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Houston schools are becoming more unsafe for teachers according to the Houston Federation of teachers. One in five HISD secondary teachers reported being assaulted.
Houston's teachers union is concerned with this scary trend that shows more teachers reporting physical or verbal abuse at the hands of their students.
"What we're seeing is heavy gang activity, weapons, very disrespectful behavior andÂ… not good if we let it continue to get out of hand," said Houston Teachers Federation President Gayle Fallon.
What's worse, Fallon said the study shows state law isn't being followed when it comes to disciplining these students. The law says serious offenses related to drugs, weapons and terroristic threats mandate the student be immediately sent to disciplinary alternative education. Only 13 percent of HISD secondary teachers said these students are always removed by principals.
"Which tells me almost 85 percent of them are violating state law by not removing that child for the felony behavior," said Fallon.
Fallon said the reluctance to remove students is likely finance related or fear of parental repercussions. She said there's no problem with the availability of alternative disciplinary education facilities.
"It's talking about putting them in a more structured educational system. It's a win, win," said Fallon.
When they are removed, Fallon said a third of unruly students acted up as many as 10 times before their school took action.
"Very often the teacher said there was just total denial that there was a disciplinary problem. Well, it exists," she said.
These are the worst numbers the Teachers Federation has seen according to Fallon. She also said there was more than double the usual response to the survey.
Meanwhile district representatives said they hadn't seen the survey as of late Monday afternoon and therefore didn't have any comment as of yet.
Below is a full breakdown of the survey (Study language belongs to the Houston Federation of Teachers in the form of questions posed to teachers and was not originated by 39 News):
1. I have experienced the Following Behavior from students:
42% drug or alcohol possession
20% weapons possession on campus
20% assault against you
32% physical threats against you or your property by a student
15% retaliation on or off campus by a student
72% profane or abusive language directed at you by a student
Houston's teachers union is concerned with this scary trend that shows more teachers reporting physical or verbal abuse at the hands of their students.
"What we're seeing is heavy gang activity, weapons, very disrespectful behavior andÂ… not good if we let it continue to get out of hand," said Houston Teachers Federation President Gayle Fallon.
What's worse, Fallon said the study shows state law isn't being followed when it comes to disciplining these students. The law says serious offenses related to drugs, weapons and terroristic threats mandate the student be immediately sent to disciplinary alternative education. Only 13 percent of HISD secondary teachers said these students are always removed by principals.
"Which tells me almost 85 percent of them are violating state law by not removing that child for the felony behavior," said Fallon.
Fallon said the reluctance to remove students is likely finance related or fear of parental repercussions. She said there's no problem with the availability of alternative disciplinary education facilities.
"It's talking about putting them in a more structured educational system. It's a win, win," said Fallon.
When they are removed, Fallon said a third of unruly students acted up as many as 10 times before their school took action.
"Very often the teacher said there was just total denial that there was a disciplinary problem. Well, it exists," she said.
These are the worst numbers the Teachers Federation has seen according to Fallon. She also said there was more than double the usual response to the survey.
Meanwhile district representatives said they hadn't seen the survey as of late Monday afternoon and therefore didn't have any comment as of yet.
Below is a full breakdown of the survey (Study language belongs to the Houston Federation of Teachers in the form of questions posed to teachers and was not originated by 39 News):
1. I have experienced the Following Behavior from students:
42% drug or alcohol possession
20% weapons possession on campus
20% assault against you
32% physical threats against you or your property by a student
15% retaliation on or off campus by a student
72% profane or abusive language directed at you by a student
