NSEA News Release
LINCOLN, Neb.-Nebraska teachers report bruises, cuts, torn ligaments, a broken nose, concussions and being hit in the stomach while pregnant in a survey conducted by the Nebraska State Education Association (NSEA) that asked its members for information about student violence they have encountered in the classroom.
“The fact is that teachers are hit, scratched, kicked, bitten and punched by troubled students – and it’s a daily occurrence in schools across Nebraska,” said Jenni Benson, president of the 28,000-member NSEA. “The stories from educators are heartbreaking – and they are a clarion call for action.
“We are urging state lawmakers to work with us to address this crisis of violent student behavior. We need additional mental and behavioral health resources for our students, and we need statewide clarity regarding when and how school staff can intervene to protect themselves and their students.
“Our goal is to ensure that all students and staff can learn and teach in a safe and supportive environment. We need state and school district support for teachers, education support professionals and students to address this issue.”
NSEA sent the survey in mid-December. Thus far, responses have been received from more than 160 NSEA members who have observed or been the victims of violence while teaching. The responses included pleas for additional services for students, additional school staff, and support from state and school district officials, according to Benson.
“This is a statewide concern,” said Benson. “We need more training for staff. We need additional resources in our rural, urban and suburban schools, and we need strong administrative and legislative support for our teachers.”
Benson said the NSEA will work with lawmakers to pass legislation to address the issue, including LB147, the student discipline bill. LB147 allows a teacher to have a student removed from their classroom when the teacher has documented that such student has repeatedly interfered with the teacher’s ability maintain a learning environment or if the student’s immediate behavior is so unruly, disruptive, or abusive that it interferes with the learning of other students. The student can be returned to the room when a plan is in place to ensure safety and success. It also outlines a teacher’s right to physically intervene when a student becomes violent and is a danger to themselves or others.
“As educators, we understand that many students who are causing disruptions are acting out based on some trauma they have experienced in their own life,” said Benson. “NSEA supports ongoing training for educators that focuses on de-escalation and prevention. As an organization, we have provided and will continue to provide such trainings. It is important that the state and every school districts help in that effort.
“Teachers need to be supported by the administration in order to maintain a classroom environment that is conducive to learning. All students deserve to have a safe and productive learning environment where they are free from the distractions and disruptions from students who become physically aggressive,” said Benson.
“Our members do not want any child to miss the opportunity to learn, even those who are disruptive and need to be removed from the classroom. They do want to ensure all their students are safe and that chronically disruptive or violent students receive the help they need.”
DECEMBER 2019 NSEA SURVEY
I was punched in the stomach while pregnant on more than one occasion. I ended up losing my baby. My doctor couldn’t say it was because of it, but I know it was.
I was seated, and the student ran behind my chair and kicked me several times during an outburst of anger.
A student grabbed my right index finger and pulled it outwards to the side near my thumb. The finger was swollen to twice its size. No breaks were detected on the X-ray, but an MRI showed a torn ligament.
I was walking around collecting an assignment when a student stabbed the tip of her pencil into the flesh between my thumb and pointer finger.
As a teacher at a previous school, I had many incidents of physical and verbal abuse. One student was having a meltdown -- he kicked me numerous times, scratched my arms, bit my arms and hands. Another incident, a student tore up the classroom, threw objects at me, screamed obscenities, and I had to chase him when he escaped from the school. I've had a student come across the table at me, told me he was going to kill me – this student had previously stabbed a teacher in the neck with a pencil. This student’s father came to my classroom and yelled at me because I called HHS.
Student was hitting and punching other students. When asked to sit out, the student refused. I went to bring student inside to de-escalate until student could be compliant again. Entering the school, the student bit my arm.
Student spit in my face.
My student was frustrated with doing classwork. He wanted to play games on his laptop. He slammed his computer down and shoved me in an effort to run out of the classroom.
2 years ago, I had a student that destroyed my classroom daily. My students and I had to evacuate multiple times. My things were destroyed. The student threw scissors at other kids and even went through all their backpacks and dumped everything out of them. We were left to pick everything up because they needed to get him out of the room. And now, I have another student in my classroom that destroys everything and uses horrible profanity.
