Violence in Schools?

Violence in Queensland high schools may be on the increase – despite denials by Education Queensland and the Queensland Teachers Union. Figures from the Queensland Police Service suggest a drop in assaults in Queensland High Schools; 393 in 2009 compared to 329 in 2010 – however, Professor Paul Mazerolle, Pro Vice Chancellor, Arts, Education & Law, Griffith University questions the validity of the data.

He said “We know [the data] is an undercount because official data is typically undercounted by about fifty percent so most times if there’s an assault, it doesn’t always come to the attention of the authorities but that’s pretty stock standard around the world.”

Unfortunately the lack of sound data is a problem; Professor Mazerolle said: “When we look at media reports and some of the official data we’ve got every reason to believe it’s increasing, but where we’re lacking is good self reported survey data from young people. We don’t have that in Australia; we don’t have consistent surveys of high schools so we can look at changes over time so we’re kind of speculating that it’s increasing.”

Professor Mazerolle noted that high school teachers, as well as other sectors employees such as health workers, were finding it increasing difficult to work with the increasing levels of violence.

He said “Again, we’re operating in the absence of good survey information but for some of the official reports and the reports that go to Education Queensland there are issues of aggression towards teachers; it’s an issue that they’re (teachers) concerned about. I’m hedging in terms of a clear statement because there’s an absence of good information but it’s probably increasing.”

Speaking about the 2010 drop in assaults, he added: “There’s a lot of awareness now about what’s inappropriate conduct. One reason we’re seeing more kids excluded from mainstream schools is because of their behaviour, and there’s a lot less tolerance now – the’ one strike you’re out’ kind of policy and if you cross this line, you’re suspended for a month.”

“There’s a lot more of a move towards a zero tolerance approach with inappropriate conduct in schools and so that will, of necessity, lead to more school exclusions. I think there’s been a strong commitment by the leadership in schools and departments that teachers don’t have to put up with that.”

However, it appears that neither Education Queensland or the Queensland Police Service is collecting the kind of data required to correctly identify if there is an increase, or decrease, in violent assaults within Queensland High Schools.

Speaking about assaults by pupils on high school teachers, Julie Brown, Vice President of the Queensland Teachers Union said “I can’t remember the last time it was brought up at a branch meeting or in school. Education Queensland’s pretty good at getting on top of it”.

However, she also added that she believes that a small number of pupils engaging in violent behaviour which is pushing the number of recorded incidents upwards, thereby skewing the statistics.

“You get outbreaks of it because one secondary student might move from one school to another and cause trouble at the first school and then cause trouble at the second school. If you have a look at those stats [EQ statistics] from a school behaviour summary…you think ‘God, that’s a lot of incidents’ but when you break it down to who actually committed those incidents , or which kids did it, it’s very few” she said.

Professor Bruce Burton specialises in applied theatre and drama education to assist schools with issues of violence and bullying; he believes “EQ and schools in general are very bad at keeping detailed accurate data about childrens’ behaviour”

Professor Burton believes violence in high schools can be tackled with additional resources but the problem is getting the extra funding and manpower; running programs to reduce violent behaviour requires ongoing funding because the programs educate students across the whole school – the problem is that schools are struggling to teach existing curriculum and are therefore resistant to taking on more work.

Speaking of the violence and bullying occurring in Queensland High Schools, Professor Burton said “It’s an education issue; bullying and violence and other anti-social behaviours are behavioural problems but the solution is education. We need that education to understand what it is, and secondly, we need to learn how to deal with it.”

Brett O’Connor, Acting Executive Director Student Services, Department of Education and Training said “There is no place for violence in any form in any Queensland state school. Education Queensland does not condone any behaviour that places the safety and wellbeing of students or staff at risk. The Department takes a strong stance against violence against staff or students in state schools and will continue to work with staff, students and the wider community to respond appropriately to this kind of behaviour.”

Bill (not his real name) is a senior coordinator in one of the lower socio-economic high schools in Ipswich; he believes that much of the hype surrounding violence in high schools is a media beat up.

He said “The media sensationlise it and do the whole ‘the world’s falling apart because of the kids these days; generation Y, this that and the other’…but they’ve been doing that since the 1950’s with the Blackboard Jungle and Rock Around the Clock and things like that”

He believes that isolated incidents are blown out of proportion by the media, which leads to a distortion in the public’s perception.

For Bill, the solution is education and support for schools and their surrounding communities.

Mary (not her real name) is an art teacher in the same school; she agrees with Bill.

She says “We [teachers] don’t wake up every morning and fear for our lives. The media make a big thing out of very rare incidents and then everyone thinks that our high schools are violent places – and they’re not.”

So is violence on the increase in Queensland’s high schools? Until proper data is available it would seem that it’s all speculation. The current opinion seems to be that the government needs to work with schools to produce more meaningful data to give parents a better understanding of what’s happening in high schools.

And the media needs to stop the beat up.