Cynthia Busuttil
MUT stops boy, 5, from attending class
It was an accident, authorities insist
A five-year-old boy will not be allowed in class on orders of the Malta Union of Teachers, which claims that he "attacked" his teacher although the Education Ministry said this was an accident.
The incident happened on Monday when a young teacher was hit in the eye by a crayon the boy was using. The teacher is still in pain and suffering from blurry eyesight, with the fear of further complications, the union said.
The MUT described what happened as an attack on the teacher. When contacted, president John Bencini said the details surrounding the incident were not clear and he was unsure whether it was intentional or not.
Mr Bencini said the teacher, in her late 20s, was sitting at her desk when all of a sudden she was hit in the eye by a crayon. He said teachers had long been concerned about the boy's behaviour.
"They have been filing reports about this particular child for two years. In the past, he has head-butted his teacher and was described as a problematic child," he said.
The union has directed the teacher not to accept the boy in class before it was determined whether he needs a facilitator.
A ministry spokesman said the education authorities were refusing this because by "no stretch of the imagination" could the incident be considered anything but an accident.
The school administration, on its part, will take all necessary steps to ensure such incidents are avoided, the spokesman added.
This was not the only disagreement between the MUT and the education authorities yesterday. The union said in the afternoon it wrote to Education Minister Dolores Cristina declaring a trade dispute because of teachers' working conditions and the slow implementation of initiatives outlined in a reform agreement signed last year.
It expressed disappointment over the government's interpretation and implementation of the agreement.
But the ministry spokesman said a number of measures had already been implemented since the signing of the agreement and the directorate for education services was in the process of implementing other measures covered by the same agreement.
Francis Fabri, the principal of St Theresa College, said the crayon incident happened at the Birkirkara Primary, which formed part of his college.
It took place while the children, including the boy involved in the incident, were drawing.
The head of school informed the college of the incident, asked that the boy is seen by a psychologist in order to get any help he needed, wrote a report on the incident, offered the teacher support and cooperated with the authorities.
Mr Fabri said he personally spoke to the teacher and offered support and the school and the college set in motion procedures for the boy to be evaluated so that no risks would be taken.
He said that although the necessary action should be taken in the best interest of all involved, one had to be cautious, even in the choice of adjectives used.
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M.Hili
Nov 3rd 2008, 21:54
Ms. O. Tretyak, how very right you are. When will this country ever learn? Only one psychologist to treat over 300 children!!! What are we waiting for? More incidents? Or do we all have to go private as I had to?
Joseph Schembri
Nov 3rd 2008, 17:21
I call the present situation the dictatorship of the young. Where are the do-gooders at the child protection agency and the Commissioner for children? These people are spoiling our children by preaching to them about their 'rights' and urging them to become spies on their own parents and teachers so any conceivable action by an adult can be twisted into some sort of abuse. Then the do gooders are happy with their statistics of 'abused' children and can justify their jobs and salaries.
What most children need is a good dose of discipline given in a context of responsibility and respect and not molly coddling.
My heart goes out to the teacher in question and I hope and pray that she will not suffer any permanent effects.
Sandro Pace
Nov 3rd 2008, 16:37
No, corporal punishment does not re-inforce the idea that the strong can beat the weak, but that if you misbehave you would be punished. The actual mentioning of it is scandalising people it seems, notwithstanding that it is still used in the US.
But OK, short of this method, what kind of punishment or deprivation is being given in schools nowadays and why are not such a deterrent? For assertiveness has to be backed up by punishment, otherwise it means nothing.
Lest I am misunderstood, I am not condoning some teachers who seem to enjoy hitting and spanking at will, but only used for repeated and serious offenders who seem to can bully a whole school, teachers included.
My impression is that schools have no chance to deal with the psychology of every difficult student, as we are witnessing in practice. It may be effecting the progress of other students and the moral of the teachers.
The common good for the rest demands immediate suppression of problems. That is probably the gist of the MUT action.
