• Howick and Pakuranga Times
PLANS announced by Education Minister Anne Tolley to tackle bad behaviour at schools are a step in the right direction but will not be enough to help teachers already dealing with disturbed and violent students, says union president Kate Gainsford.
The PPTA has welcomed the news that $45 million will be put in to educating parents and teachers to deal with disruptive students.
“Plans to identify and work with behaviour issues much earlier on in a child’s life are sensible but these measures will be of little help to teachers returning to the front line on the first day of term four,” says Ms Gainsford.
The scheme is part of an action plan that arose from the Taumata Whanonga behaviour summit in March but is yet to be released.
Disruptive behaviour in schools is a serious issue that needs to be addressed urgently, says Ms Gainsford.
“We have been waiting for such a long time for this plan. Every day that goes by with that document sitting on someone’s desk, there are schools and teachers and families without coherent and improved support from Government agencies.
“I would like to remain positive about the minister’s intentions – research shows early intervention in a child’s life is critical – but we are worried about problems that arise when students are in their teens and are in our hands.”
Schools have seen a greater number of students being stood down and expelled for violence against teachers, Ms Gainsford says. “Schools are having increased police call-outs – it’s not acceptable.”
Often students’ behaviour issues come with them through the school gates – financial pressure, family dysfunction, drugs and alcohol and unemployment can all have a serious impact on a student’s behaviour.
Ms Gainford would like to see more support for schools working with outside agencies, such as social workers.