A student hit me, kicked me and closed a door on me resulting in several bruises. I started taking antidepressants after that school year. This year, at 9 months pregnant, I had a student throw scissors at me, throw chairs in the classroom and verbally abuse me and other students. All of these occurred in a general education first grade classroom setting.
I can’t count how many times we’ve had to go on lock down because one or more students were tearing up the hallway and it was not safe. On multiple occasions the fire alarms were pulled, and we all had to evacuate the building. My students didn’t receive appropriate instructional or resource time many afternoons due to these issues. Students were terrified to go into the hallway alone to use the bathroom. We would have to listen to students cussing, threatening, banging on our doors and lockers almost daily while trying to learn. Not only just listening to it happen, I’ve seen many, many teachers assaulted – yet they refuse to call the police.
A student chest bumped me in front of the class, hit my breast hard.
I asked a student to quit making very loud noises during our library lesson. He continued to do so. He was transitioning to the classroom from the behavior program, so I asked him to come with me and took him across the hall back to the behavior room. As I walked him there, he told me I was a bitch and he could do whatever he wanted. I said he is not allowed to treat me like that. I explained to the behavior teacher why he was coming back – then he kicked me with all his might 4 times. He was wearing hard boots. It injured me and broke my skin.
Student became upset when I asked him to complete his work like the rest of the students in the room. He was a transition student from another program so what I was asking of him was what I should have been asking. I tried to talk to him about the situation and he became even more upset. I went to the phone to call the program teacher to have her come and remove him. He tried to grab the phone from my hand and, when that didn't work, he began beating me on my arm, body and head. He took his fist to my head and hit me so hard that I had a headache for days afterwards.
A student pushed two students who had the door open trying to get back into our room after they heard the student screaming and throwing things. He pushed his way in, threw a whiteboard at one of my students, threw a basket full of stuff at another student, a full water bottle at another, and then proceeded to destroy my room. His teachers ended up picking it up. My broken items were never replaced, and I had to reorganize and put everything back in place by myself.
It was my first year of teaching and I had a student verbally assault other students in my class and me the entire year. He would threaten us, scream and cuss at us, throw things, etc. This went on for the entire year. Finally, the last week of school, he was placed in another program.
Student was angry - stems from being asked to do something student does not want to do or being redirected: * student pushed me from behind * student kicked me in the leg * student threw objects at me * student punched me in the stomach * student head butted me * student spit on me * student called me an asshole and mother fucker
A student brought a gun to school in his backpack. It was taken away and he was then sent to class down the hall from us. As teachers, we just heard it from the teacher who was involved. No lock down, no email sent to us teachers who are responsible for keeping students safe. Later our administration sent an email to staff and parents saying, “no one was in danger.” I disagree - any time a gun is brought to school by a student, we were all very much in danger – but most teachers didn't have a clue until hours later.
A student who lives near the school had run home. He had been brought back and was staying in the principal’s office. The principal had to be interviewed for something, so I came in to supervise. The child had ransacked the office, found a track starter pistol -- I wasn’t sure of its authenticity as a gun because the student had run home earlier in the day. He pointed it at me threatening to kill me and saying he was going to shoot me. The student also rammed rolling chairs into me, hit me, threw pencils and other objects at me.
I had a student become agitated and the student kept coming towards me to get my attention. I knew better than to give attention to this behavior, but he continued to throw his desk over, throw his notebook and his chair. I called the office for help before he came too close to me (I was 6 months pregnant at the time). The student turned around and scratched a student near him (drew blood) and my administrator immediately removed him from my classroom. They shut my door to let me continue teaching and that student was destroying the hallway. He was pounding on my door, screaming, hitting and scratching the SPED teachers that were out in the hallway with him. Parents were called to come pick the student up.
