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Teachers association wish to maintain “a safe environment for themselves and the children under their care”
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The GTA/NASUWT have said that it would like to clarify its position with regards to the Panorama ‘Teachers seeking specialized violence and aggression training’ article yesterday.
They admit that that union members were offered a demonstration from Frontline where around 12-15 teachers attended. However, they go on to say that the reasons for offering this course are not accurate to what was reported in Panorama. There are a range of courses and guidance documents offered by the parent Union (NASUWT) in UK. The GTA believes it is good practice to offer training and awareness to tackling a variety of issues especially when these deals with Health and Safety, legal liability and understanding due process. It is in this spirit that the demonstration and hopefully a future course will be offered. We need our members to be aware on the legal issues and be trained as to what is the correct way to deal with violent behaviour if and when it occurs. This is not to say that there is or not a particular problem in any school with behaviour, in much the same way as if the GTA/NASUWT offers a First Aid course it does not necessarily mean that there are a growing number of accidents in schools.
The GTA/NASUWT end by stressing that its remit is not in the realm of being social critics but it is to offer their members the best tools available for working in a continuously evolving society and maintaining a safe environment for themselves and the children under their care.
Another Government attack
In the meantime, Government has reacted to PANORAMA’s response to their statement.
“The Panorama’s referral to “Teachers Seeking Specialised Violence and Aggression Training” in their edition of 9th August 2011 is simply a distortion of the truth and another dose of scaremongering; a continued, deplorable attempt to cause uncertainty and anxiety amongst parents and teachers alike.
To try to continue to give the impression that over the last year there has been a general groundswell of concern amongst teachers for their personal safety in schools, particularly at Bayside School, is simply not true and can only be described as alarmist and intending to create consternation where none exists”.
10-08-11
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