First Minister must act on 44,000 school violence incidents

Local Edinburgh North Western MSP Alex Cole-Hamilton has pressed the First Minister on the floor of the Scottish Parliament on whether he will accept that the SNP’s approach to school violence is failing, as he published new figures showing that there were over 44,000 violent incidents in primary and secondary schools last year.

Alex said that “new Scottish Liberal Democrat research, shows that there were over 44,000 violent incidents in our schools last year. In primary schools, it’s the worst it’s ever been.

“So, what does the First Minister have to say to those teachers, and pupils, going back to school in a couple of weeks’ time, some of whom will be absolutely petrified of what awaits them?”

He went on to say, “Police recorded knives in schools 127 times last year alone.

“The EIS have said safety in our schools is, ‘the ticking time bomb in Scottish education, that is just waiting to go boom.’ I fear that is already happening.

“Pupils are struggling, teachers are struggling, which is why they need: more classroom assistants, more behavioural experts in schools, and more access to youth work.

“Scottish Liberal Democrats have been talking about rising levels of violence in our schools for years, we’ve offered solutions, yet still this is getting worse.

“Can’t the First Minister see that what he's doing just isn’t working?”.