A student brought a loaded gun in to my classroom. It was posted on social media. It was then reported to the police. The Police burst in to my classroom and dragged the student out by the arms. 28 other students were in the classroom at the time. I was not informed what prompted the situation until hours later when a school-wide email was sent. Because of this, I could not help to reassure my students. In fact, the students knew before I did. Thank goodness no one was injured but we very easily could have been.
6-7 years ago, a student of mine would throw chairs, desks, pencils and threaten to harm himself and others almost daily. Many times, throughout the school year, I had to take my class to a different classroom because of this student's actions. This year, I have a student that has thrown things in the classroom, he threw chairs at me and the principal in the hallway, and he punched a girl repeatedly in PE class. He gets angry and storms around often. He speaks very inappropriately, and he often threatens to harm himself or others.
A student became upset because it was loud in classroom. Student began kicking other students and throwing school items. I escorted student into hallway using Mandt certified training. The student bit me and began punching me and hitting me in the face. The student also made several more attempts to bite me. Even with certified Mandt restraint I was bit and punched by student. After 1.5 hours of this student being violent, I made the decision to call the parent to send student home.
NOTE: The Mandt System ® is a relationally based program that uses a continuous learning and development approach to prevent, de-escalate, and if necessary, intervene in behavioral interactions that could become aggressive.
A child bit me because he was upset and noncompliant.
Student walked across room as he was picking up belongings and hit me in left arm. I told the principal about the incident but the student returned to my classroom the next day. When I told him that his behavior was not okay, he said, "but it felt good.” The same student assaulted me when I told him to put his phone away. He pulled me to the floor and threw my back out when he took me down. The student was expelled for 3 days; however, when the principal told him his consequence and stated, “You cannot hit staff” the student responded, "Yes I can." The third time he assaulted me I was telling him he needed to go to class. He refused. He then hit me upside the head, pulled my hair and took me to the floor. He was attempting to kick me when he was restrained by two other teachers who were walking by and saw the attack.
A teacher in the room next to me was donkey kicked by a student and is currently undergoing physical therapy. She still walks with a limp.
The morning bell had rung and the halls were clear. Two middle school students were standing face-to-face in the hall not making any attempt to get to class. I told them to go to class, but they didn't move. Then, the male teacher I was with told them to get to class. At that point, something was said and a fight broke out between them. One boy had the other in a headlock and began punching him in the face. The male teacher and I rushed to break them up. As they continued swinging at each other and yelling expletives, the teacher and I tried to pull them apart. The scuffle continued and the male teacher fell backwards along with one of the boys. The one that was still standing continued to punch the one that went down. I was afraid that he would punch the male teacher, so I kept grabbing until I could get ahold of him. I was finally able to grab him after falling down on one knee. When I got up, I was able to push him back and away from the situation. The male teacher was able to get the other student calmed down. Three phone calls were made to the office as the fight was going on. The assistant principal and resource officer came down and took the student who was with the male teacher down to the office. Then, as I was making my way down to the office with the other student, the resource officer came to take him to the office.
The child was throwing things at the teacher (staplers, person supplies, etc.) when I stepped into the situation.
Child was not able to handle being in the classroom. He was sent for a break with me. When break time was over, he refused to clean up and follow directions and then he began cussing, breaking holes in bookshelves, spitting in my face, kicking, biting, and eventual destruction of the whole room later that day. The police had to be called to escort him home because his mother could not get him under control.
Student was upset and needed to be removed from classroom per his behavior plan. While in transport to the recovery room and while in recovery I was hit 40 times on my arms, legs, and back. We keep a running tally of how many times he is physically aggressive with adults and record it on his daily sheet that goes home.
Student became upset in the classroom. He did not want to complete the task given to him. Student went to his calm down spot in the classroom but continued to escalate. Classroom teacher then called for extra support. When I arrived, the student was very escalated. He was screaming at the top of his lungs and not responding to any prompting. The student then knocked over items on top of the shelf. The other students in the classroom were evacuated from the classroom. Upon seeing this the student escalated more and threw a flexible seating chair across the room. The crisis intervention team was called and upon arrival of the other adults the student took off down the hallway. Student went to time out. In time out, student threw objects around the room and broke the work table. He picked up the metal chair and held it over his head and threatened to throw it at us if I came into the room. Student attempted to throw the chair but was unable to throw it hard enough to hit any of the adults. Student continued to escalate yelling, using cuss words, making threats to hurt the staff members. Student was escalated at this intensive for over 2 hours. Student only de-escalated when his father arrived at school.
