There were 1 732 teachers in Aberdeen City secondary and primary schools as of December 2023.
Today BBC Scotland report:
A pupil violence whistleblowing form introduced for teachers could be reviewed after concerns were raised over its effectiveness. Aberdeen City Council introduced the forms in March after staff complained they were being discouraged from reporting violent incidents involving pupils. A Freedom of Information (FoI) request by BBC Scotland News has found only one form has been submitted. One teacher said there were concerns about their anonymity being maintained.
Surely if there really was a significant surge, more than 1 out of 1 732 would have completed the form? If anonymity was such a worry, wouldn’t more than one have told BBC Scotland?
There are 14 secondary schools with hundreds, maybe a thousand or more, of pupils, so fear of being identified becomes unjustified, yet just one complaint.
Why isn’t BBC Scotland’s headline:
Lack of complaints casts doubt on increased pupil violence narrative.
Sources:
Talking-up Scotland 'Albatraz' 
I am 76 and started primary school in January 1953, a time when the tawse was wielded regularly in many Scottish schools, including on infants and on girls, despite the Code cautioning against it.
So, the great majority of violence being perpetrated in schools was by teachers. And, some of this, in addition to the tawse, included shakes, slaps and, on occasion, punches.
Yet, even then, the media and teacher unions were complaining about violence from pupils and were demanding more severe sanctions, such as birching and borstal. A common complaint was that ‘pupils are not scared of their teachers.’
There have always been children, who for a variety of reasons such as the effects of poverty, neglect, domestic violence, who caused some disruption. But, their numbers have always been small, their misconduct did not happen in every class and, over the years, there have services provided to help such children adjust.
Actual physical assaults on teachers by pupils are very rare and the majority are in the early years of primary schools and in schools for young people with additional needs. It is important that staff in schools are protected as much as possible, but, the behaviour patterns of growing children are well known and so people going into education are aware that there is a small increased risk. Most teachers know how to cope effectively with most incidents.
Most teachers have very little bother throughout their careers and establish mutually respectful and beneficial relations with children and their families. Most schools are pretty happy places most of the time.
Alasdair Macdonald
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BBC complains about lack of violence in Aberdeen schools, you could’na mak it up.
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There are neurodiverse pupils having meltdowns because the unionist councils cut support. Cut all the additional needs teacher support. Aberdeenshire. Gillian Owen. Thatchers mate. Cut all the additional needs support staff.
The Scottish Gov have to now fund independent additional needs support. To stop neurodiverse pupils becoming, anxious and overwhelmed. Clear and positive strategies can be put in place so children do not become overwhelmed and disturbed. Including more teacher training modules on diversity.
The pupils need quiet times, empathy and support not rote learning for all. Sympathetic projects and simple strategies. A cushion on a chair or enclosed layout or comforter. Instead of some children being declared violent. Or not doing as they are told when overwhelmed with anxiety and not being able to cope.
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Children with autism need specialist support, preferably in a specialist setting, not plonked in a classroom with lots of kids, with one teacher. It’s not neurodiverse kids who are violent, not coping in class can mean they hide under the table, run out of the classroom, or just simply shut down. Any issues with violent out of hand kids is complex, possibly linked to poverty, inadequate care at home, or in the community, sadly. Fact is neurodiverse people, eg, with autism, learning disability are twice as likely to be victims of crime than the general population which is just shocking.
I agree that teachers should be trained, they should know that a one size fits all approach is unacceptable, but then with the system as it is, full days in school, one teacher to a large group of uniquely divergent growing minds, it’s brilliant that so many kids in Scotland are bright, peaceful and wonderful human beings.
The BBC and BritNats would much rather things were back to the old days, (under English rule) where, as my elderly neighbour who was a High School teacher said, kids just didn’t want to learn, they had nothing to look forward to, no opportunities in front of them, so gave up before they started.
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