More and more teachers are enduring verbal abuse and the leering, smirking and physical intimidation that are the weapons of the bully. Most popular of all is doing damage to teachers' cars. All of these things do not happen in all schools. But some happen in enough classrooms for it to be clear that attitudes and behaviour towards teachers have changed. It's not something teachers care to talk about.
Credibility is all in the classroom, as is being in control and loyalty to students.
Five teachers were interviewed for this article, just two agreed to their names being used. And everyone said that such bullying exists because young people see themselves as part of a society in which material things are more valued than knowledge, in which lies and corruption are everyday currency and start at the top. All this, and the fact that the young are exposed to influences that are inappropriate for their age. Anda Doyle has been teaching for 27 years and says attitudes in the classroom have definitely changed. Teenagers are very aware of their rights, but there's no question of them having responsibilities. . .