Reports reveal violence against teachers

Teachers in schools across NSW have been bashed and threatened by students, angry parents and intruders, reports to a government department show. Almost 460 serious incidents including 130 violent acts against school staff were logged during the first two terms of this year in reports to the Department of Education and Communities, The Daily Telegraph reported on Monday. The reports, which were obtained under freedom of information laws, showed educators received death threats, were forced to disarm weapon-wielding students and were sometimes injured and hospitalised after attacks. While some of the incidents involved intruders or angry parents, teachers were also threatened and assaulted by students in class. The reports showed that students had thrown furniture, smashed windows and assaulted teachers by biting, kicking and hitting. The Department of Education and Communities said the safety of students and staff was a "top priority". "Close to 90 per cent of the state's schools regularly report no such incidents and the great majority of the remaining 10 per cent report only one incidence of violence each school semester, with the bulk of these not being serious enough to result in anyone being charged by police," a spokesperson told The Daily Telegraph.