Between 5 and 10 per cent of second-level students here are persistently disruptive at school, with many teachers and school principals feeling increasingly powerless to impose sanctions against them, a major new report has suggested.
According to the interim report of the taskforce on student behaviour at second level, the vast majority of this behaviour is "low-level" in nature. This includes students persistently ignoring or challenging teachers' instructions, shouting each other down, and fiddling or making noises in class. This can have serious implications for teaching and learning.
But the report also notes there are more serious incidences, which the Minister for Education, Mary Hanafin, yesterday said should be reported to the gardaí where necessary.
Examples of the types of behaviour which some schools face include the carrying of dangerous weapons by students, fighting, open defiance, overtly sexual remarks and threats to teachers, and damage to their property.
The interim report, presented to Ms Hanafin in Dublin yesterday, also says the taskforce is examining the establishment of "support" or "withdrawal" units for seriously disruptive students.These would be located either within schools, or in other "off-site" locations. However, while placing students in such units may offer an immediate solution, it says there is a risk that their long-term best interests may not be served. It says it needs more time to consider this proposal before making its final recommendations in December.
But in a move labelled as "excessively cautious" by the Teachers Union of Ireland (TUI), it will not advocate changes to existing legislation, including the controversial Section 29 of the Education Act, which governs appeals. Despite acknowledging the heavy demands which the appeals process places on schools, the report says the taskforce will only make recommendations within the current legislation.
Speaking at the launch yesterday, Dr Maeve Martin, chairwoman of the taskforce, said poor behaviour is not evenly distributed among schools, with some taking more than their share of such students. But discipline in some schools had improved since she carried out a previous study in 1997, she said. This is partly because schools now have access to a wider variety of resources, including learning support and pastoral care.
Ms Hanafin acknowledged the final recommendations of the taskforce would require additional resources from her department and indicated she would be willing to provide such resources where necessary. While criminal behaviour should be reported to gardaí, it was necessary to find ways of retaining students in the education system.
The report does not make firm recommendations at this stage, but instead outlines the broad areas in which it intends to make recommendations by the end of the year. These include improving the way current legislation functions, the building of healthy relationships within the school, improved teacher education and meaningful parental involvement.
Commenting, George O'Callaghan of the Joint Managerial Body, which represents school managers, said he was disappointed the taskforce was not going to address the issue of changes to legislation.
Declan Glynn, assistant general secretary of the TUI, added that the interim report risked losing the "momentum and impetus for change".
ASTI president Susie Hall also said it was disappointed that the taskforce had not prioritised the reduction of class sizes.