Student threw three chairs across the room almost hitting several other students and my co-teacher.
Student became angry, escalated, violent. Forceful hitting and kicking of staff. I was attempting to calm student and was kicked in the face.
Student was frustrated. I was trying to figure out what we could do to fix things and he said, “just watch, one day I’m gonna throw a chair at your face.”
A student was yelling and running around the classroom. When asked to leave the student lunged at the teacher, scratching her hands and biting her arm.
After breaking up a fight, I attempted to help the security guard with one student. The student punched me in the shoulder.
A student threatened to kill me. Drew a picture with a gun, shooting me, and me on the ground with blood.
The bell was about to ring and all students were in the class. This was a long computer lab and teacher was at the teacher’s station putting the screen up for the bell work. Three girls arrived with 2 of them at each other. One student had initiated and was clearly prompting the other to fight. She is kept saying “I want to fight you!” She swung at the other female student. As the teacher approached the girls, teacher stood away from them and called to them to STOP! They were not responding but were in front of the buzzer used to call security. Teacher had to reach the buzzer as they fought around teacher and continued as they had been.
A student was using their phone in class. My policy was to take it and turn into the dean. The student handed over the phone but then escalated quickly. By the end of class (other students left at the bell, he was yelling at me. He then picked up my phone from the desk and took it, threw a trash can, while yelling threats at me the entire time. I used my call button to get help -- which took forever.
I have a student who is a regular disruptive element to my classroom. He uses inappropriate and foul language, is physically and sexually aggressive (pinching other students' behinds, holding out his tongue and seeing how close he can get to another student's face before they flinch, comments to other students to have sex, regular mentions of his genitals, etc., makes regular comments to commit murderous or even suicidal acts. Twice this year his threats led to a visit by two sheriff's deputies – including just the other day when he began making comments of how he hated his life and wanted to throw a chair through the window and commit suicide, as well as murder everyone in the building.
Student would curse, hit, kick, bite, spot, pull my hair out and throw desks and chairs at me. This happened multiple times.
Student was asked to go to hallway to do a cool down per behavior plan. Upon trying to process with student after timed cool down time was complete, the student swung at me and the Para. He then threw a recycle can at my head, cutting it open. Student also slammed my head into a brick wall concussing me. This student was returned to my classroom the next day.
A student came after me grabbed my hair and pulled me down towards the ground. When I tried to call for help, he grabbed my phone and threw it across the classroom breaking it. On many occasions this student has damaged my clothes from pulling me by my shirt, the student has ripped my hair tie out of my hair and has grabbed, bitten and pinched me, causing severe bruising.
A student took a laptop computer and hit me in the face deliberately and with force, injuring my left eye and nose – I had a black eye and was in pain for two days. The student was put up for long term suspension and reassignment -- both of which were denied. Student is set to report back to my classroom.
A student poked me in the chest and said I should look out because I was weak, little and small.
Student is oppositional and has anger issues. He was not willing to work with me in group and was also not willing to give me his Chromebook. He raised the device to swing it and I took it. He immediately stood up and started pushing chairs and desks over as students scattered. I told my class to go next door as I stood between him and the other students. As I locked the door and blocked another door, he swung at me hitting me in my midsection before retreating to the other side of the room. I finally calmed him enough to get to the phone and called the office for assistance.
An early elementary student was angry because his mom did not attend the holiday program. This student was documented twice refusing to stay with the class or transition with the class. The student became angry when it was time to line up at the conclusion of recess. He walked up to a much smaller classmate who way laying on the ground and kicked the child three times in the stomach, then stomped on the child's legs. Security was called to escort the student because he refused to come inside. An office referral was written and the student remained with support staff in the school office area for 40 minutes. He was then sent back to class to participate in a holiday program. Later in the day, unprovoked, this same student kicked another much smaller student.
