The NASUWT-The Teachers’ Union is
calling on employers of teachers to make a clear commitment to
protecting them from verbal and physical abuse from pupils,
parents and other visitors to school sites.
As part of the Union’s ongoing campaign to support teachers and
headteachers in tackling pupil indiscipline, the NASUWT has
produced posters for schools designed to make a public statement
on the expectation of how staff should be treated by pupils,
parents and visitors to school sites.
The NASUWT posters build on the success of similar campaigns in
NHS hospitals and railway stations, which make a clear statement
that abuse of staff will not be tolerated.
Over eight in 10 (82%) teachers say there is a widespread problem
of poor pupil behaviour in their schools today, and pupil
indiscipline is now second only to workload in teachers’ top
concerns about their job.
57% of teachers told the NASUWT in a survey carried out earlier
this year that they had been subjected to verbal abuse by a pupil
in the last 12 months and 27% said they had been verbally abused
by a parent or carer.
18% had received threats of physical assault by a pupil in the
preceding 12 months and 14% had actually been physically
assaulted. 2% had been threatened with physical assault by a
parent or carer.
Chris Keates, General Secretary of the NASUWT,
said:
“Go into any NHS hospital, GP surgery, railway station and many
other workplaces and you will find posters being displayed which
state clearly the expectations of how staff should be treated and
that abuse of staff will not be tolerated.
“The NASUWT believes that those who employ teachers and
headteachers should also be prepared to make such a clear
commitment to the safety and dignity of their staff.
“All teachers and headteachers are entitled to a safe working
environment free from violence and abuse. Employers have a legal
duty of care to provide this.
“Too many teachers are going to work each day with an expectation
that they will be verbally or physically abused. More and more
headteachers report being abused by parents and carers.
“Verbal and physical abuse is not part of the job. It is
unacceptable and must be challenged.
“Our aim is to have these posters displayed prominently in every
school across the country where they will be seen by pupils,
parents and visitors to the site.
“Whether or not there is a problem of abuse of teachers and other
staff in the school, the posters will reinforce the standards of
behaviour which are expected towards staff.
“Good employers will have no problem with displaying the
posters.”
POSTERS ATTACHED
