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Revealed: what happened in strike school classroom
Monday, 20 October 2008
The Belfast Telegraph can today reveal details of the incident which sparked the strike by 25 teachers at Movilla High.
The school in Newtownards remains shut for a sixth day after a teaching union and the South Eastern Education and Library Board (SEELB) failed to resolve a dispute which began after a pupil allegedly assaulted a member of staff.
The school’s 450 pupils have not been able to attend classes since last Monday when the teachers took industrial action after employers docked their pay when they refused to teach the boy accused of the assault.
According to a well-placed source, the incident between the teacher and pupil in May began when the boy and another pupil arrived 15 minutes late for a class. The teacher said they would have to stay behind and make up their time. The boy got up to leave at the end of the class and the teacher stood in the doorway and blocked his way with his arm. The boy pushed the teacher’s arm aside and walked out of the class.
The pupil, who has suffered three recent family bereavements, was involved in an incident with another Movilla pupil following derogatory comments made about a deceased member of his family.
The Telegraph has also seen school documents relating to the behaviour of the pupil at the centre of the dispute.
Among the papers is one relating to his behaviour and shows that he received at least 10 detentions between September 2007 and February 2008. These were for incidents that include leaving school without permission, disruptive behaviour and disobedience. None involved assaults.
Another document is the pupil’s Self-Monitoring Diary showing targets for him relating to time keeping, manners, rules and schoolwork. There are also individual targets to keep calm and use a time out card — which he can present to teachers if he needs time out from class due to emotional issues.
The diary covers three days from October 6 — exactly a week before the strike started. This was during his time in the Pupil Support Centre which is separate to normal classes.
On October 6 he was awarded 44 ‘A’ scores and 1 ‘B’ for his behaviour during class. Comments from teachers include “excellent effort” and “great work”. On the second day, he was late and missed the first two classes. There are only scores for the third class — and they are all ‘As’. On the Wednesday he had all ‘A’ grades and teachers’ comments include “behaviour good”, “fine” and “still catching up, worked well”.
Fred Brown, NASUWT executive member, said: “The teachers would not have taken the action that they have if they felt the classroom was safe and secure when he was in it.
“The decision to strike was not taken lightly. We believe he needs specialised support and a new start somewhere else. His behaviour was much better in the pupil support unit but this is not a long term solution.”
On Friday, the union revealed documentary evidence including advice to teachers that when this pupil was being confrontational they should move at least 3ft away from him.
The crisis deepened today when the striking teachers were accused by Children’s Commissioner Patricia Lewsley of abusing children’s rights.
Talks at the Labour Relations Agency between the SEELB and the NASUWT broke down on Friday without a resolution. The union took part in talks at the Children’s Commissioner’s office this morning.
The SEELB says it cannot give in to the union’s demands for the pupil to be taught in “total isolation” or at another school.
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Comments
28 Comments
Please get some of your details corrected.
There are 539 (+1) in the school.
The report card you talk about - who filled it in? As by these dates (6th to 8th Oct) all NASUWT teachers of the pupil were suspended? Was it the SEELB appointed Sub who filled in these A grades?
There is a better account of the incident in the Newsletter, 21st October, page 7. I suggest you read it.
Your "source" (in SEELB) is letting you down.
Posted by Masonic John | 21.10.08, 22:34 GMT
I am sure the teachers involved in the strike are dissappointed that the situation has not been resolved. As a primary school teacher, i feel for the teachers and can fully understand their reasons for striking. Schools should be seen as havens of safety for both children and adults! I fully support the teachers and admire their courage... In every hospital A&E, doctors' surgery across the country there are signs saying "Zero tolerance regarding abuse of staff". WHY SHOULD SCHOOLS NOT DISPLAY SIMILAR??
Posted by K C | 21.10.08, 12:21 GMT
It is ridiculous to suggest that teachers at Movilla are unsafe because a pupil tried to use a door that was being intentionally blocked. If a teacher is trying to physically restrain a pupil then it is his own fault if the pupil reacts. If teachers want to be respected they have to give respect to their pupils.
Posted by JB | 21.10.08, 05:50 GMT
How in the name of all that's sane and right did this situation become such a public issue.
It could and should have been dealt with at the teacher/parent level with the revelant 'support bodies' brought in.
The media hype has grossly exacerbated the problem.
Posted by Ann | 21.10.08, 03:19 GMT
Clearly there are issues to by addressed in respect of this pupil and these do need to be resolved.
More pressing, however, is the fact that hundreds of pupils are currently being deprived of their education because of the behaviour of these teachers.
Posted by Disgusted | 20.10.08, 23:19 GMT
Was the teacher fully aware of what was going with this child? The child's background? Nobody knows all of the circumstances surrounding this case. This child had to cope with his brother's suicide. For crying out loud he is a child. Can you imagine how he must be feeling? Do you think this media-frenzy is helping?`
Posted by Martin Taylor | 20.10.08, 22:37 GMT
B your obviously still in school which i am too. I totally disagree with you i think teachers are too light on pupils these days, i think schools and parents are the only people responsible for young criminals these days and yes this boy does seem to have issues but everyone has some sort of issues ok some more severe than others but they should not be taken out on the teachers. Teachers are not on a power trip they are trying to their job and do it well. Yes some are lazy and rubbish teachers but they tend to be the ones that don't punish at all. I know from experiance punishment never did anyone any harm!