Student with violet behavior would often destroy classroom and throw furniture such as desks and chairs, forcing my classroom to evacuate.
There have been numerous times where the safety of myself and my students have been compromised by another student. I'm an art teacher. I had to evacuate my classroom on multiple occasions when a student started to escalate and throw objects in the room. As of late, I've had to evacuate my room at least twice this year because of students throwing chairs and pushing tables in my classroom. There is one specific time from this year where I had to call security and prevent a student from attacking another in my classroom.
A student refused all activity directions and requests to stop from the moment he walked into the room. He immediately began mocking, yelling obscenities and quickly began throwing things at other students and at me. He also loudly verbally assaulted everyone. I moved all the remaining students out of the room and sent a child to the office to get help, no one came until it was time for the class to return to homeroom. Homeroom teacher passed off the incident as normal for that child but did not agree to follow up in any other way.
The student scratched this teacher so hard that the scratch scabbed over and was on her face for over a week. There are also two paras in the school that I work at who have been attacked. One was punched in the face three times which left a large red welt for several days. The other para had her arm yanked so hard that she was in a sling for a week and a half.
I was out in the hall conferencing with a student for a few minutes and the other students in the class were supposed to be reading. When I returned to the classroom the atmosphere had changed but no one would tell me what was going on. Later I found out that two of the students had been giving another student a hard time and the student who had been targeted pulled a knife on one of two who had been teasing him. They were all VERY quiet about it and all the witnesses were silent too. After they left the class, the student who had been on the receiving end of the knife threat reported it to an administrator. Apparently, the student had brought the knife in his sock that day because he'd been being bullied by the two previously mentioned students.
Student was upset that I asked him to leave other students’ materials alone. He then threw a chair at me, ripped the other students’ papers and threw them on the floor.
Student grabbed my wrists. I got free and then he grabbed one of my other students around the neck. As I was trying to free him, the student grabbed me around the upper body digging his finger into my skin and twisting. I could not get out of his grip for a few minutes and there was no other adult around. I screamed out because it hurt so bad and I think that got him to finally stop. I had instant bruising and swelling. I am still going to physical therapy for the incident. This child has a history of violence towards staff. Even after this happened, he attacked another adult. The student was not to be by himself with me but that hasn’t been the case several times. I just try and stay away from him. There is no training set up for us to deal with students with severe disabilities and who are violent. This child has no business being in this environment. We do not have the resources to help him. All we do is babysit him.
I saw a student choking another student -- her arm was around the other student’s neck in a headlock. I intervened after calling security and the perpetrator took me to the ground but did let go of the other girl’s neck.
I took a student's electronic device in my classroom (during a lecture). He jumped up, backed me against a wall and kept shouting "You cannot take it! You cannot do that!" He was screaming so loudly that teachers from down the hall came into my room to see what was going on.
In general, I have had 20 or so students threaten or commit violence during sessions at me or towards classroom staff over 10 years. 3 current. General attitude towards these students is “they can’t help it” or “no one cares enough to help”...
While walking back to class after picture retakes, one of my 200lb eighth grade boys decided to intimidate one of my 75lb eighth grade boys. The first boy ran down the hall and body slammed the smaller boy into the wall. This happened in front of a building administrator.
I was asked to talk to a student in the office with my principal. He was mad because I asked him to write his assignments in his planner on the correct day. He tore the planner in half and cussed as he stomped out of my room. The principal said he was too upset to attend specials (music) and he had to make up the instructional time he missed when he left the classroom. He sat down in front of the door and would not let either of us out of the office. We carefully moved him - the principal has received training in this regard. I slid my way out of the door as he slammed it shut - nearly taking off three of my fingers. The slamming door sounded like a gunshot. I left shaking and went back into my empty classroom and cried.
