Posted on 07/16/2026 6:49:45 AM PDT by MtnClimber
Student violence in many of our nation’s schools is out of control. An Education Week teacher survey, whose results were released in March, found that 35 percent of respondents said classroom behavior was “a lot worse” than last year. It’s not just children fighting with each other; teachers are often on the receiving end of assaults.
Examples of student violence against teachers are common. In southern California, as reported by the Long Beach Post in June, a Carver Elementary School teacher left school with “major purple marks” after students hit, pinched, bit, and scratched her.
In an explosive moment, one child headbutted her so hard that part of her vision went dark. She went to the emergency room and learned she had an eye injury that permanently altered her eyesight, causing floating dots and flashing lights.
Near Boston, a Roxbury teacher asked an eighth grader to pay attention—and was punched, leaving multiple bruises. A nurse at a Dorchester school sustained a concussion and a pinched nerve after being attacked by a student.
Nationwide, surveys indicate that 6 percent to 10 percent of U.S. K-12 teachers are physically attacked by students each year, and an additional 10 percent to 45 percent experience verbal threats or harassment.
While the problem is currently garnering significant media attention, it is not new. A 2014 survey by the American Psychological Association Classroom Violence Directed Against Teachers Task Force found that a stunning 44 percent of educators declared that students physically attacked them. More than half of the surveyed educators reported that pupils destroyed personal property (computers, cars, phones, etc.).
What is the reason for the rampant violence?
Many teachers say parental support is key and that parents need to do a better job of reining in their kids.
While soft or neglectful parenting is certainly part of the problem, schools must also accept responsibility. In that vein, about 50 percent of educators said that tougher consequences for students, such as expulsions, are needed. Unfortunately, many schools don’t pursue that approach.
Administrators’ response has weakened, many teachers explain, because they have to go through eight or nine steps before they can even consider sending the kid to the office.
Also, many schools still use the discredited—and teacher union-supported—restorative justice procedure. This racially motivated, 50-year-old regimen emphasizes “making the victim and offender whole” and involves “an open discussion of feelings.” It arose in the 1970s because black students were far more likely to be suspended than those of other ethnicities. The implication, of course, is that white teachers and administrators tend to be racist. But the racial bean counters never explain why the racial disparity persists even in schools where black principals and staff predominate.
In addition, the Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) approach, also supported by the two national teachers’ unions, remains widely used. This system, a touchy-feely, new-age idea from the 1990s, aims to create a “framework for creating safe, positive, equitable schools, where every student can feel valued, connected to the school community, and supported by caring adults.”
The practitioners claim that by applying “evidence-based practices within a PBIS framework, schools promote students’ academic, social, emotional, and behavioral success, collaborate with families to develop locally meaningful and culturally relevant outcomes, and use data to make informed decisions that enhance overall effectiveness.”
But PBIS has not helped. Neetu Arnold, a policy analyst at the Manhattan Institute, recently wrote, “When I began asking teachers about PBIS, I heard no shortage of complaints. Educators described how it drove disruptive classrooms, undermined their authority, and made effective teaching nearly impossible. Yet when I spoke with PBIS trainers and reviewed official materials, the disconnect was striking: trainers insisted that the teacher accounts didn’t reflect the structured framework they endorsed.”
Student suspensions, a longtime disciplinary measure, are looked down upon these days. In fact, California prohibits suspensions for low-level misbehavior, such as willful disobedience. Similarly, Massachusetts sets prerequisites for suspensions, directing administrators not to suspend pupils as a consequence until alternative remedies have been tried and documented. In practice, this makes suspension a last resort rather than a baseline tool for classroom management.
Suspensions don’t always work, however. When I taught middle school in the 1990s and 2000s, I found that suspending an out-of-control student made it easier to teach willing learners, but it didn’t always improve the miscreant’s behavior. Upon their return to class after a suspension, I always asked the disruptors how they spent their time out of school. All too often, the reply was a shrug, followed by “Watched TV.” In those cases, it was hardly an effective punishment.
My school, however, was fortunate to have Mr. Thomas as the school’s guidance counselor and discipline dean. He was a former Marine drill sergeant, and his approach was old-school. When misbehaving students were sent to him, he would make them stand facing the front of the room for an hour or two without speaking. He also kept the room a few degrees warmer than necessary. This discouraged pupils from engaging in antisocial behavior when they were threatened with a visit to Mr. Thomas. But few schools have ex-military personnel in the counseling office.
As a result of the upsurge in student violence, many teachers are considering leaving the profession. About 20 percent of educators across the U.S. said they plan to leave their jobs before school starts in the fall, according to June data from the Rand Corp.’s 2026 State of the American Teacher and the American Life Panel surveys. Misbehaving students are cited as the top stressor.
In Wisconsin, teacher resignations are at an all-time high, with students’ disorderly behavior cited as a top reason.
The problem is particularly acute in California, where a recent survey found that 40 percent of teachers plan to retire or quit in the next 10 years, with many citing declining behavioral standards as the primary reason.