Posted by Schoolgirl | 20.10.08, 21:26 GMT
As a serving teacher, I would like to say shame on the Belfast Telegraph for portraying unsubstantiated rumour as fact.
I would also like to let your readers know that, in my experience, young people are very quick to change the perception of an incident to lessen the blame applied to themselves.
As discipline continues to break down in schools the effects will be seen in the wider society. Teachers in Movilla are taking a principled stand and should be applauded by all. Next time you pass a gang of intimidating youths spare a thought for those who have to stand in a classroom with them. Have standards fallen so low that assaults on teachers are allowed to continue unchecked? This is a problem for all of us.
Posted by Mr Brown | 20.10.08, 19:40 GMT
24 hours notice only needs to be given if the detention is any longer than 20 minutes.
Posted by RS | 20.10.08, 19:17 GMT
Little clarity given in this article! I totally support the teachers' actions. As discipline breaks down in the formal environment of the classroom are we surprised to see so much vandalism, physical assaults and stabbing on our streets.
What really puzzles me is the reluctance of parents of other well behaved cooperative children to DEMAND the removal of troublemakers from their midst.
Posted by Keen Observer | 20.10.08, 19:03 GMT
The jargon that poisons education is designed to avoid calling reality by its name. 'Behavioural issues' 'Special needs' mean in fact 'Giving pupuls, teachers and the army of social workers, not to mention the rest of society a hard time, which it is everybody's duty to accept. 'No' in this case is simply taken to mean 'Try another ploy at tempting me out'. The question of whether they are worth the trouble never arises. 'Of course they are! How dare you ask such a question?' I think it's about time we all started not just to ask but to answer such a question truthfully.
Posted by Roy Blair | 20.10.08, 18:06 GMT
Information that had been obtained by the Belfast Telegraph???? You could have come up with the above information simply by listening to the Stephen Nolan show this morning.
However will someone please lock all concerned parties in a room, and dont let them out until they agree something. This is a joke and typical of Northern Ireland, all talking and doing nothing!!
Posted by Fedup | 20.10.08, 17:56 GMT
I support the teachers 100%. Shame on the spineless board members. They should be held to account and moved out of their positions.
Posted by James | 20.10.08, 17:52 GMT
oH oh YOU HAVE HAD THE WOOL PULLED OVER YOUR EYES WITH THIS ONE kATHRYN. tHIS SOUNDS LIKE AN OFFICIAL "STATEMENT" FROM THE AUTHORITIES TO UNDERMINE THE TEACHERS
Posted by pARENT | 20.10.08, 17:44 GMT
Sorry B, but if Teachers don't punish pupils by keeping them after school, then what sanctions would you suggest in dealing with indiscipline? Perhaps the staff wouldn't be in this situation with your guiduance in classroom management.
Posted by Lionel | 20.10.08, 17:32 GMT
Utter rubbish!If this is the pupil's side of the story, the teacher in question would be suspended for creating a confrontational situation. The boy obviously has issues that, in my opinion, need to be addressed by specialists. Having the boy enrolled in Movilla is infringing the rights of all concerned, including the boys.
Posted by Lionel | 20.10.08, 17:09 GMT
The timing of this article comes at a time when the board is under mounting pressure to remove the child. If the version in the article was true then way wasn't it made public before? It would have put an end to the whole fiasco as the teachers would have looked foolish for going on strike.
The truth is that the version of events is that of the parents and board to belittle the assault and put pressure on the teachers as it looks like the board will not win.
Posted by v.concerned parent | 20.10.08, 16:50 GMT
This pupil had every right to leave school at the end of lessons,children can not be detained after school hours unless 24hours written notice has been given.At least this boy arrived for school im sure those who dont attend are not treated in this way,better late than not at all.Teachers have a lot to answer for and some are on a power trip. If teachers are properly trained they should be able to deal with this sort of situation.There are two sides to every story the adult is not always automatically in the right.
Posted by B | 20.10.08, 16:29 GMT
'According to a well-placed source', is just not good enough, when the article headline reads,'Revealed :What happened in strike school classroom.'
If the source will not allow their name to go forward, this account just becomes hearsay, falling into the realm of other statements of 'fact' like, 'Even the dogs in the street know'.
By no means can this article be deemed a factual account of what happened. I'm surprised and disappointed that the Telegraph has seen fit to print this. Do we even know if this article lists all verbal and physical assaults relating to this boy. If not why not? The complete picture needs to be given.
Posted by T J McClean | 20.10.08, 16:25 GMT
Problem child springs to mind. Agree totally that the other children are suffering for this child's behaviour, but it is unrealistic to expect any teacher to work in an environment where they are not safe. No other profession in the world would be expected to work in an unsafe environment, in fact, there is total out cry when it is nurses. Teachers get too hard a time for doing what is an increasingly difficult job. In these circumstances teachers are left to clean up a job parents should be doing.
Posted by Parent of two school children | 20.10.08, 16:21 GMT
28 Comments