The decision to send behaviour support teams into schools is a welcome response to the growing problem of indiscipline. The Department of Education says it expects up to 50 secondary schools to avail of a new service, which will see expert teams working alongside teachers and school managers.
Minister for Education Mary Hanafin says the role of the behaviour support teams will range from diagnosis of school problems to assistance with remediation. She says their arrival will not herald the introduction of so-called sin bins in schools. The priority, she says, is to reintegrate disruptive pupils into the mainstream life of the school, instead of banishing them.
This will not be an easy task. A landmark survey published by the Teachers' Union of Ireland (TUI) earlier this year underlines the extent of the discipline crisis in many schools. The survey indicated that some 20 per cent of teachers were threatened or intimidated by students, and most had their classes seriously disrupted during one week in Irish schools. It also highlighted a disturbing level of violence, bullying and disruption; some 21 per cent of teachers witnessed physical violence by students on a fellow pupil during the week in question. More than 60 per cent of teachers were at the receiving end of "unacceptable impertinence and defiance" by students.
Both the TUI and the Association of Secondary Teachers, Ireland (Asti) say classroom disruption, intimidation and violence is now the biggest issue facing teachers. The new behaviour support teams were proposed by the Task Force on School Discipline, which reported to Ms Hanafin earlier this year. As its report makes clear, they do not represent any kind of panacea but they can help to improve matters for the school community and, perhaps, point a way forward for the disruptive pupil.
The question is whether the provision of just 50 support teams can make a real difference when there are more than 700 second-level schools in the State. Sensibly, the TUI appears to be adopting a "wait-and-see" approach. Its assistant general secretary Declan Glynn says only a "tiny fraction" of the school-going population will be served by the new body. The union also wants stronger evidence that the new teams will be supported by additional resources. It will be interesting to see also if those schools which need assistance are prepared to make a case for it. Some principals may be reluctant to sign up for the new support teams for fear of stigmatising their school. It is to be hoped that this will not happen.