THE Ulster Teachers' Union has advised its members to report anti social behaviour by pupils to the police. The new guidance was revealed in the executive's annual report.
"Incidents of foul language to teachers threatening behaviour either directed towards other pupils or teachers physical assaults of either other pupils or of teachers bullying fighting violent behaviour putting the safety of other pupils and teachers at risk vandalism wanton damage to classroom and school property and temper tantrums are very much on the increase," it said.
The report notes that the union regrets having to take this step of reporting behaviour to the police, "but government and employing authorities have shown a marked indifference to preserving the quality of education for the overwhelming majority of well behaved pupils in schools, whose parents sent them to school to be taught in an educational environment, free from the disruptive and in disciplined actions of a small minority".
Pupils are not the only guilty ones. The executive reported a case of a secondary teacher receiving £7,500 compensation after being assaulted by a caretaker.
In another case, a primary school vice principal was convicted of assaulting a police officer during a domestic dispute.