‘I’ll stab you in your pregnant belly’, child tells NI teacher

A seven-year-old child threatened to stab a pregnant teacher in the belly, the Ulster Teachers’ Union has revealed as it voiced concerns about the growing number of increasingly serious violent incidents in Northern Ireland’s classrooms.
Carney Cumper, UTU presdient and vice principal at Killyleagh Integrated Primary SchoolCarney Cumper, UTU presdient and vice principal at Killyleagh Integrated Primary School
Carney Cumper, UTU presdient and vice principal at Killyleagh Integrated Primary School

Details of the shocking incident were highlighted by the local teaching union as it prepares to holds its centenary conference in Newcastle, Co Down tomorrow.

A spokesperson for the UTU revealed that children as young as five are now being risk assessed as teachers fear their challenging behaviours could endanger other pupils.

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At tomorrow’s conference discussions will focus on a range of topics including the union’s work with the PSNI against “horrifying” classroom violence, classroom health and safety shambles, kids in care crisis, call for criminalisation of online abuse of teachers, pay, the inspection process and workload.

Jacquie White, UTU deputy general secretaryJacquie White, UTU deputy general secretary
Jacquie White, UTU deputy general secretary

The UTU has claimed that school health and safety is “a tragedy waiting to happen”. And it has insisted that “virtually every school in Northern Ireland” has recorded incidents of online abuse of staff.

Conference attendees will hold a one minute silent protest to mark the 808th day without a devolved government at Stormont.

“When words aren’t enough sometimes silence speaks volumes,” said UTU president Carney Cumper.

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“It seems nothing we or anyone has said over the parlous situation schools face has got through to those in a position to effect change. This time we hope our silent protest will say even more.”

The primary school vice principal added: “We believe the education system is facing a potential death knell, the greatest threat here in a generation due to swingeing fiscal cuts and the increasing workload being placed on teachers.

“There isn’t one area of our education system which hasn’t been profoundly negatively affected and isn’t struggling to maintain the high standards teachers want to deliver.”

The conference will run at the Slieve Donard Hotel from 9am - 5pm.

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