Seán Crowe (Dublin South West, Sinn Fein)

Like Deputy Curran, I suppose I am on the grey wing of the House because my memories of school are dominated by corporal punishment. On my first day at school, at five years of age, I was very excited about the whole concept of going to school because all my older friends were there etc. As I arrived at the school, I saw a nun with a blackthorn stick beating lumps out of a child. My sister likes to tell the story of how I ran up to the nun, kicked her and ran out of the school. I did not return to the school for a further two years because I was terrified. I suffered under the strap and the cane during my school days. Some people of my generation think such punishment did not do us any harm, but it did not do us any good either. We live in much more enlightened times now, fortunately. It is clear that indiscipline is a problem in our schools. There is growing concern among teachers, parents and students about the effects of that problem on classes.

The Minister for Education and Science has been urged to bear in mind that the failure to implement the findings of earlier reports on school discipline has had a negative impact on schools. Research conducted by Dr. Maeve Martin of the task force on student behaviour in second level schools found that student disaffection and behaviour difficulties are more prevalent in areas of significant socioeconomic deprivation. Selective enrolment procedures invariably mean that problem students are more likely to be dumped on public sector schools than on other types of schools. Other Deputies have spoken about the phenomenon of difficulties outside the school manifesting themselves in the classroom. ASTI research relating to the problem of indiscipline found that over the course of a school year, 71% of teachers taught in classes in which some students engaged in continuous disruptive behaviour. There are fears the task force on student behaviour will underestimate the extent of the problem of indiscipline in schools, which is undoubtedly a societal problem. It is important not to underestimate the negative impact that a minority of disruptive students can have on other students. Teachers require professional development in classroom management to help them to deal with this sensitive problem. Teachers and students must be allowed to teach and learn in an environment that is free from disruption and indiscipline.

I am concerned that the interim report of the task force on school discipline has not prioritised the issue of class sizes. A significant starting point in addressing that issue would be the implementation of the 2001 McGuinness report's recommendation that the pupil-teacher ratio should be reduced. The Government has failed to implement that recommendation to date, however. It should be noted that mainstream classes are not always the best place for our children. Withdrawal and cooling-off rooms have been used with considerable success in Britain. The neglect of special needs students is exacerbating the problems caused by large class sizes. The National Educational Psychological Service, which does not have enough psychologists working in our schools, should be sufficiently resourced so students with intellectual disabilities can be dealt with properly rather than treated as nuisances. It is hardly surprising that the behaviour of some students with special educational needs can be disruptive, given that they are faced with inappropriate curriculums in over-sized classrooms and do not receive enough classroom support. In such circumstances, it is inevitable that students and teachers are disrupted.

I call on the Government to initiate a new national anti-bullying campaign. The 1993 guidelines on countering bullying behaviour are obsolete in the modern era of mobile telephones and e-mail, which are being used as new tools for bullying. Students are afraid to report bullying and most teachers are not trained in how to handle such situations. The Government must act to ensure the right of all students to a positive and safe learning environment is protected. I urge the Minister to ensure the final report of the task force, which was due at the end of last year, is published as soon as possible.

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