Student (1) - I have been bitten in the buttocks, shoulder, back and forearm. I broke one toe trying to catch the student who was trying to run out of the building. Student (2) - I have been slapped in the face and kicked in the shins on various occasions. All incidences left marks on my skin. Student (3) - when frustrated, will hit, kick and bite. Eventually he will strip off his clothes. He has urinated on the principal. He constantly threatens to urinate and defecate on the teacher and/or principal. He shows acts of aggression toward other children by pulling on them, getting in their faces, laughing at them and playing rough.
A student trashed my classroom turning over desks, throwing crayons at other students, and trying to break the smart board, etc. We had to remove the other children from the classroom and call the police.
A high number of physically aggressive students are being placed without appropriate staffing or accommodating resources.
I’ve seen and been the victim in several student violence incidents. One student tried to physically harm me and my unborn baby by pushing a table into my belly.
I was bit once by a student & required assistance in removing child. The skin was not broken but I had a large bruise. I had many attempted bites, one slap across the face, attempts at kicking me, etc. I was good at avoiding being hurt other than the one bite & one slap. I also was spit in the face once which was probably worse than the others - that was a kindergarten child.
I have been hit, scratched, bitten, and grabbed on several occasions during my teaching career. The biggest incident happened recently. A student attacked me, broke my nose and gave me a concussion. The student hit me several times and threw a trash can at me several times during this incident.
In a meeting last year when I complained about being hit by a student up to 30+ times a day the Coordinator of Special Education told me and the staff during the meeting that the hits weren't hard, more like a swat and were therefore not that big of a deal. The student was small and could do little damage. When I mentioned the chair she picked up and the door she slammed on a para almost breaking her fingers, the SPED coordinator said he hadn't witnessed that.
The student had a history of violence. We were this student’s third high school. I had been trying to get assistance from our special education supervisors but was unsuccessful. A day or two prior to the incident, the student tried to hit me with a pole. I told those staff members/administrators above me that this student was going to seriously injure someone, but that information was not well received.
Student would flip desks, furniture and chairs. Student hit me in the nose when I turned around
After getting hit, bitten, and grabbed by four different students now in the past 9 years I have learned several things: First, my building and building principal do all they can to support me and our paras; however, the special education department that is supposed to support me does not.
Hit by a student when he was directed to get in line. Students have been hit/kicked/pinched by other students multiple times. Kindergarten student punched a para in the face just outside my room. Students have destroyed my room/equipment on several occasions, I have done multiple room clears. Other staff members have been injured to the point of requiring medical attention. Staff members are verbally abused on a daily basis by students using profanity.
Student (a 4-year-old) was frustrated, took both hands, made a fist and hit me on my sinuses below my eye.
Student with anger issues knocked over desks and/or lunged at and hit students in the classroom 2-3 times per week. We had to create a classroom code word so that I could quickly evacuate the classroom if an incident occurred. After incidents, I often had to spend time calming students down, telling them what they did right and making corrections if they needed to be made (like if I gave the code word and a student didn't immediately leave the room.) These incidents made classroom management in general difficult. I had to spend so much time making sure this student wasn't harming others, that smaller management issues were allowed to develop.
Student becomes frustrated, usually either because of having to work when not willing to, or angry and wanting attention. Usually an escalating behavior pattern, which includes: work or behavior correction refusal by student, verbal statements, bumping furniture, pushing things off desk, hitting or kicking at chair or desk, pushing over furniture and threatening peers or staff. My response is to notify office/call for help as school plan, try to de-escalate the student and move students to create a larger physical distance from the child who is acting out. I keep teaching if possible and keep my body between the student and his/her peers.
Student threw textbooks at me, attempted to choke me, and attempted to punch another student.
I was signaling with my arm for the student to stop running while saying “walk, please.” He grabbed my arm and shoved me.
There are fights in the classroom in which I get pushed. Students are disrespectful and fearlessly call teachers/staff members names.
I am on a Core team that responds when a student is in crisis. Violent student behavior is an almost daily occurrence in our building. It’s becoming more unusual to have a day without it. My school has multiple students across grade levels who have violent outbursts.
