Shocking violence against female teachers shows need to restore discipline in Scotland's schools

No teacher should have to face the threat of violence from pupils

A horrifying survey which found nearly half of female teachers and more than a third of their male colleagues have been violently attacked or otherwise physically abused by pupils in the past 12 months is the latest evidence of the crisis of indiscipline in Scotland’s schools.

Teachers were punched, kicked, shoved and spat at, with some experiencing violence several times a week, according to the NASUWT union’s Behaviour in Schools survey. Little wonder that teachers at Kirkintilloch High School recently took strike action over pupil violence. No one should be expected to work in such conditions.

Speaking at Holyrood, Scottish Conservative MSP Liz Smith said the level of physical abuse against teachers was “a badge of shame for Scotland” and called for a review of the policy of ‘mainstreaming’, in which children with additional support needs (ASN) are taught alongside others in local schools, rather than in specialist facilities.

Schools need to teach pupils about basic moral values and be the antidote to toxic influencers like Andrew Tate (Picture: Loic Venance) | AFP via Getty Images

The NASUWT has said the policy is “setting teachers up to fail”, while children with ASN “are not uniformly receiving the care and help they deserve”.

Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth backed mainstreaming, but added that “all parties will have to reflect” on the policy. She also said, correctly, that “the horrifying increase in violence toward women is a broader societal challenge” but then added “which will only be resolved when men and boys change their behaviour”.

As the politician in charge of education, it is surely part of her job to ensure that the behaviour of all children in school falls within acceptable boundaries. Children do not simply go to school to learn their sums, but also about the importance of self-control, respect for others, and basic moral values.

Schools should be an antidote to toxic ‘influencers’ like Andrew Tate, particularly for children whose parents fail to provide a grounding in how to be a decent human being. What other hope do they have?

Discipline must be urgently restored in Scotland’s schools. Pupils who cross the line into unacceptable behaviour must face consequences for doing so. And the sanctions imposed on those who dare to assault a teacher should be so severe that the number of cases is vanishingly small.