School's teachers take strike action in row over pupil
TEACHERS at a high school in Newtownards went out on indefinite strike on Monday in a dispute over a pupil said to have assaulted a teacher.
The alleged incident at Movilla High School happened in May and the teachers subsequently refused to teach the student, arguing that he needed special support they couldn't provide.
The row escalated, culminating in yesterday's walkout.
The South Eastern Education and Library Board said it had dealt with the pupil's case appropriately and in a statement yesterday accused the teachers of damaging the education of all the pupils at the school.
Teachers' union NASUWT in turn accused the school and board of failing to engage to solve the dispute.
NASUWT represents the 25 teachers out on strike out of a staff of 37.
The board said yesterday: "The SEELB and the board of governors consider the health and safety of pupils and staff to be a very important and serious matter and would not have returned the pupil to the school if such a course of action presented a serious risk."
SEELB chief executive Stanton Sloan said: "I am greatly concerned at the detrimental effect the industrial action is having for all the pupils of Movilla High School and their families.
"I am also deeply disappointed that NASUWT, by setting unrealistic preconditions, is not facilitating a meeting to resolve the dispute."
Union official Seamus Searson in turn accused the SEELB of prolonging the row.
He said: "The teachers had to take all-out strike action because of the threat of losing a week's pay over refusing to teach this one child – even for as little as 35 minutes a week.
"The management of the school made no attempt to resove that problem and their reponse to the teachers was the threat of losing a week's pay, so they had no choice but all-out industrial action.
"It's an indefinite strike but we hope the board will come and talk to us – but it appears the board is dug in on this and not prepared to conciliate.
"Until it is resolved, the strike will continue."
Mr Searson also said the board was engaged in "brinkmanship" with the teachers.
"As an example of their attitude, the school and the board were notified of this strike a week ago and made no moves to resolve it.
"The children were allowed to come in this morning and then sent home which shows the brinkmanship going on."
He said despite taking the action, the teachers had the best interests of the child who sparked the dispute at heart.
"This child needs special help and we need to find that help.
"There have been previous incidents involving this child and his behaviour falls far short of that needed in the classroom."
Mr Searson said the situation was also unfair on other pupils.
The Department of Education said that during the school year to June 2007 there were 196 pupils from post-primary schools and 70 pupils from primary schools suspended for assaults on teachers.Five pupils were expelled.
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Weather for Belfast
Tuesday 29 May 2012
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: 12 C to 21 C
Wind Speed: 7 mph
Wind direction: South west
Tomorrow
Light showers
Temperature: 12 C to 20 C
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