TERRIFIED teachers say working in schools is like “working in a warzone” after being threatened by pupils wielding knives, crow bars and broken glass.
Escalating violence has caused nearly half to consider quitting with eight-in-10 threatened with a weapon in the last year.
Teachers have been left petrified by feral youth[/caption]
Union NASUWT surveyed thousands of teachers, including nearly 500 north of the border over growing concerns about pupil behaviour.
Staff told how they had been punched, had their hair pulled and been bitten — with kids hurling missiles and even aiming a firework at one victim.
Others had their cars vandalised or been branded “beast” or “paedophile”.
It comes after SNP ministers were criticised last year (2024) for adopting a “relationships-based” discipline policy, with some teachers warning the softly-softly approach was backfiring.
Most children acting out were aged between 12 and 16 and some were under four years old.
And one teacher at a secondary school in Glasgow’s southside says pupils are feeling emboldened to cause problems.
She said: “Colleagues have been shouted at and sworn at — it’s happening every day because there‘s no consequences for their actions.
“It’s rare now that anybody is excluded, suspended or given detention because there’s a big drive towards inclusivity.
“It’s like working in a warzone.”
It found 90 percent had being subjected to verbal abuse, with 44 percent suffering physical violence in the last 12 months and 45 percent revealing they had considered quitting teaching as a result.
Staff at Kirkintilloch High School in East Dunbartonshire have vowed to take action over bad behaviour and will refuse extra duties outside their contracted hours, including clubs, trips and study classes.
Workers at Bannerman High School in Baillieston, Glasgow, staged walk-outs three years ago over safety concerns.
NASUWT General Secretary Dr Patrick Roach, said: “No teacher should experience being hospitalised, have to take time off sick or feel forced to quit their job because of the level of abuse they have suffered.”
A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “The education secretary is concerned by the findings of this survey.
“The Government will provide the first progress update on the behaviour action plan in the coming weeks.
“Ministers will work with COSLA in our continued joint efforts to raise awareness of the national action plan, and, importantly, to ensure the plan drives the improvements we all want to see in Scotland’s schools”.
Teachers are considering walking out over school violence[/caption]
