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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| Teachers 'need more protection' | Teachers 'need more protection' |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| A Welsh teachers' union will claim at its annual conference that more needs to be done to protect teachers from dangerous pupils and parents. | A Welsh teachers' union will claim at its annual conference that more needs to be done to protect teachers from dangerous pupils and parents. |
| The calls at Ucac follow a spate of assaults on teachers filmed on mobiles. | The calls at Ucac follow a spate of assaults on teachers filmed on mobiles. |
| The conference in Aberystwyth will also debate a motion for Wales' 22 local education authorities (LEAs) to be scrapped, with education being centrally funded instead. | The conference in Aberystwyth will also debate a motion for Wales' 22 local education authorities (LEAs) to be scrapped, with education being centrally funded instead. |
| All resolutions passed at the two-day conference will become Ucac policies. | All resolutions passed at the two-day conference will become Ucac policies. |
| Representatives of Ucac said there was little guidance from the Welsh Assembly Government for teachers faced with inappropriate and dangerous behaviour by pupils and parents. | Representatives of Ucac said there was little guidance from the Welsh Assembly Government for teachers faced with inappropriate and dangerous behaviour by pupils and parents. |
| Labour has been approached for a comment but a reply is yet to be recieved. | Labour has been approached for a comment but a reply is yet to be recieved. |
| Elaine Edwards, Ucac's policy officer, said their members were facing more difficult and dangerous scenarios in schools and teachers needed clearer guidelines. | Elaine Edwards, Ucac's policy officer, said their members were facing more difficult and dangerous scenarios in schools and teachers needed clearer guidelines. |
| She said: "Ucac decided to prepare some guidelines for teachers to help them both practically and in a legal sense, when dealing with aggressive parents. | She said: "Ucac decided to prepare some guidelines for teachers to help them both practically and in a legal sense, when dealing with aggressive parents. |
| "But when we contacted the Welsh Assembly Government to get some guidance and information, we were told they didn't have any. | "But when we contacted the Welsh Assembly Government to get some guidance and information, we were told they didn't have any. |
| Policy reversal | Policy reversal |
| "We ended up approaching the Department of Education and Skills in England for help in compiling the guidelines. I just assumed the government in Wales would have its own particular guidelines, translated into Welsh too." | "We ended up approaching the Department of Education and Skills in England for help in compiling the guidelines. I just assumed the government in Wales would have its own particular guidelines, translated into Welsh too." |
| Those calling for the abolition of the 22 LEAs in Wales said they were "fed up" with the "arguments, blame and denial of responsibility" about the funding of education in Wales. | Those calling for the abolition of the 22 LEAs in Wales said they were "fed up" with the "arguments, blame and denial of responsibility" about the funding of education in Wales. |
| They want the Assembly Government to be centrally and directly responsible for funding education. | They want the Assembly Government to be centrally and directly responsible for funding education. |
| Gruff Hughes, Ucac's general secretary said: "Should this motion be passed, it will be a total reversal of Ucac's previous policies regarding the centralisation of funding." | Gruff Hughes, Ucac's general secretary said: "Should this motion be passed, it will be a total reversal of Ucac's previous policies regarding the centralisation of funding." |
| The conference, which takes place in Aberystwyth, will also see delegates debating whether the school leaving age should be raised and the misuse of mobile phones by pupils. | The conference, which takes place in Aberystwyth, will also see delegates debating whether the school leaving age should be raised and the misuse of mobile phones by pupils. |
| The union will also call for the ability to speak Welsh to be an essential qualification for directors of education. | The union will also call for the ability to speak Welsh to be an essential qualification for directors of education. |
| Reaction | |
| The Welsh Local Government Association did not want to comment on this matter at the time of the election campaign. | The Welsh Local Government Association did not want to comment on this matter at the time of the election campaign. |
| Lib Dem education spokesperson Peter Black said his party wanted smaller class sizes "so that teachers can spend more time with each pupil, and nip discipline problems in the bud". | Lib Dem education spokesperson Peter Black said his party wanted smaller class sizes "so that teachers can spend more time with each pupil, and nip discipline problems in the bud". |
| "Where pupils or parents cross the line into violence, we would want to see acceptable behaviour contracts introduced to protect our teachers," he added. | "Where pupils or parents cross the line into violence, we would want to see acceptable behaviour contracts introduced to protect our teachers," he added. |
| Nick Bourne, the Welsh Conservative assembly leader, said the Conservatives believed in giving head teachers "greater control over school discipline and in investing in the services to improve the behaviour of disruptive pupils". | |
| ?We will also encourage LEAs to provide classes in parenting skills for the parents of disruptive pupils." |