Classes hit by alcohol and drugs abuse, warn teachers

A HIGH level of alcohol and drug abuse among second-level students is disrupting classes, it was warned yesterday.

Second-level teachers are demanding support to deal with a growth in disruptive and threatening behaviour from students.

Disruptive behaviour as a result of drug or alcohol abuse was particularly problematic on Monday mornings, said Susie Hall, president of the Association of Secondary Teachers Ireland (ASTI). Teachers' representatives have already held several meetings with senior officials from the Department of Education to discuss behavioural problems in schools.

ASTI launched its Charter for Teachers yesterday, setting out a number of professional working conditions that should be expected in schools, including the right to be protected from bullying, harassment, violence, intimidation and stress.

Ms Hall said changes in young people's lifestyles have infringed on the rights of teachers to teach and of students to learn in an atmosphere free from intimidation or threatening behaviour.

"Students have large amounts of disposable income so they become a target for cynical advertising from interest groups. We must accept there's a high level of abuse of alcohol and drugs and that impacts on a student's temperament and disposition on a Monday morning or at certain other crucial times," she said.

"It can result in negative behaviours which, in turn, can generate a fairly charged or negative atmosphere in the class which is unpleasant for the other students," Ms Hall said.

ASTI acting general secretary John White said recent meetings with senior Department of Education officials have allowed the union to put across the level of the problem.

"Any initiative in the whole area of positive behaviour is a matter for the department and we expect the issue to be addressed in a meaningful way over the next couple of months," he said.

A Department of Education spokesperson said officials have given an undertaking to consult with education partners, which would include unions, parents groups and school management bodies, on the issue of discipline.

The Teachers Union of Ireland recently said members could back industrial action over discipline if efforts to have codes of discipline are not resourced and implemented by the Department of Education.

Legal rights for parents to appeal against suspension or expulsion from schools have made it more difficult to exclude troublesome students, but Mr White said it was not impossible.

"We are not demanding mass expulsions but we're asking that everybody in positions of authority signal that there is a problem."

He said more resources to reduce class sizes and offer resource teaching and guidance counselling to students with behavioural problems would help teachers respect students' rights and meet their own responsibilities.

"Ireland is the third-richest country in the world, but we're seventh from the bottom of 25 OECD countries when it comes to spending on second-level education," Mr White said.