pupils, of them being set upon by yobs wielding hockey sticks and broken glass, having their cars vandalised and even being branded paedophiles.

“For the safety and sanity of Scotland’s teachers, and the vast majority of well-behaved pupils, this has to stop. Rather than hand-wringing and warm words from the education secretary, there must be a zero-tolerance to abuse, intimidation and violence in schools so that teachers feel safe, valued and supported.”

In reply to the Conservatives’ FoI request, Edinburgh Council said: “One teacher submitted a request for self-defence classes to their Head Teacher in our local authority in the last two years.”

Aberdeenshire Council said that “one head teacher has had a request directly, however, they are unable to tell us how many they received as this is not recorded”. Fifteen councils said there had been no requests made by teachers for self-defence classes.

A report by the NAS/UWT teachers’ union described teachers being assaulted with knives, chairs, hockey sticks, fireworks, and more.

And a survey by the union of its members across Scotland found that 44 per cent of respondents had experienced physical abuse in the last 12 months, and 90 per cent had been verbally abused.

Eighty per cent of respondents reported being threatened with a weapon by a pupil and 37 per cent had been assaulted with a weapon.

Some 83 per cent felt the number of pupils exhibiting violent and abusive behaviours had increased.

And only 12 per cent felt that appropriate action had been taken after an incident. They reported that it was “frowned upon” to be disciplinary and that senior management assumed that behavioural issues were the “fault of the teacher”.

Mike Corbett, NAS/UWT national officer for Scotland, said: “Teachers want to see action and leadership in addressing this issue, especially from school managements and local authorities, who have been slow to share the key points of the National Action Plan on Relationships & Behaviour published by the Scottish Government last August.

“However, self-defence classes are not the way forward. A crucial starting point would be behaviour management policies that have been agreed by staff and unions in place in every school which make it clear that there will be zero tolerance of and effective consequences in place for pupils who abuse staff.”

Edinburgh education convener Joan Griffiths said: “We have a zero-tolerance approach to abuse against teachers and support staff working in our schools, and any reports of these incidences are taken extremely seriously.

“We offer training to teachers and support staff working in our schools where required, to ensure that they are equipped to deal with any instances of pupil violence in an appropriate way.

“In addition to supporting staff when this does occur, we have extensive programmes to promote positive behaviour and to manage behaviours of concern in school, so we can try and reduce the number of incidents. Our focus is on getting it right for Edinburgh’s children and staff.”