A new survey making news in England has found that fully 70 percent of British teachers have contemplated quitting because of student-behavior problems.
Conducted by a coalition of organizations that includes the National Union of Teachers, the survey also shows more than 90 percent of the 350 teachers questioned believe that student behavior has worsened during the course of their careers. More than 80 percent said they have experienced stress, anxiety, or depression.
“We know from the marked increase in the use of our behavior-related services over the past year that poor behavior is at the heart of many teachers’ health and well-being issues,” commented Julian Stanley, chief executive of the Teacher Support Network. “We are concerned that poor behavior is leading some great teachers to leave the profession.”
Meanwhile, the Secretary of the British Department of Education has vowed to clarify the rules regarding teachers’ use of physical restraint to control unruly students. He reportedly likened the current 1000-page document governing teacher conduct to War and Peace.