Many heads 'attacked by parents'

30 April 2011 Last updated at 09:07 GMT Survey respondents reported being punched and kicked As many as one-in-10 head teachers has been physically assaulted by a pupil's parent or carer, a survey by the NAHT school leaders' union suggests.

Incidents reported by the 1,362 heads surveyed in England, Wales and Northern Ireland included being punched, spat on, kicked, head butted, bitten and sexually assaulted.

Twice as many reported being victimised on social networking websites.

The government said attacks on teachers were "completely unacceptable".

About 1,300 of the NAHT's 28,000 members in primary and secondary schools took part in the survey.

'Unacceptable pressure'

One respondent described a "serious kicking attack" that left its victim "badly bruised" and with "difficulty walking for a couple of days".

Another said a table had been thrown at them. There was one case where a head teacher said a parent had tried to run them over in a car park. And one description read: "Punched in the face, bitten, kicked, spat at, hand down T-shirt to grab breasts, hair pulled."

Almost 75% of respondents said they had suffered verbal abuse or threats from a parent in the past five years, and 86% said parents' behaviour towards teachers had worsened.

National Association of Head Teachers general secretary Russell Hobby said: "School leaders often have to make difficult decisions about discipline, exclusions, holidays and the distribution of limited budgets.

"Many come under unacceptable pressure designed to effect undue influence on them. All are dedicated to doing what is best for the children in their care. Some pay a high personal cost for this dedication."

But he also said "the vast majority of families" were "a pleasure to work with".

A Department for Education spokesman said: "Violence against staff by parents or pupils is completely unacceptable. A physical assault against a teacher is a criminal offence and we support schools in working with the police to take firm action where needed."

The report comes about a week after a survey by the Association of Teachers and Lecturers, in which about a quarter of those surveyed said they had been bullied by another member of staff.

Among the teachers who felt they had been bullied, 50% said it was by a senior member of staff, compared with 25% by pupils and 23% by parents.

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Parents 'to blame for behaviour'

23 April 2011 Last updated at 23:14 GMT Teachers say that the support of parents is important for good behaviour Teachers say that parents cannot "abandon responsibility" for their children's behaviour at school.

The NASUWT teachers' union says a lack of parental support is a major problem behind pupils' lack of discipline.

A survey from the union also claims that pupils turn up at school with iPods and phones, but without basic equipment such as pens.

"Teachers are not receiving the support they need from parents," said NASUWT leader, Chris Keates.

Lack of support

The teachers' union, meeting for its annual conference in Glasgow, has published the results of a survey of more than 8,000 members and found many teachers feel let down by the lack of support from parents over behaviour.

More than two in three teachers identified a lack of back-up from parents as the most common underlying factor for pupils misbehaving.

NASUWT general secretary Chris Keates said parents' responsibility does not 'end at the school gate'

"Parents can't simply abandon their responsibilities at the school gate," said Ms Keates.

"Teachers are not receiving the support they need from parents, school leaders or government to assist them in maintaining high standards of pupil behaviour."

More than half of teachers in the survey also complained that too many parents were failing to send their children to school with the right equipment.

"Too many pupils arrive at school with mobile phones, iPods and MP3 players when teachers just wish they would bring a pen," said Ms Keates.

Mobile phones and electronic gadgets were also identified as a cause of distraction and disruption in the classroom.

Teachers in the survey identified other causes of poor pupil behaviour, including a lack of support from their own senior management in schools.

'Blight' on system

The negative influences of television and media were also blamed by teachers.

The union's conference will debate a resolution about poor behaviour, warning that indiscipline "continues to blight our educational system".

Last month teachers at Darwen Vale High School in Lancashire went on strike over pupil behaviour, claiming they were not given support by senior staff when they confronted pupils.

A Department for Education spokeswoman said: "Teachers can't teach effectively and pupils can't learn if schools are unable to keep order in the classroom.

"New guidance makes clear what powers teachers have and will give them confidence that they can remove disruptive pupils and search children where necessary."