Omar Scicluna
Nov 3rd 2008, 15:13
When I was in school, teachers did not hit us with a ruler when we misbehaved, but I have never heard or seen such incident. Actions need to be taken, this one was a crayon, what;s the next story? and the next?
G.Schembri
Nov 3rd 2008, 14:21
How many so called LSA/Facilitators are actually trained to really help children with Behaviour problems. LSAs are not just babysitters, they should know how to handle certain situations. If a LSA is employed without any training somebody should be supervising/helping her in dealing with the student under her care.
@ Tanja Cilia LSAs are there to help the class teacher with the whole class, unless of course the child under their care is statemented "one to one", in which case the LSA cannot leave her student to cater for another student. So the head of school has every right to ask LSAs to take care of any other child in the classroom. And why not, should a person be paid just to sit pretty and look after just one child, (unless the child really needs such help) while the teacher is battling to cater for the 30 students in the class. Let us not forget that at the end of the day the child with a facilitator is also the responsibility of the class teacher.
J Martinelli
Nov 3rd 2008, 12:51
Without getting into the merits of this case, may I ask whether the MUT has the right to prevent a student from attending class?
Is this not something which school administrations should be looking into?
Is there anything in the teachers'collective agreement which gives them or their union the power to decide such matters above and beyond any Department of Education rulings?
GS Darmanin
Nov 3rd 2008, 10:01
One should not generalise. However even though most comments appear conflicting are right.
Yes many parents are becoming too permissive, everything is becoming acceptable…morals down the drain.
I remember that when I was a kid some teachers used the ruler and if I went reporting home, parents got angry...with their kids though not with the teachers. True some teachers in the past exaggerated, but today results are from one extreme to another.
Yes, quite a number of teachers are dedicated to their mission while others are losing the plot, not dedicated, but is the system doing anything to motivate them? I think not enough.
The above also applies for facilitators (especially in state schools) or how are they now called learning support assistants. They get the most difficult kids, are expected to find time to the rest of the class buy stationary, print at home etc… for some of their kids and not being compensated back ever.
@ Olina Tretyak
Too true… been there I know.
Tanja Cilia
Nov 3rd 2008, 09:12
How many facilitators and teachers have been head-butted, spat upon and kicked, but choose not to make a song-and-dance about it? How many Heads of School ask Facilitators to "heed" children who have not been statmented by the CDAU, together with the children assigned to them already? Who will bell the cat and answer these three questions?
V.Micallef
Nov 3rd 2008, 08:48
Spare the rod and spoil the child. Not just the child but the whole system. This rule may not apply to Northern countries where the weather is milder and tempers are mostly under control. That is why many EU rulings do not apply to us in the southernmost parts of Europe. But of course the Foundation for Tomorrow's Schools was never meant to delve into the psychological aspects of education and their wider sociological context. The FTS focused on "other" matters. Now Ms Cristina has a rotten legacy which all her lawyers may not be able to put together again.
Sonya Galea
Nov 3rd 2008, 01:50
I have read this article and the comments and I am sorry to hear that there are still people who have the guts to say that physical violence on children is good. I am referring to a particular comment by Sandro Pace where he said that his teacher used to spank him with a ruler and he thanked him for it. I totally disagree with this. Spanking children with a ruler is something that reminds me of Charles Dickens! I was never spanked in class except for one teacher who used to pull my hair so severly it got into his hands and I don't thank him for it. While I agree that some children need to be restrained and thought discipline and that teachers are professionals who deserve respect , I would never tolerate anyone hitting my son! Violence is a means used by those who are unable to express their assertiveness in a healthy manner. some children are brats and hooligans but using violence against them further reinforces their creed that the strong can beat the weak!!!
p.aquilina
Nov 2nd 2008, 08:15
To continue on r. Debono's experience. Recently I witnessed a child of about 9 years demolish all the flower pots in the school corridor in a fit of rage with three teachers looking on unable to restrain him. They had to wait until his mother came and calmed him down. These are daily occurances in our schools which go unpublished unless there is serious injury. When the injury is suffered by a tacher it is often termed accidental. On the other hand, if a child gets injured the teacher is held to blame because the child was in his/her care. it's a lose lose situation for teachers.
