LIFE AT SCHOOLS: ONE MAY NOT LOWER ONES' GUARD
- The data provided by the Specialised Committee on School Functioning is confirmed, at this point, by that provided by other previous studies and evaluations (by the Inspectorate, the State School Council, research teams, etc.), and within that same diagnosis, by the study dedicated to family and school. From all these, one may conclude that, in general terms, the atmosphere of school life is mainly good. Among teachers and students, and in the relations between both groups, there is a prevailing current of companionship, support and mutual respect. However, some clashes arise, especially in the setting of some schools, above all suburban state schools.
- Due to the nature of the people consulted in the survey (almost all of them members of the School Council), it would have been logical to have expected a massive response in favour of there being sufficient instruments to provide information on rights and duties and on school rules. This massive response arises only in a sector of the academic community: among teachers. In the sector of parents and that of students, almost a third consider that the existing information on such is at least scarce. A small minority of participants on the School Council (about 4%) affirms that their school has no School Rules. On the other hand, high percentages among the respondents seem convinced of the efficiency of there being rules for life together and abundant information as to these. In general, the private sector seems more sensitive to such matters than the public sector. This all makes it easy to conclude that it is necessary to intensify the efforts, especially in state schools, for there to be explicit rules for life together, for these to be reviewed frequently and for them to be profusely known to all and demanded by the management bodies.
- The lack of prior studies that are sufficiently precise prevents us from knowing whether the circumstances of lack of discipline at schools have increased or not in recent years in Spain. According to the data shown in the survey applied in our study, it also seems difficult to reach a conclusion as to this point, as the relatively majority opinion is that matters remain more or less the same (41%) and those who consider they are getting worse or are not improving are distributed in relatively high proportions (27 and 32%), although not far apart in number and fairly divided. Perhaps due to all this, the most appropriate would be to concentrate not so much on evolution as at present, at least just as shown in the survey. Four of each five answers confirm the existence of situations of lack of discipline at schools. Those who state that these do not exist are mainly representatives of owners of private schools. Those who state their existence most are, on the contrary, managers of state schools and the students themselves. Thus, it seems evident that lack of discipline is recognised as a frequent, important problem the academic community overall. What situations of lack of discipline are recognised as the most frequent? The greatest, "uproar outside the classroom", followed quite far behind by "lack of respect for companions", and "uproar in the classroom". There is also mention of "moral aggression (jeering, insults, threats)" and, to a lesser extent, "lack of respect towards the teaching staff".
- However, it is important not to limit this to the scope of subjective impressions, however limited these may be in statistical terms. In the answers to the questionnaire, the principals claim that there have been penalties with and without a disciplinary file at many schools (the numbers may be seen in the appropriate chapter) and that, on a few occasions, they have had to resort to the courts. Students summoned before the principal, calling parents for disciplinary reasons, temporary expulsion, etc., are recorded as measures also recorded in a considerable number. One may not ignore the amount of major vandalism at schools either. This all indicates that, although not severe, the situation is not at all reassuring and measures will be required not only to contain it within the photo limits, but also to improve it considerably.
- It is difficult for situations of lack of discipline not to involve outbreaks of violence in one way or another. In fact, almost 60% of the respondents affirm that there has been aggression among the students at their schools and, in figures, there is a written record of such aggression, of 34% at schools. Those who most confirm aggression are the principals at state schools and the least, the representatives of the owners of private schools. These are more frequent in suburban settings, and among male rather than female students. Fortunately, these are rather sporadic incidents than frequent situations, although the tatter seem to take place in a considerable proportion (8% at state schools and 3% at private schools). Not only are aggressions recorded among students, but also by students against teachers; specifically, 12% of schools have recorded such incidents, which is undoubtably a concerning fact.
- The need to go into such matters in depth, in social and political terms, is more than justified. It will be necessary to implement practical measures, although above all, to deal with the possible causes in a determined manner. According to key members of the academic community, the main causes that contribute to a conflictive atmosphere are lack of student interest in study and the existence of family problems. Neither of the two is a strictly academic problem.
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