Violence and Educators

There has not been an improvement regarding the decrease of violence in schools throughout the United States (Dinkes, Kemp, & Baum, 2009; Gaughan, Cerio, & Myers, 2001). Violent acts can be direct or indirect (Dingle, 2007). The general population interest in the educational process of the American youth is so intense researchers are duty-bound to find the appropriate solutions to resolve their anxieties. Researchers Gaughan, Cerio, and Myers (2001) observed in the United States an increase of violence in schools. Violence in schools “can be as minor as theft of property or information, or even escalate to (a) property destruction, (b) vandalism, (c) arson, (d) harassment, (e) intimidation, (f) stalking, or (g) simply spreading rumors” (Dingle, 2007, para. 2) which became one of the primary reason for attrition among teachers (Walker, 2008).

Violence is a malicious act of a person attempting to harm another person (Webster, 2009). The act is defined as violence when physical force, intimidation, threats, attacks, and property deliberately damaged exist (Eisenbraum, 2007). The act of violence in the workplace is observable in the form of physical assaults and threats of assault, directed toward individuals at work or on duty (National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health [NIOSH], 2007). Violence in workplaces affects employees’ motivation that can consequently decrease job satisfaction (LeBlanc, Swisher, Vitaro, & Tremblay, 2007).

In education, the cases of violence against teachers are phenomenal. In 2007, accounts of violent acts students perpetrated against educators nationally have been documented in local newspapers and televised broadcasts (Walker, 2008). Although teacher safety is not a major concern, the incidence of school violence brought significant attention from the U.S. Justice Department and the U.S. Department of Education, which regarded school violence as a joint priority (Levin, Martinez, Walcott-McQuigg, et al., 2006). This concern stems from the belief that teachers are among the high risk and vulnerable population for workplace violence (Levin et al., 2006; Otieno & Choongo, 2010).

Violence and aggression in the classroom are major concerns within the teaching community (Lawrence & Green, 2005). Studies show 40 % of the recently qualified instructors within the first five years leave the teaching profession earlier than beginners in other professions (Allen, 2005). The difficulties in handling aggressive behavior from students are associated to decrease in job satisfaction which results to teachers’ resignation (LeBlanc, Swisher, Vitaro, & Tremblay, 2007). The dilemma of teachers in dealing with students who have violent behaviors has been a silent epidemic plaguing the educational system (Aris, 2003). An important element of this phenomenon is teachers avoided breaking up fights between students for fear of a lawsuit (Bowers, 2004).

The experiences of teachers regarding school violence are important (Lawrence & Green, 2005). Despite the concern regarding teacher safety in the classroom, there is less research examining the perceptions of teachers who are vulnerable from students’ assault (Astor, Behre, & Meyer, 2001; Meyer et al., 2002). Addressing violence against teachers may assist the central office and site administrators in making appropriate decisions regarding student discipline and enlightens parents on the fears educators experience because of the disruptive behaviors of students. Without administrators’ and parents’ support and leadership, teachers are captives of students with uncontrollable behavior. The lack of support from administrators has been a primary reason for teachers leaving the profession (Marvel, Lyter, Peltola, Strizek, & Morton, 2007; Walker, 2008).

Addressing the lack of support from administrators may prevent teacher attrition (Boyd, Grossman, Hamilton, Loeb, & Wykoff, 2009).

While the Teacher Protection Act provides teachers with immunity from injury caused by a student, many teachers believe that the Act did not adequately protect teachers from undeserving lawsuits since it lacks provision of fund support for legal suits (Burrough, 2004). In local school settings, there is lack of support from the administration, security, or parents to classroom teachers in dealing with disruptive students. Violence continues to be a plague in schools due to fear of a lawsuit against teachers (Bowers, 2004). School violence strengthens teachers’ fear of students’ unjustifiable use of the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLBA) which neglects provisions for disciplining students (Walker, 2008).

Statistics validate teachers and other school staff’s genuine concerns regarding school safety (Doll, Bonzo, Sleet, Mercy, & Haas, 2007). According to the U.S. Department of Education and Justice (2000), violence against teachers increased while students committing violence against one another decreased in recent years. Students are more likely to threatened secondary schoolteachers, whereas students are more likely to attack elementary schoolteachers (Pace & Hemmings, 2007). In the light of the educational issue regarding school violence, there is profound evidence that teachers are vulnerable groups among the workforce require interventions from students who have been immune to protecting themselves with the NCLBA.

