School-Aged Children’s Behaviors Pose A Dangerous Threat To Teachers
When the world first became aware of the Covid-19 pandemic, no one could have predicted the long-lasting effects it would have on younger minds. Days turned into months of learning through video chats, which was the best teachers could do at the time.
Face-to-face interaction and peer socialization — two important pieces of human development — were impossible to simulate while maintaining a safe distance. Now educators are saying the public school system is in crisis mode, and 58% report serious classroom behaviors every day.
The Five Challenging Behaviors Teachers’ Face
Today’s school-aged children have noticeably little desire to learn. Educators and teachers are struggling to get kids excited for any learning activity. The lack of interest among students leads to problematic behaviors, many of which can leave a teacher seriously injured.
#1: Physical Aggression Towards Adults
Aggression among the school-aged children in the US and Canada is at an all time high. Compared to all other government workers, teachers make up 25% of non-fatal workplace incidents.
What isn’t included in that statistic is the long-lasting physical and mental anguish following an aggressive attack. Teachers are expected to push forward, but there’s only so much they can do before feeling completely burnt out.
#2: Cruelty To Peers
If one student is displaying rude, inappropriate behaviors to their classmates, an educator is responsible for stepping in to stop the issue and protect the children from harm. Read more about legal responses to peer bullying here.
#3: Breaking The Rules
Elopement (running away) from the classroom is a serious problem. It poses safety risks for the child who ran from their designated room and leaves educators scrambling to find a solution. Bring them back to class, and the chance of further defiance is high…but allowing them to escape to another space will cause an increase in runners.
#4: Disrespectful Outbursts
Think back to your school days. Were there any notable class clowns? Back in the day, these students were notorious for derailing the teacher with loud outbursts. Sometimes the educator would send the student to the principal, sometimes they brush it off and continue forward.
One class clown is manageable. But today’s generation has more per classroom than ever before because many kids are lacking the desire to learn. Without any interest in the topic, school-aged children can become unruly and disruptive, impacting the entire learning environment.
#5: Violent Threats Leading To Action
If a student makes a serious threat against you or one of their classmates, it’s crucial to loop in administration and the parents immediately. No one should have to go to work every day fearful for their physical and emotional well-being.
A cooking teacher nearly stabbed in a teenager’s fit of rage. A high school teacher getting their head slammed into a concrete wall. Today’s teachers even go so far to dodge flying shoes from unhappy students! So if you hear a threat, do not dismiss it haphazardly — many students don’t give any prior warning before a violent outburst.
What Options Do Teachers Have In Today’s Society?
If you are an educator, thank you for all the hard-work you do shaping young minds. It’s a tough job and Hickey & Hull Law Offices want to help support our educators the best we can. If you’ve been injured on the job, schedule a consultation with us to explore your options. Your school district will try to keep the incident internal, however, you may be missing out on crucial legal protection by doing so.
Let’s help the future by keeping teachers, education professionals, and students safe from violent physical aggression, verbal outbursts, and threat of bodily injury by ensuring there are consequences for endangering the lives of others. Call (479) 434-2414 to find out how Hickey & Hull can help you.