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Parents 'want child gene tests'

18 April 2011 Last updated at 06:45 GMT Genetic tests look for increased risk of disease Parents believe the benefits of testing their children for the genetic risk of some diseases outweigh the negative consequences, according to US scientists.

In the study, published in the journal Pediatrics, parents who were offered a genetic test supported their children also being tested.

The authors say doctors and politicians need to be more aware of the issue.

Genewatch UK said children should never be tested for adult conditions.

Genetic testing used to be confined to specialist clinics, but direct-to-consumer testing is now possible.

People send a sample to a company in the post and are told if they have any genes which carry an increased risk of illness.

Genetic test

In this study, 219 parents were tested for 15 genetic variants linked to heart disease, osteoporosis, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, type 2 diabetes and colon, skin and lung cancer.

They were then asked a series of questions to compare benefits such as reassurance, knowledge and prevention, with risks such as invasion of privacy and psychological discomfort.

The report found that "parents offered the genetic susceptibility test for common preventable conditions tended to consider that the potential benefits of this test for their own child could outweigh its risks".

Professor Kenneth Tercyak, from the Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, said: "These tests usually don't offer a clean bill of health and can be hard to interpret even in the best scenario."

Helen Wallace, from genetic science lobby group Genewatch UK, said: "Online gene tests frequently give misleading results because most common conditions such as cancer, obesity or diabetes are not predicable from a person's genes, except in special circumstances.

"Children should not be tested for risk of adult-onset conditions, full stop. They should be allowed to decide for themselves, with medical advice, when they are grown up."

Dr Vivienne Nathanson, director of BMA Professional Activities, said: "We would have concerns about genetic testing being widely available over the internet or off the shelf because parents could find out results without a health professional to help intepret them. They may also find out about genetic abnormalities for which there are no cures, or be caused needless worry.

"It is important that parents who find out that their children have a genetic disposition to a particular illness, have counselling in advance so they understand the consequences of the test for their child, other children and themselves."

Prof Tercyak said: "The findings of our study should remind clinicians and policy-makers to consider children when regulating genetic tests."

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Parents face daughter murder case

9 February 2011 Last updated at 11:06 GMT The mystery of 14-year-old Aarushi Talwar's death is one of India's most notorious unsolved murders The parents of murdered Indian schoolgirl Aarushi Talwar, whose killing in 2008 shocked the country, are to be tried over her death.

A court near the Indian capital Delhi has ruled there is enough evidence to prosecute Dr Rajesh Talwar and his wife, Nupur, both of whom are dentists.

Magistrate Preeti Singh said they would be charged with murder, destruction of evidence and criminal conspiracy.

The trial is to begin on 28 February. The Talwars say they are innocent.

'A circus'

Their lawyer, Rebecca John, was quoted on Wednesday by India's NDTV channel as saying that the Talwars would appeal against the court order.

"For the last three years, there has been a circus around this case. We will challenge today's order in a superior court of law," she said.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) filed an application to close the murder inquiry in December.

The federal agency said circumstantial evidence pointed to the parents' involvement in Aarushi's death, but added there was a lack of hard evidence.

Dr Talwar and his wife had described themselves as "completely devastated".

The gruesome tale of murder in an affluent Delhi suburb has generated huge interest in India.

Aarushi, 14, was murdered in her bedroom at the family home in the upmarket Noida district, while her parents were in.

She was found with her throat slit and a fatal head injury.

A day later the bludgeoned body of their servant, Hemraj, was found on the roof.

Aarushi's father was arrested then freed.

Three other men, Dr Talwar's dental assistant and two servants employed by the family's friends and neighbours, were also questioned and released.

The CBI took over the inquiry from Noida police, who had been accused of a botch job.

Noida police were also criticised for statements they made during their investigation.

Days after the murder, a senior police officer told the media that Aarushi had been killed because she had discovered her father's alleged extramarital relationship with another dentist.

The same police chief also suggested the teenager could have been killed because Dr Talwar had objected to her close relationship with the murdered servant.

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