Teachers attacked amid gangland culture

A “gangland culture” in some deprived areas is resulting in teachers being stabbed, headbutted, hit with chairs, knocked unconscious, hospitalised for broken limbs, and assaulted even while pregnant by pupils as young as 14.

The revelations were made by delegates on the final day of the Teachers’ Union of Ireland AGM yesterday. They said school management boards are failing to address the “hidden crisis” — which is being added to by cuts to guidance counsellor services.

Speaking to the Irish Examiner after the TUI voted unanimously in favour of bringing the “abuse, intimidation, and violence in their workplaces” into the open, officials from TUI’s Dublin City branch confirmed that “at least” two teachers are seriously assaulted in Dublin alone every term, to the point where ambulances have to be called.

They said the situation is replicated around the country. However, while it mainly relates to second-level DEIS schools in some deprived areas, where a “gangland culture”, has developed and a small number of Youthreach facilities, delegates stressed it is “middle-class snobbery” to suggest such behaviour is to be expected due to pupils’ backgrounds.

“We’re talking broken bones, chipped teeth from kicks to the mouth, arms broken by students, busted noses after doors were kicked, and pregnant teachers [being assaulted],” said Audrey Cepeda, a branch official. “There is a constant threat of assault. Some students are coming up and spitting in your face, pushing by you. We’ve had two cases of female students [subjecting teachers to] very serious assaults, but it is primarily males. People think it’s the weak female teachers [who are assaulted], but it’s actually not, it’s right across the board.”

She added: “The threat of it starts quite young, mainly from third year. Management aren’t taking action when they are younger, and then the boundaries are pushed out,” she said.”

Ms Cepeda’s remarks were backed up by a number of delegates from the Dublin City branch, while TUI executive Laurence Cooke said in some schools, “abusive and threatening behaviour has become the norm”.

One teacher who has been assaulted in recent months broke down in tears while speaking to reporters on condition of anonymity.

The teacher said she is “close to walking away” from the profession due to the incidents, and that other colleagues are “literally afraid to go into work”. She said she has been subjected to being headbutted by a male pupil, having a bottle thrown at her, being hit with a chair, and pushed into a wall.

The teacher said she is also aware of colleagues in other schools who have been stabbed with unspecified sharp objects, and put a recent rise in incidents down to a growing “gangland culture” among teens, but stressed “some students step in” when they see an incident.

The teachers who spoke to this newspaper claimed that the problems are not being addressed because certain schools’ management are reluctant to expel pupils, as it gives the facilities a bad reputation.

They said even when pupils are removed, other schools take them in — an issue which while they stressed is vital to ensuring someone receives a full education, means unruly pupils are just being moved around with the underlying problems going unaddressed. The teachers also said many of the schools involved do not have a health and safety in the workplace statement, which they are legally obliged to draw up. They added that the problems have become more common since 2012, when guidance counsellor hours were reduced.

A management group representing some of the schools involved did not respond at the time of going to press.

Speaking last week on the general issue of violence against teachers, Education and Training Boards Ireland general secretary Michael Moriarty defended school managers.

“It would be unfair to generalise on this issue,” he said. “ETBs locally and our own head office regularly support schools in dealing with these issues to copperfasten and ensure the common good is served.”

Mr Moriarty added this is despite the fact many middle-management school posts lie vacant and guidance counsellor services have been reduced.

TUI general secretary, John MacGabhann, said the issue is occurring in other parts of the country but is not widespread in all areas. Meanwhile, a TUI survey has found one in four guidance counsellors do not feel they are properly resourced to react to a “crisis situation” in their school, while two in five said their hours have decreased despite the fact they are expected to look after more pupils.