Violence against teachers has been a silent epidemic plaguing the educational system (Aris, 2003). Studies from the Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) and the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) report that students threatened teachers with injury at a rate of 7%, compared to the 9% in 1999 to 2000 as well as 12% between the school year of 1993 to 1994. Despite earlier estimates of the prevalence of violence against teachers, there has not been an improvement regarding the decrease of violence in schools throughout the United States (Dinkes et al., 2009). The general problem is the majority of principals and teachers are reluctant in implementing Teacher Protection Act due to fear of legal challenges (Burrough, 2004). The fear of lawsuits makes violence against teachers more prevalent and discourages recognition of violent acts.

References

Allen, M. B. (2005). Eight questions on teacher retention and recruitment: What does the literature say? Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office.

Aris, S. (2003). Damage control. Retrieved from http://www.aeufederal.org.au/Publications/AE/Spr03pp16-19.html.

Astor, R. A., Meyer, H. A., & Pitner, R. O. (2001). Elementary and middle school students’ perceptions of violence-prone school subcontexts. Elementary School Journal, 101, 511-528.

Bowers, M. (2004). Teachers taking the hits; educators more often ending up victims of angry words and swinging fists. Virginian Pilot, p. A.1.

Boyd, D., Grossman, P., Hamilton, L., Loeb, S., & Wykoff, J. (2009). Who leaves? Teacher attrition and student achievement. CALDER Working Paper No. 23. Washington, D.C.: National Center for Analysis of Longitudinal Data in Education Research.

Dingle, J. (2007). Workplace violence awareness. Retrieved from http://swtuopproxy.museglobal.com.

Dinkes, R., Kemp, J., & Baum, K. (2009). Indicators of school crime and safety: 2009 (NCES 2010-012/ NCJ 228478). National Center for Education Statistics, Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education, and Bureau of Justice Statistics, Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice. Washington, DC.

Doll, L., Bonzo, S., Sleet, D., Mercy, J., & Haas, E.N. (2007). Handbook of injury and violence prevention. Atlanta, GA: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Eisenbraum, K.D. (2007). Violence in schools: Prevalence, prediction and prevention. Aggression and violent behavior, 12, 459-469.

Gaughan, E., Cerio, J. D., & Myers, R. A. (2001). Lethal Violence in Schools: A National Survey. Alfred University.

Lawrence, C. & Green, K. (2005). Perceiving classroom aggression: The influence of setting, intervention style and group perceptions. British Journal of Educational Psychology, 4, 587-602.

LeBlanc, L, Swisher, R., Vitaro, F. & Tremblay, R.E. (2007). School social climate and teachers’ perceptions of classroom behavior problems: A 10 year longitudinal and multilevel study. Social Psychology of Education, 10(4), 429-442.

Levin, P.F., Martinez M.Q., Walcott-McQuigg J., Chen S.P., Amman M., & Guenette, C.(2006). Injuries associated with teacher assaults: Magnitude, nature, cost, and outcome. Am Asso Occup Health Nurs J., 5, 210-216.

Marvel, J., Lyter, D.M., Peltola, P., Strizek, G.A., & Morton, B.A. (2007). Teacher attrition and mobility: Results from the 2004-05 Teacher follow-up survey (NCES 2007-307). U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office.

National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). (1996). Violence in the workplace: Risk factors and prevention strategies. Cincinnati, OH: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 96-100.

Otieno, T.N. & Choongo, H. (2010). Disruptive behavior: Prevalence, gender, and impact of bullying in schools. Journal of Intercultural Disciplines, 8, 98-115.

Pace, J. L. & Hemmings, A. (2007). Understanding authority in classrooms: A review of theory, ideology, and research. Review of Educational Research, 77, 4-28.

Walker, T. (2008). Assessing the threat. NEA Today, 26(5).

Webster’s New World Law Dictionary. (2009). Violence. Retrieved from www.yourdictionary.com/law/violence.


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