TEACHERS have slammed the SNP-Green Scottish government’s “complete abdication of responsibility” amid growing classroom violence.
The accusation will be part of a motion from Scottish delegates to this weekend’s NASUWT annual conference in Harrogate, as they describe living not only with rising violence, but a Scottish government running a staggering four years late in issuing guidance to deal with it.
Just last year a survey conducted by the union found that 40 per cent of teachers had experienced violence or physical abuse in the previous 12 months — and 93 per cent said the problem was worsening.
Draft guidance on how to intervene to protect student safety issued in 2020 said restraint should only be used as a “last resort to prevent harm, with the minimum necessary force and for the minimum necessary time.”
But despite an escalation in violent behaviour since then, Scottish government promises of clear guidance on the use of force remain unpublished.
NASUWT general secretary Dr Patrick Roach said: “This much-needed guidance has been in the pipeline since 2020, yet four years later still nothing has materialised while teachers are experiencing increasing levels of serious disruption and violence in their schools.
“Every day teachers across Scotland are faced with situations where they feel they have to intervene to physically restrain a pupil to try to prevent them hurting themselves or others.
“They are stepping into considerable risk to themselves and we regularly deal with casework where teachers have either been injured or been the subject of disciplinary action or allegations stemming from an intervention.
“Teachers are being expected to put their safety and sometimes, their careers, on the line to keep their pupils safe, but they are doing so without the backing, training and advice they need and have a right to expect.
“The Scottish government must fulfil its responsibility to teachers and commit to working with us to get this guidance published as soon as possible.”
The union’s top Scottish official Mike Corbett added: “On a matter where the safety of children and school staff is on the line this is dangerous and unfair.
“We need a nationally agreed approach which upholds the duty of care schools have to both teachers and pupils and which comes accompanied with training and resources for school staff.”
The Scottish government said it will publish final guidance as soon as possible.
