Recent national surveys report an increase in violence and aggression against teachers since the COVID-19 pandemic. But the task force that conducted the surveys said zero tolerance discipline policies are not the answer.
“We need to think about creating more positive school climates, rather than thinking about zero tolerance policies. A lot of people want to jump to that. Say we just need to crack down, but the research suggests that those things are generally not effective,” said Susan Dvorak McMahon, a psychology professor at DePaul University and the chair of the American Psychological Association task force on violence against educators.
The task force surveyed more than 10,000 educators from across the country between 2020 and 2022. They found that before the pandemic, 42% of teachers said they’d experienced physical violence from students during the current school year. After students returned to the classroom, the number shot up to 56%.
McMahon said 80% of teachers experienced verbal or threatening aggression in 2022, up from 65% before COVID.
“It is possible that people who had experienced more violence and aggression were more likely to complete the survey,” McMahon said. “[But] it does suggest it’s a significant problem.”
The survey defined physical violence as “physical assault, throwing an object, or weaponizing an object” and verbal or threatening aggression as “insults, intimidation, threats, [or] sexual harassment.”
Despite the concerning trend, McMahon said her task force argues against zero tolerance discipline policies.
Research shows that zero tolerance discipline policies have a lot of negative consequences for students but don't do much to change their behavior.
Instead, McMahon said her task force recommends better training for teachers, and strong support from administrators.
“It can be a secondary trauma for teachers and other school staff when they don't feel supported,” McMahon said. “Or they talk about the discipline policies are inconsistent or ineffective.”
McMahon said teachers should be trained in trauma-informed practices and de-escalation both before and after they enter the classroom. And she said policymakers need to do their part by providing funding for adequate staffing and training.
“People often feel unequipped to do what they need to do, and what they're facing in schools, and they haven't been given enough of the skills that they need to sort of effectively address the issues that are arising,” McMahon said.
McMahon co-authored a 2023 study that found special educators are more likely to experience violence from students than general educators. A group of San Antonio special education teachers filed a complaint this year alleging they are often hurt at work.
