I find it hard to credit your report (TES, April 4) that Managing Schools Today was forced to pay damages to the National Association of Schoolmasters Union of Women Teachers for criticising the crusade Nigel de Gruchy and co have led over the hunt for disruptive pupils.
On the same page you make the point that Mr de Gruchy envisages another 100,000 children would be excluded for poor behaviour if schools were stricter. Brave talk from the same valiant Mr de Gruchy who exposed the terror brought to teachers at Manton School by Richard Wilding.
And now the National Union of Teachers, late but not to be left out, has decided to throw up its hands in anguish about the violent terror that stalks the corridors.
We could expect this from politicians who are gleefully drawing up plans to tag parents and children. Blaming kids has become a game we all can play. When teachers’ unions make it the defining issue upon which they stand then I am afraid there is something amiss.
If teachers want respect they should stop acting like children, stand up for themselves and do the job they are supposed to do. That means telling children how to behave and making sure they do so. It does not mean blaming parents or anyone else. When teachers do this, then they can get on with tackling the real problems they face.
DAVID PERKS 35 Park Villa Court Leeds
