Indiscipline in society causing teacher attacks – JTA president

Owen Speid, president of the Jamaica Teachers' Association (JTA), says attacks against teachers are because discipline in the Jamaican society has deteriorated drastically.

His comments come almost a week after a Dumfries Primary School teacher in St James received several injuries to her face, after she was attacked by a parent last Thursday for not marking his child's homework.

According to reports, the teacher, who was hospitalised, was actually substituting for the regular class teacher who was absent.

A GROUP OF MEN

The previous week, a dean of discipline at Cornwall College was also attacked by a group of men.

"The teachers have the profession that has to deal with quite a number of stakeholders ... maybe more stakeholders than the other people around in a more direct way. There seems to be an upsurge in the whole violent attacks against teachers. What I can say about that is we (JTA) are very concerned and we will be meeting soon to deal with that matter," Speid said.

He highlighted a situation that he believes shows a breakdown of respect for teachers where even students are concerned.

"Just this morning I was at a school, and one of the new things now is that teachers are saying that the children, when they have any disagreement with a teacher during a particular day, they would hurl missiles at the teachers in the evenings," he said.

Speid mentioned, however, that there is disrespect right across the board in Jamaica.

"I've heard of cases where the police are assaulted, instances where nurses were assaulted, and then the last one at the hospital where they (patients) verbally assaulted the doctor. I think discipline has just broken down in the society, and it has gone to a new low. The school is part of the society but we (JTA) can only speak for what is happening to teachers," he said.