School Behaviour 24/3/08

INTO Press Release: Statement by Angela Dunne, INTO President, on School Behaviour

24 March 2008

INTO President calls for action on unruly pupils

According to INTO President Angela Dunne there is a small group of children in most primary schools who not only make life a misery for their teachers but for all of the children who happen to be in their class. She was speaking at the opening session of the INTO’s Annual Congress in Kilkenny.

Addressing the 750 teachers at the conference she said it was time that emphasis was placed on the role of those parents in the management of their children’s behaviour.

“For too long this small minority of parents have failed to accept that they have any responsibility for the behaviour of their children when they are in school. The net effect of this is that the education of the many is disrupted by the actions of the few.”

“It is past time that there was a clear focus and acknowledgement of the rights of all children to progress their education, particularly in situations where classes are seriously be disrupted by the indiscipline of a few,” she said.

She said schools were still waiting for advice and guidelines from the National Education Welfare Board promised since its establishment.

To be of real use to schools these guidelines must contain a list of suggested specific sanctions ranging from verbal reprimand to removal from the class, withdrawal of privileges, withdrawal from a particular peer group, detention, a formal report to the board of management, suspension and expulsion.

According to Ms Dunne there must also be an acceptance that a single incident of gross misconduct such as assault of another pupil or a teacher may constitute grounds for suspension. “A full class of primary school pupils should not be held to ransom by a single Bugsy Malone,” she said.

Ms Dunne said all schools must be given the resources and training in relation to implementing codes of behaviour fairly and appropriately. “Training is also badly needed on the issue of behaviour management approaches in relation to children with special needs.”

She said that in general the vast majority of primary pupils are well behaved and their parents are very supportive of the school and its teachers. “Indeed we all know that without parental support our schools would have to close mid way through the year for lack of funding.”

ENDS.