Why pandering to violent, abusive school pupils is bad for them and terrible for Scotland
The breakdown of discipline in schools is storing up trouble for Scotland as a whole
A teacher is told to “f*** off” after attempting to enforce the school’s smartphone ban; a group of jeering boys push a pregnant member of staff to the ground, yet face no consequences; pupils turn up to class when they feel like it, and leave early.
A week in the life of a Scottish school – as described by a Glasgow teacher – adds to the mounting weight of evidence that this country’s once widely admired education system is descending into chaos.
In an article we publish today, the teacher writes: “... the behaviour crisis is proving increasingly difficult to ignore. There are no rules in most Scottish schools; a rule is only a rule if it’s enforced, otherwise it’s just a statement. Indeed, we have lots of statements in our school policies.
“The behaviour crisis only exists because we’ve collectively decided that we’re fine with how things are, and extreme behaviour has become normalised.”
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A place of learning
Expelling children for bad behaviour should always be a last resort. However, it cannot be used so infrequently that discipline breaks down almost entirely. Children who physically assault teachers, swear at them, or disrupt classrooms so much that those who are willing to learn are unable to do so must face an effective sanction.
Otherwise, a school is no longer fulfilling its function. A large building full of adults with teaching qualifications and children is not necessarily a place of learning.
Expulsion may be bad for the child concerned, but failing to do so following extremely bad behaviour may actually be worse, given it provides the false and dangerous lesson that actions do not have consequences. Children who grow up without boundaries are much more likely to run into them in the adult world of work or in our courts.
Although expensive, specialist education for those unable to cope in mainstream schools would surely be better for all concerned and a worthwhile investment in this country’s future.
Education is the bedrock of the economy and society as a whole. Pandering to disruptive, abusive and violent children is bad for them, bad for their classmates and terrible for Scotland.
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