Rennie calls for an end to school violence as pupils return

Speaking as schools across the country return from the summer break, Scottish Liberal Democrat education spokesperson Willie Rennie MSP has called on the government to take firm steps to end violence in schools and ensure that staff are properly supported.  

Mr Rennie elevated the importance of the issue in January of this year, when he asked the First Minister how the government was addressing classroom violence after social media footage emerged of one pupil assaulting another at a local school.

Since then, Scottish Liberal Democrat research revealed that there were nearly 15,000 reports of violence in schools during 2021/2022.  

To end school violence, the party is calling on the SNP government to:  

• Hold the promised violence in schools summit before the October break.
• Provide the essential resources teachers require in circumstances when “restorative discussions” fail.
• Deliver more specialist provision, such as classroom assistants, educational psychologists and specialist teachers.
• Cut waiting times for child and adolescent mental health services.

Mr Rennie said: 

“Teachers and students taken to hospital, graphic videos going viral on social media, violent incidents spiralling to almost 15,000 in a single year. Thankfully still rare, there is, however, clearly a problem with the current approach to managing behaviour in schools.

“As schools return, we simply cannot have a situation where teachers are fearful of going to work, knowing that their role as educators will often play second fiddle to managing violent behaviour.  

“Teachers tell me they try hard to make the restorative approach work but are frustrated that with some pupils endless discussions fail yet there is no additional support available.

“The government must be open and upfront about the scale of the problem because that is the first step in taking action.

“It must hold the promised violence in schools summit before the October break and that summit must examine whether the current approach is working and explore what additional resources are required.

“We also need to end the long delays for mental health support and specialist support.

“Scottish Liberal Democrats want ministers to take a considered approach that will get to the root of the problem. Crucially, that means investing in greater support for staff and pupils alike.”