Teaching staff dealing with verbal abuse
About one in five teachers or other education staff in primary and secondary schools experiences verbal abuse, such as name calling, once a month or more. This is evident from the 2018 Safety Monitor that Education Minister Arie Slob sent to the Lower House at the end of last year.
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In primary education, 17 percent of teaching staff indicated that they were victims of verbal abuse by students, colleagues or family of students. The percentage of their colleagues in secondary education is slightly higher at 21 percent. By the term verbal abuse, the researchers of the monitor mean: name-calling, deliberate disturbance, being extra loud and making extra noise.
In secondary education in particular, in percentage terms fewer teachers and support staff experienced verbal abuse compared to the most recent measurement in 2016. It fell from 27 percent to 21 percent in 2018. The percentage in primary schools remained stable: 18 percent in 2016 and 17 percent in 2018.
In total, 1960 teachers, support staff and other staff from primary (special) education completed the questionnaires. In secondary (special) education, this involved 1649 employees.
Harassment and destruction
In both educational sectors, staff indicate that they are most often confronted with social violence, such as intimidation, exclusion or threats. Material violence, such as scratching, stealing or vandalism also occurs in the top three. In primary education, 6 percent of staff say they have been confronted with these forms of violence once a month or more often. In secondary education, one in ten staff members say they are sometimes intimidated, excluded or threatened and 7 percent say they experience material violence.
Since August 2015, primary and secondary schools are required to ensure they are a safe school. There must be a policy on how the school deals with social safety, there must be someone to coordinate this and there must be a point of contact in the school if students are bullied and schools must monitor their students about how safe they feel.
Safety
The monitor shows that the vast majority of students and staff feel safe at their school. 97 percent of primary school pupils in grades 7 and 8 and pupils in secondary education indicate this. The percentages for personnel are also in the 90 percent. In his letter to the House of Representatives, Minister Slob writes: "Once again it appears that constant attention to the safety of pupils and staff at school is important and produces results."
The monitor also shows that managers are more concerned with safety policy and measures. In primary education, 70 percent of managers indicated this, two years earlier this was 65 percent. In secondary education as well, more managers in 2018 (69 percent) reported that incidents were registered at their school and that there was a policy. According to two thirds (66 percent) of executives, the site is actively implementing this policy. Secondary students also indicate that they are bullied less often than in 2016. According to the researchers, a decreasing trend is visible.
Homosexual
The attitude of students towards a gay or lesbian teacher in secondary education is slightly more flexible in 2018 compared to two years earlier: three quarters think it is okay to be taught by a teacher who is lesbian or gay. The minister writes in his letter: 'It is also good news that LGB teachers in secondary education feel just as safe as non-LGB teachers. In primary education LGB personnel feel less safe than non-LGB personnel. Over the years, a varied picture has emerged here. '
A monitor was published in MBO in October 2018 by Ecbo to social safety. In 2017, employees were more likely to be victims of psycho-physical violence.
