(UK) NI: 3 times as many students suspended for assaulting teachers as year before

Nov 22, 2017, (UK) Belfast Telegraph: 646 Northern Ireland pupils suspended for assaulting teachers https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/646-northern-ireland-pupils-suspended-for-assaulting-teachers-36343333.html More than 600 pupils were suspended in Northern Ireland last year for physical assaults on teaching staff, it has emerged. The figure of 646 for the year 2015/16 is treble that of the previous year where there were 213 suspensions. Justin McCamphill of the teaching union NASUWT said the figures did not surprise him and that due to budget cuts there are fewer resources for specialist support. He told the BBC Stephen Nolan Show: "This is no surprise to us. "Class sizes are getting bigger and schools are losing any specialist support they did have for vulnerable young people. "Discipline is breaking down and class sizes are part of it."… "That is happening in our schools. We surveyed all our teachers in 2015/2016 and 13% reported to us that they have been physically assaulted." One caller to the programme said he witnessed a primary seven pupil threaten the school principal.