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Action to curb unruly pupils as teachers blame parents
Tim Ross, Education Correspondent14.04.09
TEACHERS demanded a return to traditional school discipline today amid warnings that "over-indulgent" parents are fuelling bad behaviour in class.
Members of the NASUWT teaching union said unruly children were being rewarded with more attention and treats for playing up as society becomes increasingly child-centred.
Teachers called for the reinstatement of traditional punishments such as detentions and the confiscation of inappropriate items including iPods and mobile phones amid concern that standards of behaviour are in decline.
The warnings came as ministers drew up advice aimed at promoting new legal powers for teachers to enforce school rules and tackle parents who contribute to bad behaviour.
Tomorrow, Schools Secretary Ed Balls will release guidelines urging teachers to use the full range of powers at their disposal. Under the guidelines parents can be handed £50 fines and even face court action if they fail to take responsibility for their children's bad behaviour in school.
Teachers would also have the right to use "reasonable force" to restrain unruly pupils and set weekend or evening detentions as well as confiscate property.
But a survey from the NASUWT union suggests 60 per cent of teachers are not aware of their powers. And the union's research also found more than half of teachers believed parents were "largely to blame" for pupil disruption.
Jules Donaldson, who is calling for urgent action on behaviour at the union's annual conference in Bournemouth, said: "Parents have a lot that they could be doing but there is a major societal problem. In America they are saying 'adults should be seen and not heard'. To a certain extent we are going down that road.
"At the end of the day parents have a responsibility for their children's behaviour and sometimes they are not willing to accept that."
He said some schools fuelled this permissive attitude, rewarding the most disruptive pupils while ignoring children who are always well-behaved.
Children see it as a "badge of honour" when they are taken out of class and sent to behaviour units, where they enjoy the reward of "toast and tea", he said. In other examples, pupils have been given burgers as treats in exchange for better discipline.
"It is good when people are rewarded for achievement but it has a negative effect if you are being rewarded for what is seen by everyone else as normal behaviour," he said.
The Government's school behaviour czar, Sir Alan Steer, is due to publish his final report on discipline tomorrow. He is expected to say behaviour is generally good but there remains "a legitimate concern" in society about the standards of behaviour of young people.
Reader views (6)
Ch4`s "HOSPITAL" programme tells us all we need to know.
The handout culture and the mother’s acceptance of the father as a feckless unwanted and unnecessary sperm donor has got to be changed.
These attitudes are at the core of the problem.
All rights without responsibilities.
Come the next election, something MUST be done.
Perhaps if NuLabour had Frank Field as leader, it would have been!
Otherwise we are finished, destined, as a country to become just another degenerate backwater.
- Darius Midwinter, London UK
Really! so is that how English people usually behave? Instead of dealing with the problem and finding solutions to build on the family structure and maintain harmony, they tear each other apart by proportioning blame. Well it seems to me that the answer is staring at you each time that you look in the mirror. That's right! (go easy remember 7 years bad luck). So where did these children learn this uncaring attitude and proportioning blame on others and never taking responsibility for ones actions. That's right! Go look in that mirror again.
- Angel, London Lewisham
Since Labour came to power with it's legions of PC nut's have been slowly ruining this country from within. This bad behaviour by children is due to the Benifit culture. The parents of these kids have put no wotk ethic into the kids. Because they dont have any.
- Ebin Donk, angus scotland
Yes parenting has fallen in standard in recent years. What hope do teachers gace in schools when parents wabt to blame everyone but themselves for what is, after all, their main responsibility
- Keith Price, Luton, England
We are becoming more 'child-centred'. Regrettably not in a positive,European way where a primacy is placed on family values. In our 'yob culture' the child can do what it pleases as long as it leaves Mum and Dad free to booze, watch TV and pursue other interests.Anyone who interferes gets sued,smacked or both !
- Pablo, Kent
I often what the next ten years will produce in terms of society's ills. Children have no respect whatsoever. At times their parents or guardians are right alongside the children while they are behaving badly, yet they (the parents) turn a blind eye.
This will not go on forever unchecked for we have the principle of sowing and reaping and as sure as night follows day, a deadly harvest is in the making if there is no improvement in the behaviour and morale of this society.
- Venelle, london
