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Action call over teacher attacks Teachers reject industrial action
(about 13 hours later)
Teachers have called for urgent action to provide better support for staff who are attacked at school. The EIS teaching union has rejected a call from some of its members for industrial action in support of cuts in class sizes.
Delegates at the annual conference of the EIS teaching union in Perth said assaults are happening in secondary, primary and even nursery schools. Campaigners said union leaders would have more bargaining power if they could call members out if necessary.
MSPs are also to meet headteachers to discuss giving them the right to search pupils for weapons. However, opponents said the threat to a new and sympathetic Scottish Executive should be dropped at this time.
First Minister Alex Salmond revealed the plan when he was challenged in parliament by the Conservatives. Teachers had earlier called for action to be taken over the levels of violence against school staff.
The EIS teaching union said it was cautious about extending staff powers because of the danger of taking on the role of policemen. Delegates at the annual EIS conference in Perth voted against the motion calling for possible industrial action over class sizes after being told the SNP administration was broadly in favour of smaller classes.
The SNP pledged to cut class sizes to 18 for the first three years of primary school during campaigning for the May elections.
Search pupils
First Minister Alex Salmond told the Scottish Parliament last week that an announcement regarding class sizes would be made soon.
He has called on the Liberal Democrats to work with him on the issue, but Scottish Lib Dem leader Nicol Stephen has accused the Scottish government of failing to provide enough details of how it would achieve the goal.
The motion calling for strike action had been moved by the Edinburgh branch of the EIS.
It said it believed the previous Scottish Executive reneged on a promise to cut class sizes to 20 in key subject areas.
The conference had earlier called for more support to be given to school staff who become victims of violence after hearing how assaults were happening in secondary, primary and even nursery schools.
MSPs are to meet headteachers to discuss giving them the right to search pupils for weapons.
Alex Salmond is promising action on class sizes
Mr Salmond revealed the plan when he was challenged in parliament by the Conservatives.
The EIS said it was cautious about extending staff powers because of the danger of taking on the role of police officers.
The Headteachers' Association of Scotland said it welcomed the plans.The Headteachers' Association of Scotland said it welcomed the plans.
Injured staff
During the call for better support for staff who have been attacked, teachers accused the local councils who run schools of paying lip service to help for staff.During the call for better support for staff who have been attacked, teachers accused the local councils who run schools of paying lip service to help for staff.
Councils said they realised teachers did tough jobs and denied that they failed to provide adequate back-up.Councils said they realised teachers did tough jobs and denied that they failed to provide adequate back-up.
Linzi Moore, a delegate from South Lanarkshire, said common assault in the street seemed to be treated more seriously than an attack in the classroom.Linzi Moore, a delegate from South Lanarkshire, said common assault in the street seemed to be treated more seriously than an attack in the classroom.
She said attacks on teachers can be premeditated and leave them feeling humiliated and emotionally and physically damaged.She said attacks on teachers can be premeditated and leave them feeling humiliated and emotionally and physically damaged.
A fellow delegate claimed that even when high numbers of incidents were reported from a single school, the local council did not always act, leaving staff with the impression report forms were disappearing into government statistics. A fellow delegate claimed that even when high numbers of incidents were reported from a single school, the local council did not always act, leaving staff with the impression that report forms were disappearing into government statistics.
Delegates voted overwhelmingly for a campaign urging councils to visit injured staff at home and to carry out a risk assessment of a volatile child before staff return to work. Delegates voted overwhelmingly for a campaign urging councils to visit injured staff at home and to carry out a risk assessment of volatile children before staff return to work.