In sum, schools must do a better job of disciplining disruptive and violent students. Both offenders and well-behaved students aren’t being properly educated. Additionally, many teachers are fed up and are leaving the profession.
Your dad nailed it.
In 4th grade in 1960, Mr. Razzman used “restorative justice” frequently to “make the victim and offender whole” and he had many “open discussions of feelings” with us miscreants.
It involved a fastball-speed piece of chalk hitting the side of your head from the front of the room.
Mr. Razzman ran a no-nonsense, well disciplined classroom.
Teachers think “screw the kids“ - and some actually do so.
Standards of behavior have been lowered to accommodate our problem race.
“One day there was a huge fight in one of the hallways. The next day a staff meeting was called, and lawyer from the school district addressed us
....
Medical bills, any lawsuits. We were on our own
....
We weren’t allowed to call the city police.”
Workplace conditions are subjects for collective bargaining.
“We weren’t allowed to call the city police.”
Dear City Resident:
I urge your children to call the city police if one of their teachers is being attacked by a student.
Spouse of a public school district teacher
Government schools. Government is in charge and the responsibility (blame) belongs to the government.
A voucher system would put parents in charge. At least then, we could discriminate between good schools and bad schools, good parents and bad, good students and bad. I’m convinced that there is vast underperformance from school administrators to parents to students. No accountability means underperformance.
yeah but if that happened now, mommy would be there with a lawyer, because Precious did not do anything wrong.
“Also, many schools still use the discredited—and teacher union-supported—restorative justice procedure. This racially motivated, 50-year-old regimen emphasizes “making the victim and offender whole” and involves “an open discussion of feelings.” It arose in the 1970s because black students were far more likely to be suspended than those of other ethnicities. The implication, of course, is that white teachers and administrators tend to be racist. But the racial bean counters never explain why the racial disparity persists even in schools where black principals and staff predominate.”
One paragraph in the entire article lightly touching on what should be the focus of the article, and is for those who understand what is missing from the article and why.
In the public high schools I went to, the vice principal was the discipline dude and had a paddle.
Admittedly, that was a long time ago.
No, they haven't. "Raising children" implies the ability/permission/duty to discipline. Parents are not allowing discipline in the classroom anymore.
Parents merely see school as a daycare.
Teachers overwhelmingly vote for the policies they are complaining about.
AND the dark elephant in the room is every school has coddled violent black students. So much so that other demographics see what the black kids get away with and start emulating that behavior too. Example... Oregon. Too many black kids in the only black neighborhood in the state (Northeast Portland) were failing and held back from graduating. SO. The governor just eliminated graduation standards in the entire state . There are countless videos of black kids’ and their parent violently attacking school staff and other students. I don’t feel the least bit bad for teachers as they are the ones responsible for the rotten state of education. But I do feel bad for the kids that actually want to learn.
> Teachers can call the police in cases of battery. <
I assume you mean the local police.
Calling the local police was a firing offense in the school district where I taught. We were told this in no uncertain terms. Not kidding.
We had to call the school police instead.
Why? Administrators could bury school police reports. Those reports would never make the evening news. But city police reports were public knowledge.
Can’t have that.
Time to tell parents THEY will be responsible for their children’s education. Some get it now, but tax money needs to follow kids to where parents want them...ie...charter, private, ALPHA, homeschool, whatever. And have testing centers (instead of “schools”) to measure progress. Let kuds graduate when they have achieved a certain level...age 10, age 16, whatever. Those parents who cannot/ won’t do this pay for THEIR kids gov’t education.
Schools? Is that what they are?
I don’t recall any incidents of students physically attacking teachers.
Actually during this time about 1962 or so, I recall one, student ended up in hospital. My buddy was in the English class. Said the teacher beat him like a drum. Teacher was a Korean vet. Also, the teacher was not admonished.
The school admin was principal and vice principal and deans of boys and girls. A few guidance counselors. Act up in class, end up at the dean of boys. If your visits became a history, expulsion to the “reform school”.
High school was almost 98% Caucasian and considered one of best academic high schools in state. You were there to learn and it was reinforced each day. No leaving campus, only seniors allowed to park in school lot.
Today, not so much.
Teacher behavior was “a lot worse” than last year as well, they are leftist activists. People who think substantive learning is going on in public schools are ignorant.
I wish the Dells would drop a billion into a scalable online K-12 teaching company. People could participate from home school or group settings. Pay the best teachers lots and lots of money to teach the content. You could attract the best of the best and kids would love to learn from actual great teachers.
Lawyers.
To be expected when “parents” are entitled, spoiled brats, themselves.
Need to expel, not suspend, expel. Like you would with an illegal. Their right to public education can be done via special school that parents are responsible to getting the kids there — like special ed.
The savages need to be separated from civilization.
Or, more likely than not, the biggest problem is the parent, singular.
I am strongly of the opinion that school police who answer to school administrators should not be allowed.
You want a LEO in your school? Arrange it with the elected constitutional sheriff in your county. Someone outside the school system who provides an outside set of eyes on what is going on there.
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