I have been bitten by multiple students. Last spring, I was stabbed in the back of the neck with a pencil.
Student was swearing and screaming. He was asked to walk with me to go to the office. He refused. I asked a para to walk with us and we walked on either side of him. As we got closer to the office, he started swinging at us. He hit me in the chest then grabbed my arm and pinched as hard as he could. He kicked and hit the para. As we entered the office, he started after the SRO, who then grabbed him and handcuffed him.
Several students have thrown things and screamed obscenities
Student has hit me several times, on different days. Has punched me in stomach, chest and arm at different times.
In the course of breaking up a fight between two girls, one attacked me. I was slammed into a locker, then thrown to the floor resulting in injury to both arms, my back, my head, and breaking my glasses.
On two occasions I suffered injuries from students. On both occasions I needed medical care and, on both occasions, it was the result of trying to keep two students from harming each other. Here are my two most memorable: Incident 1 - Upon reentering the building after school hours, a student grabbed me and moved me out of his way when I reminded him the hallways were closed. This was witnessed by several colleagues. The county attorney subsequently filed assault charges against the student. Incident 2 - In my classroom, a student with recognized and repeated anger and behavioral issues became upset, stood and threw a chair against the wall.
I had a student who I thought needed help on an assignment. He seemed to be struggling. He was hiding his face, and so I put my hand on his shoulder and leaned in to ask if I could help him. He flew out of his seat swinging his arm at me. He was about 200 pounds bigger than me too. He told me not to "fucking" touch him. I knew I had made a mistake by touching him. However, my class was extremely alarmed. I could tell they were scared. In order not to escalate the issue, I let him sit back down and I left him alone. After class was over, I had him stay seated until the class was over. This same student had a lot of moments of explosion that usually ended in punching lockers, swearing, crying, and usually in front of students. Our student body is Preschool-12th grade, so when this happens in front of tiny kiddos, it can be really upsetting.
I had a student that I was instructed to walk to and from lunch because she was being harassed by another student and we were trying to prevent a fight. After a few days, the instigating student was frustrated by her lack of ability to interact with her and approached us. She squared up and got in my face and tried to get by me to get to the student that was behind my back. I was 6 months pregnant and I reminded the student that I was pregnant, there were cameras all around, and enough students walking by that she would maybe get one hit in before another student pulled her off me. Eventually we were able to de-escalate the situation and she returned to class and the student I was walking with went to lunch.
In our student support room (behavior room, one student went after another student. I blocked the student going after him by becoming a wall barrier. The student hit a calculator against my head. He received the rest of that day suspension and no other consequences because after 10 days the student will need a manifest meeting.
A student shoved me as she was leaving the room
There have been numerous incidents at school in which I have been threatened with physical harm, but as of now, I have not been involved in anything. I have seen multiple fights between students, mostly centering around family arguments that started outside of school.
Here is the most recent of many incidents: I have a 7th grade student who refuses to cooperate daily. This requires me to sit beside him 100% of each period. Essentially, he wanted to quit for the day. I would not allow it and he turned and tried to head butt me. This was not the first time he tried to hurt me, so I was ready for it. I caught his head in my hand and held it until he stopped…then I continued teaching my class. At the end of the period, I walked him down to office.
Students on many occasions leave death threats for teachers, mob and attack teachers (physical and verbal, and have hit and attacked teachers.
Student blocked the doorway to my classroom, trapping me inside the classroom, and proceeded to yell at me and make threats. I tried to calm them down, but they were so upset, they just wanted my undivided attention to vent their frustrations. The fact that I could not leave the classroom to get help made me scared.
My classroom was destroyed. Chairs flipped, pencils and eraser thrown all over. Student did no work for me at all. There was a time when he stomped my foot, had to be held so no harm was caused. This happened for over 3 months, where we had to just deal with it and take data.
