Schoolyard bullies target the teachers

By STUART DYE

A female teacher with more than 30 years experience tries to break up a schoolyard fight between two boys, but their rage is such that she is shunted aside.

She has to call two male colleagues to pin down one of the students and restrain him.

"It was a violent attack and I could only stand aside, terrified and helpless," she said.

The teacher said the incident was one of a rising number of violent attacks in schools which were leaving teachers intimidated, scared and stressed.

Other more horrific stories include a teacher having her hair set on fire, a teacher having a knife pulled on him and a teacher being harassed after school hours by a disgruntled parent.

More than a third of secondary school teachers say they face bullying or harassment every week.

Twelve per cent say they suffer such incidents every day.

They have become targets for pupils, managers and even parents in an escalating climate of classroom intimidation, a Post-Primary Teachers' Association survey has found.

The association has made public the preliminary results from the survey of 583 secondary school teachers throughout the country.

Ninety-seven per cent said they experienced bullying at least once a year, 80 per cent at least once a term and more than half at least once a month.

The convenor of the PPTA women's advisory council, Bernadette Childerhouse, said the problem was found in all types of school. "It's right across the board, and the problem is exacerbated because teachers are often blamed for not coping and not being able to control their students."

Attacks by students were by far the most common incidents, but incidents of bullying and intimidation by principals, colleagues and parents were increasing, Ms Childerhouse said.

PPTA president Phil Smith said the survey highlighted concerns over an escalation in violence in schools.

He said teachers were increasingly worried about stress or injury or stress resulting from violence in their workplace.

Ministry of Education figures, which showed 637 physical assaults on teachers last year compared with 537 in 2002, backed the concerns.

The PPTA yesterday started an anti-bullying poster campaign urging teachers and school communities to speak out about problems.

Mr Smith said the posters had four clear messages.

"Bullying thrives in a climate of fear and denial, bullies need silence and complicity to operate, targets need support to speak out and combating bullying is a whole school responsibility," said Mr Smith.

The association plans to lobby for more support from outside agencies, training for teachers in how to deal with bullying, and for more resources to develop a support programme for those affected.

Attacks on teachers

* 537 in 2002

* 637 in 2003