C Micallef
Nov 1st 2008, 23:00
I once read that school psychologists want similar conditions of work as teachers do. I guess MUT would then become a general union...
Joanne Vella
Nov 1st 2008, 21:06
Dear Sandro pace...I have to disagree that psychology has nothing to do with it, some children do have a condition...but those who say that because of this condition they cannot be thought are also wrong. Genetics does not determine everything...upbringing and adequate help aid the child greatly. The child's condition in no way justifies the child's action he must still be thought this is wrong. The child is capable of learning.
And I am very sorry but look at your statement again it is very contradictory. What kind of message are you sending out to the child if you say 'hey kid violence is wrong’ but then use violence to implement the rule.
It is interesting you used the word tamed. For me this conjures up images of someone’s broken spirit, some ones whose emotions are suppressed and not dealt with.
On the other hand I do agree with you that discipline is not strong enough. I do get the feeling that today’s children are taught about their rights but not their responsibilities. Yet this does not mean that children should not know their rights, but that that should also know there responsibilities.
r. debono
Nov 1st 2008, 19:45
We're referring to a child who might, or might not, have hurt the teacher intentionally. But what about the "inclusive" students? We have a case in our school where an LSA is constantly being bitten, spat at, hair pulled and pinched CONSTANTLY. The child is a constant disruption to the class and the teacher cannot deliver a decent lesson. People are constantly taking the side of the "offender" referring to him/her as a victim of circumstances but who is defending the students who are eager to learn and are unable to do so? We have so many of these incidents in class because of inclusive education. Don't bright or gifted children have rights too?
Olina Tretyak
Nov 1st 2008, 18:16
My own child in a primary school, and he has problematic behavior. The procedure to get facilitator is: school refer the child to Child Development Assessment Unit (CDAU), which is located in old St Luke's hospital. My son was visiting Speech Therapist for more than a year. Report is ready. Next step - sessions with Psychologist, and when his report will be ready, he may point out the need of facilitator, and then school will be allowed to apply to a special Board, who will decide if facilitator will be hired for the particular child.
So, I contacted the Psychologist of CDAU and asked when he will start to assess my son. The answer was that he is THE ONLY Psychologist in CDAU for Malta and Gozo, and he has 300 children with behavior problems in the queue, directed by schools. My son is on the waiting list.
I asked how can I help him in such incredible situation. He replied that he urgently needs at least one more Psychologist to work there.
This is a real reason why such things happen. Minister needs to send more Psychologists to CDAU and urgently.
J.BORG
Nov 1st 2008, 16:44
At this point my comment is only to wish the teacher a good recovery. It would be so sad that her eyesight is damaged at this point.
My I point out teaching is a vocation and I hope this incident will not deter any other teachers / training to be teachers.
So many lovely things happen in schools but unfortunately in the news at times we only hear of BAD incidents.
Martin portelli
Nov 1st 2008, 16:24
Challenging behaviour is a reality in any school setting. What is intriguing is if teachers were filing reports since kindergarten, why wasn't this child referred and seen before? Not that it should be too surprising , with a compliment of one psychologist, the school psychological service is hardly in a state to do anything! Five year olds and the willull intention to harm is an interesting concept though! The facts need to be established properly first. One hopes that this event is not going to spark a host of exclusion periods for kindergarten and early school children. Would you exclude a three year old because in his first ever week at school he bit or hit another child ? Or because a toy sharing excercise went wrong? It seems this was not the only early school exclusion case this week either! Is this a new policy ? I thought that no Maltese child could be denied access to education! Let's hope that we will be sensible about this.
@Sandro Pace
Very Interesting that discipline is repeatedly equated here with the physical 'ouch'. Our slapping culture is certainly alive and kicking!
