‘A little boy threw a stone at me while I was teaching’ | Teachers say recent student violence reminds them why they left the profession

Recent studies have shown that hundreds of thousands of people have left the teaching profession over the past few years. The pandemic has only exacerbated the issues that have been driving teachers away from their jobs. This trend is becoming more evident as incidents of violence in schools continue to rise.

A recent altercation that took place at the Westfield High School Ninth Grade Center in Houston, Texas resulted in a Spring ISD educator being hospitalized after attempting to break up a major fight. Fortunately, she was later discharged. However, this incident is just one example of the type of violence that is forcing teachers to reconsider their careers.

Only a few days prior to this altercation, a teacher at Lamar High School was punched in the face by a student. Steve Carpentier, the teacher in question, stated that the student was simply a boy who did not know how to handle his frustration. While he stays busy in class, many educators feel that students’ behavior is reason enough to consider leaving the profession altogether.

Former educator Amina Emejdoubi, who saw the interview with Carpentier, shared similar stories of attacks by students and a lack of support and security. She herself was physically attacked while teaching when a student threw a rock at her. These and other incidents have led to a significant exodus from the teaching profession.

While better pay is one way to try and address the issues causing the exodus, Emejdoubi and others feel that this alone is not a solution. What teachers really want, according to Emejdoubi, is to feel supported within the classroom and to be safe. It is clear that something needs to be done to address the growing violence in schools and the lack of support that teachers are experiencing.

The Spring ISD released a statement about the Westfield Ninth Grade Center Fight, stating that school administrators and police officers were able to step in and quickly stop the fighting and identify students involved for discipline. However, any student involved in the altercation will be subject to the full extent of disciplinary action available. The safety of students and staff is a top priority, and there will be no tolerance for any altercation or disruption of learning.

It is clear that more needs to be done to address the issues facing the teaching profession. Teachers need to feel supported and safe in their classrooms, and students need to respect their teachers as authority figures. Without significant changes, the exodus from teaching may continue, leaving our schools understaffed and our children undereducated.

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