Commenting on reports, ahead of a Downing Street Summit
today on violent crime, that teachers could face additional legal
duties being placed on them regarding pupil
safety, Ms Chris Keates General Secretary of NASUWT
- The Teachers’ Union, said:
“All professionals involved with children and young people are
well aware of their responsibilities for safeguarding their
health and welfare.
“Violent crime involving young people, of course, needs to be
taken seriously and appropriate strategies considered. However,
this is a complex issue which will not be resolved by
putting additional pressures and responsibilities on teachers and
head teachers or indeed others.
“It is concerning that a narrative appears to be developing
whereby schools excluding pupils are potentially being
scapegoated as being part of the problem, with exclusion being
cited as a reason for pupils becoming involved in knife crime and
gangs.
“Schools exclude as a last resort and it should be remembered
that exclusions in too many instances are because pupils have
brought offensive weapons on site or have engaged in violence
against staff and other pupils.
“Teachers do a great job on a daily basis of managing the
behaviour of pupils and maintaining high standards of behaviour,
but this has become increasingly difficult.
“There have been savage cuts by Government to local authority
funding which has resulted in either the severe reduction or the
disappearance altogether of specialist external support,
including appropriate referral units on which schools have been
able in the past to rely.
“In addition, in many areas the pressure on schools to take
pupils with serious behaviour issues, who should be in specialist
provision, has increased.
“Teachers are entitled to teach and pupils are entitled to learn
in an environment free from violence and disruption. If exclusion
is necessary to achieve this, then schools must be free to
exercise their right to exclude. It’s the responsibility of
Government to ensure there is appropriate provision for excluded
pupils.
“If the causes of violence involving young people are to be
examined at the Summit today, then the
contribution government social, economic and education
policies make must be on the table for consideration.
“Threatening staff such as teachers, who already have a difficult
and challenging job, that they will be held accountable for
failing to spot any warning signs of violent crime is an
unacceptable response and will simply add to the myriad of
government-driven factors which are causing teachers to leave the
profession and deterring potential recruits from applying.
“Evidence in other contexts shows that systems of mandatory
reporting, backed by criminal sanctions for any failure to
comply, promote a culture of defensive reporting. In such
circumstances, the police, local social services and other
agencies may be overwhelmed by referrals, many of which would be
inappropriate and serve only to reduce the ability of the system
to focus on those children and young people at most risk.”