Charles Camilleri
Nov 1st 2008, 15:43
And yet we still persist in all inclusive schools and no streaming. Students like this disturb the whole class. Pity the teacher if she/he has to cope with more students while teaching the forward looking ones.
F Gauci
Nov 1st 2008, 15:35
Education Ministry said this was an accident --- Why? Was anyone from the ministry in class with the children and the teacher when the accident happened? That's how it sounds and they seem pretty sure it was an accident, despite the many reports from the previous two years about the same boy. (Miskin, waddab lapes u laqat lit-"teacher")It wasn't anyone from the ministry who got hit in the eye otherwise it wouldn't have been an accident and we would have already heard of persons being sued. Thumbs up for MUT for sticking up for the teacher and , anyway, would the teacher have accepted the boy back in her class after such a horrifying ordeal, I would have preferred to quit my job than have a 5-year-old dictate the rules in my classroom and endangering my life and other children's.
a.mangion
Nov 1st 2008, 15:23
@ C Micallef
What I tried to put forward in my last comment is that there are certain jobs which by their very nature carry an ammount of risk such as police work which has to deal with the less savoury characters in our society. doctors who have to face every kind of danger from infections and emotional patients and their relatives. nurses who have to deal with persons often under stress. but teachers should not fall under this category because schools are not meant to be
places where persons give vent to their anger but institutions of learning and teaching good manners that make life pleasant among other things . The difference is that policemen can restrain any aggresor even by force, doctors and nurses can call security, teachers on the other hand can do nothing except receive a beating and then report the incident. Have you ever heard of a teacher who came out on top during a violent argument in school? The man in the street cannot comprehend the atmosphere in certain schools.
Franco Farrugia
Nov 1st 2008, 14:34
@ A Micallef: However, the details of this 5yr old boy is still not officially concluded so I still have certain reservations and doubts.'
I am sure you do!
C. Micallef
Nov 1st 2008, 14:16
VIOLENT BEHAVIOUR IS EVERYWHERE
A. Mangion, I appreciate your calm dialogue with me. However, your statement is not 100% correct. There are cases when a nurse, physiotherapist, doctor, policeman, etc are all of a sudden "surprised" with unpredicted behaviour! Unless you know the person well or you have at your disposition his/her medical file, you never know with whom you are dealing with. With children, after spending 6 hrs a day with them, the teacher (even if not told by the parents or informed by other teachers who thought the child before) stands a good chance to know the character of each & every pupil.
There were instances when a patient (whom you never saw before) caughed (naturally) in the face of a worker doing his job (eg soldier, policeman, etc) and latter may have then contacted TB, which is potentially dangerous. There were instances when a patient presented himself at the Emergency Department and for some reason or other decided to pull the hair of a doctor and carry her a distance from her hair!
However, the details of this 5yr old boy is still not officially concluded so I still have certain reservations and doubts.
Paul Micallef
Nov 1st 2008, 14:14
I must agree with the Teachers as their experience is vital, and they know what they are on about,someone from the outside cannot understand the strees that they and other workers, like me are under everyday.
I work in in the reception area in a Girls secondary school in Hamrun, i am telling you that some parents and kids make our life HELL,,,,example today you can not educate kids as if you say or do something, you must make sure that you do not hurt there feelings ,,,COME ON,,,if they are left there, as i think sometimes they are, most of the Schools are used by parents, as A SANCTIFIED BABY SITTER ORGANIZATION, they know that there kids are a bunch of HOLLIGANS,,,and when you say something, the next day they will come shouting and swearing and we have to stay there and take it,,,because these are our CLIENTS that is the new buzz word. Well if any of you sentimental people want to come and have a go at spending a couple of months here, please do.
Sandro Pace
Nov 1st 2008, 14:01
Discipline is the enforcement of punishment to the misbehaving. Teaching good attitudes is not discipline. Discipline comes when such teaching good attitudes "repeatedly" fall on deaf ears.
