It doesn’t matter what job you perform, each and every one of us has the right to feel safe from others in the community and in our workplace when we are at work.
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This week a central west teacher, who we can’t name for privacy reasons, has spoken out about her experiences in the classroom, and the times she hasn’t felt so safe.
It’s concerning to hear that this teacher has been cornered by a student in her classroom, and had felt threatened during the situation.
While she has had training, and uses that training to get herself out of those situations, they are ones that she shouldn’t have to deal with in the first place.
And it’s not just teachers.
We hear about retail and office staff being abused by customers and clients all the time.
There are posters and campaigns telling people not to abuse our emergency service personnel – paramedics, police officers, who are trying to do their job and help people, but at the same time are abused by some of the same people they are assisting.
And it’s not just physical abuse that we are taking about either – it’s the mental abuse, the bullying that could happen in any workplace, be it with someone you work with, or even clients and customers.
It’s just not on.
Many times it’s not the situation that has given fuel to the abuse, but rather something else going on – for the school incidents it could be situations at home or with friends, and the students are lashing out when they are in a place they feel they can.
The most recent NSW Department of Education Incident Reporting in Schools document from July to December 2017 shows there were 27 concerns about student welfare, 25 violent incidents then reports of drugs (10), use of weapons (eight), inappropriate use of technology (three) and other (one).
It’s why our teachers, and many more employees in workplaces, have to be trained in how to deal with different kinds of abuse.
De-esculating the problem before it becomes bigger is something teachers are taught, as is using a clear and calm voice during communication with students in these types of situations. Sometimes can be just explaining your side of the situation, and making the other person realise what they are doing.
But while we are trained, it still doesn’t make it acceptable that we have to endure it.
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