Threats end career begun in high hope

By Bronwyn Sell

The teaching career of Jan Jenkinson started with high hopes but has ended more than 20 years later in violence and intimidation.

The West Auckland woman is one of our best-qualified teachers, with two degrees and a diploma, but has quit because students are getting too threatening and the schools are not doing enough.

Before she even entered the classroom at a South Auckland secondary school several years ago, a sixth former asked: "If we are bad, will you leave?"

"This comment was to haunt me over the next 21/2 years."

A few weeks later she was assaulted by a fourth-form girl, and shortly afterwards a fifth-form boy began trying his hardest to undermine her authority and create problems in her classroom.

Later that year a girl accused her of inappropriate touching - "a pack of lies."

The complaint was withdrawn the same day and Mrs Jenkinson received a bunch of flowers from the board of trustees, but not before the damage had been done.

"I did go back, but from then on I was always looking over my shoulder wondering what may happen. I could never feel comfortable in a classroom again."

The intimidation continued for two more years, and she said the school discipline procedure was cumbersome and did not work.

She finally quit several months ago, too stressed to continue.

"I have lost the job I was trained to do. I used to feel I had something worthwhile to contribute.

"I have left the teaching profession because I had to encounter behaviour and attitudes no teacher should have to encounter."

Mrs Jenkinson did not want to name the secondary schools she was working in, because she said the problems were happening everywhere.

"They're not doing anything worse or better with the kids than anywhere else. I think it's more the system and the community that's to blame."

She said alternative schools were needed for children who were too difficult for the mainstream school system, and teachers needed more support.

"There have just been so many social changes. There are some super kids, there's no doubt about that, but the numbers of those versus the others are out of proportion."