Whether in schools or in the streets, thinking to enforce discipline just by preaching is dreaming. I never knew that even 'discipline' now has become a taboo word and is associated with negativity. It should not be.
In our days (early 80s), the only way we restrained our childhood urge to misbehave was remembering the real "Ouch" that goes with it. And there was much more order in classrooms then there is today.
a.mangion
Nov 1st 2008, 13:07
@Matthew Borg
"What perhaps is shocking here is the headline - "MUT stops boy, 5, from attending class". Since when does the MUT have power over suspending children from being educated?"
The MUT is there primarily to protect its members against any danger be it from a violent parent or a crayon wielding child with behavioural problems. Teachers have more than enough going against them where discipline is concerned. They have the parents, the students and even the education authorities working in tandem to make their work more stressful. Once during a staff meeting the head warned us that if something happened in school we had better solve the issue in her office because if the thing got higher up we would get the blame no matter what.
@ C.Micallef
I appreciate that certain workers are exposed to violent elements such as police and those working with mentally unstable persons, drug addicts and alcoholics but this is because of the nature of their work. teachers on the other hand work in educating and teaching the exact opposite to violent situation. that's why they make headlines when assaulted at their place of work.
Paul Borg
Nov 1st 2008, 12:28
@Matthew Borg
Matthew, what the child have done to the teacher could have been done to another student. So yes i agree with MUT that it stops the boy from attending class until it was determined whether he needs a facilitator.
What if he have hurt another student instead of the teacher? Then most probably the teacher is already suspended and blamed of lack of attention in class.
The authorities were informed for 2 years of this problematic child but no action was taken.
Now the education department is calling it an accident to defend themselves. They should be ashamed of themselves.
Now who is going to be liable for the damages that the teacher is suffering?
C. Micallef
Nov 1st 2008, 12:16
Franco you can't resist not referring to me!!! The point I wished to raise yesterday is that these violent things do not only happen within the education sector. Dealing with a violent child is one thing but dealing with a drug addict, ex-criminal, alcoholic or mental patient is certainly another story! After all, I gave full sympathy to the teacher in question.
Michael Neville Cassar
Nov 1st 2008, 11:45
I am sorry for the teacher and I pray that everything will be fine for her. Children for some reason at a very young age of 3 years copy the actions of what they see, such as brothers, sisters swinging sticks act. Some T.V. cartons are also a copy of these actions I know of a case in Valletta where the same thing happened and the boy is still blind from one eye.
Franco Farrugia
Nov 1st 2008, 11:26
What I am trying to say is that parents need to acquire the skills themselves, before being able to pass them on to their offspring.
Another point is that unfortunately, and there is no way of expressing this better or politically more correctly, not all adults were meant to be parents. Indeed, you have adults growing up and still never being quite responsible enough to have children themselves. I personally believe that one of creation's bugs was that every Tom, Dick and Harriet can automatically bear children of their own!!!! It's a bug in creation's programme!
You see and hear things which make you cringe, when you are a member of our profession. The C. Micallefs of this country would say that our work involves merely teaching - what a fallacy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! By what imagination can one come to such a conclusion! And many parents are aware the real work that goes on behind the scenes.... so many thousands of educators who, besides 'pushing chalk', are wary of any signs that may afflict the students in their charge and be instrumental in uncovering serious conditions in the children.
Indeed, in some cases, teachers see students more than their parents do!
Matthew Borg
Nov 1st 2008, 11:23
What perhaps is shocking here is the headline - "MUT stops boy, 5, from attending class". Since when does the MUT have power over suspending children from being educated? I thought that was up to the respective schools. As it's name suggests, the MUT is the Malta Union of TEACHERS(!!!), not the Malta Union against students!
If Mr. Bencini and his cohorts didn't lose the plot re: the UMASA situation, they really have lost it now.
D.MANGION
Nov 1st 2008, 11:22
We have to admit that occasionally, we come across kids that are outright criminals in the making. When educators of all types try to discover ways of rectifiying these kids, you'll frequently discover that their parents (or more commonly, single parent), tries to invent all sorts of excuses to portray the child as a victim of circumstances, thus justifiying the kid's violent and indiscplined behaviour.