I know of seven aggressive students that have injured staff in our building. After one student seriously attacked a para the student was finally moved to a more level 3 placement. I was able to get one aggressive student to calm down and be successful. A third student attacked me and was moved to a level 3 placement after that attack. A fourth student was kept at our school but with a level 3 program. The student was set up in our calming room and would stay in there all day with a one-on-one staff member to keep her from being aggressive. Another student got a para in a chokehold and sprained her neck causing the para to miss work and to wear a neck brace and complete physical therapy. Yet another student has choked and hurt other staff members but we have been told there is no level 3 placement available so we “will have to make it work.” It has become very clear that our district will not place these students where they need to go unless a staff member is seriously injured. There is a lack of concern for staff safety or the safety of other students in the room by the district. Educators and administrators in my building have been doing what they can.
The student didn't want to do what he was asked to do. I reached for him so he couldn't run out of the building into the road and he bit my left forearm and drew blood. On the second incident, he was outside with the para and wouldn't come in. I went to help and went to step around him (he had thrown himself on the ground) and he grabbed my leg and bit it.
Student became agitated and disruptive while lesson was being taught. When a call for assistance was made, student became violent toward me. Repeatedly shoving me against the wall and grabbing my arm and yanking downward. This happened multiple times over the course of a few days. The repeatedly violent attacks caused a small tear in my rotator cuff and a strain on my shoulder muscles.
Student became upset when I asked him to sit on the rug during group time. He spit on me and began kicking me.
A student (kindergartner) who was upset about not getting a break became violent in the classroom. While trying to prevent her from throwing objects at other children she repeatedly kicked me in my legs and knees. My right knee was dislocated. I am still receiving physical therapy and going to the orthopedic doctor due to repercussions and damage to my knee.
Student was literally jumping off the wall. When I asked him to stop, he proceeded to run at the wall, jump up it, turn to me and swing at my face with a fist. I moved my face out of the way so he couldn’t make contact.
This incident was the third for this student. The student was mad about being expected to do some work. The student began by starting to throw down books and furniture. When being contained to a classroom the student then proceeded to try to pinch my hands, step on my feet, and tried to also bite. The child also did these things to the assistant principal. The SRO was called to the building for assistance.
A student tore off all the math materials/calendar area from wall and threw the pieces at me and the other students. This student repeatedly threw pencils, chairs, slapped my arms and kicked at me.
My students and I were transitioning to a computer lab. When I was gathering my materials, two female students got into a fist fight. Thankfully, a security guard was walking by and intervened to stop the fight.
I was punched and kicked every day for a quarter. The student then improved but the behavior began again the following year. This student also punched other students were also punched. I had bruises and had to have physical therapy for my injuries from this attack.
Large Behavior Support Program classroom sizes increased physical and verbal abuse towards staff and students.
The student was hitting/kicking another staff member and was put into a seclusion room. The student escaped the room and was still exhibiting dangerous behaviors when the decision was made to lift and transport the student back into the room. During the attempted transport, the student was laying on the floor and flung his leg/foot backward kicking me in the face. The kick to the face resulted in a broken nose and a deviated septum that required surgery.
A student took a utility knife out of the woodworking tool cabinet and attacked and cut another student in my shop class.
Student who is nonverbal. Hits, kicks, bites daily when required to work.
Two children were arguing in line on the way to the classroom. I asked one of the girls to move to another spot in the line. She refused. She then grabbed my shirt and punched me in the shoulder.
I have been hit/punched, kicked, bitten, spit on and had objects thrown at me by students.
I see many behavior outbursts at my schools. One school in particular has a poor procedure for behavior/violence disciplinary actions. A student continues to hit, slap and bite teachers but nothing is done.
A 5th grade male student returned to school after a 2-day out-of-school suspension for an outburst in PE. He became upset and kicked his homeroom teacher numerous times; flipped a table onto an administration intern; ran out of the building picking up rocks threatening to throw them at staff/vehicles. He then broke a branch off of a tree and whipped me on my backside with it. Something NEEDS to be done. As an educator for 30+ years I have witnessed a huge shift in the mental state of our students and how it has impacted the classroom. It pains me to see the mental and physical abuse inflicted on many of my co-workers with little or no support for us. What are MY rights?