Yes...in a good number of cases the first shock treatment should be given to the parents of such kids.
We have to admit also, another modern day reality. i.e - It is not necessarily true that all parents love their children. I have come across cases where children are literally hated from their first day of life by their "parents". Yet society seems to turn a blind eye to this.
All this is the result of the breaking up of the values of the nucleus of every society: the family.
I believe that a national drive to re-discover the importance of the familiy is urgently needed. Every incentive towards this direction is worh gold. Today's so called "solidarity" with the "special cases" has to be reviewed because it is yeilding ambigueous results.
Franco Farrugia
Nov 1st 2008, 11:20
When we speak about 'discipline', we don't really need to think of a military-style regime. It is just a question of giving the kids the basic skills required to help them become honest, peaceful citizens later on in life.
I think that it is rather a question of teaching and inspiring a sense of respect in the children. Rather than the word 'discipline', I like to use 'good order', because the former words sounds somewhat negative.
However, a basic problem lies in how many parents are capable of instilling this spirit of 'good order' in their children. For today, allow me to give just one example, one point:
A parent calls the school administration/authorities and starts calling them to task over some issue, IN FRONT OF THE CHILD HIM/HERSELF. The administiration are aware of this because they can hear the child him/herself giving suggestions to the parent over the phone. There is no issue with the school which the parent cannot take up peacefully and respectfully, as well as discreetly.
This is just one example to illustrate how parents are really the source of this malaise that is going on.
I am not referring to this particular episode.
Sandro Pace
Nov 1st 2008, 10:38
I agree with the general sentiments here. In my days, discipline was supreme. Teachers used to hit misbehaviours with a ruler. It hurts, but I thank them for that.
Today discipline deteriorated to this extent. Discipline begins at home. Lack of discipline gives false messages. Excuses are being invented for it, with scientific names too and conditions, to the point of victimising such behaviour. I've heard it from some modern teachers themselves: "It's the chemistry, they are made like that, they cant be restrained".
No way that is acceptable. A soft approach to such things will gives wrong messages later on that you may get away with everything cause of upbringing or conditions or whatever.
Violent behaviour has to be dealt with tough, at every age. It used to work. Even elephants are tamed. Psychology has nothing to do with it.
The concept not to inflict on others things that you do not want on yourself, has to be grapsed at an early age, even by the hard way. I percieve that the US is far ahead of Europe in these things.
F J Brincat
Nov 1st 2008, 10:17
I’m not against children having rights, but it seems to me that even children seem to be abusing their rights these days. Funny in a sad sort of way.
Some parents these days seem to be at a loss. If you try to discipline your own kids you get some bureaucrat trying to take you into courts. This has led to a good number of parents leaving the rearing up of their children in the hands of teachers. However, even teachers have their hands tied over a barrel.
Kids need to learn a little respect. Not just respecting elders, but also respecting other kids. We seem to be bringing up a nation of blinkered “go getters”.
Nothing wrong with being a go-getter - as long as what you get is rightfully yours.
Having said that, the report says that reports had been filed about this child’s behavior over a period of two years. That’s two lost years…and for a five year old, that is a lot.
Franco Farrugia
Nov 1st 2008, 10:07
In my opinion, the general root of the problem is the parents.
Kids are brought up into believing that they can get away with murder, at home and with their parents.
Then, they take this 'belief' with them to school, and expect to play the same game with their teachers.
Later on in life, they will do the same thing with their partners and colleagues at their place of work, as well as with their employers.
But parents cannot assume that the teachers of their kids will accept everything!
joyce aquilina
Nov 1st 2008, 10:04
so these things do not just happen in cospicua schools
P Debono
Nov 1st 2008, 09:56
Children have WAY too much rights these days thanks to EU legislation. They're becoming spoilt brats who sulk and at worst resort to violent behaviour against people who are supposed to be their superiors.