The Emporer's new clothes

A science Teacher is in hospital and a pupil in custody following yet another violent incident involving an edged weapon in a UK school. That's two lives without mentioning those of the families or witnesses, that are potentially ruined as a result of a confrontation not dissimilar to exchanges taking place on a day to day basis nationwide. Luckily the majority of incidents in our schools between students and teachers don’t always involve weapons, don't escalate to this horrific extent and we all move past them. Are we learning from these near misses though?

The hype

Two people have commented on this incident to me in person already, one a close friend and another stranger on the train who interjected from beyond my shoulder as I was reading the Metro (a serious offence in itself I feel). Both parties weren’t hesitant in the slightest about picking up the proverbial flaming torches and pitchforks and yelling it from the rooftops. "It"? Meaning “More powers are needed for teachers” “It’s time we got tough on the youth” and other bold yet substantially solution or substance absent slogans which the red top newspapers will no doubt be wearing as this incident is spun for political gain over the next few weeks.

I wasn’t there, I don’t know what the circumstances were, what was going through the minds of either party during this incident or, how they felt at any point during the events that took place at 08:50hrs as the first lesson of the day began to unfold at Dixons Kings Academy, Bradford.

It wouldn’t be appropriate, without ALL the facts to pass comment on what those involved should or should not have done or, if there was in fact time to consider doing anything at all. What I do wish to raise as ears prick up to use of force issues (Well let's face it, it takes for someone to be killed for anyone to consider addressing the subject of training) is that stabbings, assaults student injuries and murders will all continue in our establishments where we have an "Emperor’s new clothes" mentality toward use of force training and consultancy in raising the general awareness of personal safety for our staff and giving them the necessary techniques to defend themselves and others.

Just because you are told a training provider is "prefered" or "Accredited" doesn't mean that they are actually qualified or competent.

A Local authority personal case study of mine

During an email exchange last August, which followed on from a member of a safeguarding board at a City council requesting that I "do not get another public platform on which to speak further" (In the immortal words of Karl Pilkington “You've gotta have your critics”), it was highlighted to me that the board were satisfied with their choice of training provider for managing violence and aggression in their cluster of schools. This despite the worrying fact that the trainers they procured held no vocational qualifications in physical intervention or breakaway and disengagement That is, they held no qualifications in the subject they were actually being contracted in to deliver.

It was stated in the email correspondence that their chosen provider's system was adequate as in their opinion they have had “no significant incidents” whilst staff have been trained. Really?

Well let’s just peruse some statistics published in this week’s newspapers. In the Mirror's version of the imaginary “Top Trumps: Schools attacks edition” we saw 3122 incidents taking place between 2012 and 2013 in the catchment of this particular authority, outranked only by Hampshire who had 3709 incidents. Statistics obtained by Freedom of Information

So the area in question had “No significant incidents”? That is except for the 3122 reported ones. Oh and the the murder.The murder of a Teacher in a classroom. Just over a year ago, a key member of the school community was lost when Ann Maguire was killed during an attack by a pupil armed with a knife. Yesterday, history almost repeated itself as Vincent Uzomah was stabbed with a kitchen knife by a 14 year old student in what is believed to have started out as an argument about a mobile phone.

Searching of pupils

I have had several emails from people asking my view on searching pupils which refer to the stabbing of Mr Usomah, I want to invite you to explore other incidents where an attack like this could potentially occur as a one one one search in-front of a class is something which goes on.. This is not the first stabbing of a Teacher and unless we do something about the lack of awareness and substandard training that is out there for managing and avoiding such situations, I fear it won’t be the last.

Teachers, teaching staff and those working or volunteering in schools have far more powers than any other civilian. Raising awareness of these powers and duties is what is required for INSET and from local authorities? Sensibly procured, lawful and effective training providers promoted. Those designated by the Head teacher (and all staff in an emergency) also have the right to use Reasonable Force (as they do when out in society) to prevent harm to themselves, harm to others, to prevent crime and to maintain good order and discipline. As we are all aware "Corporal Punishment" is or course illegal and was outlawed in mainstream schools in 1986 and private schools in 1999. Teachers have the power to search pupils against their wishes (non-consensually) and to use Reasonable force when undertaking the search. This is often misconstrued and with a policy based on the non-statutory Government guidance we can see Teachers in “stand-offs” placing themselves in compromising positions where they are confronting children who are potentially armed and unpredictable

Imagine you are a school child, looking for a place to conceal a knife on your person because you fear that you are to be searched. Where are you going to put that knife where you know no person undertaking a search will ever find it?

Yes that’s right, down your underwear.

As a male, instinctively it is the sensitive organs which immediately come to mind as being immediately at risk, but we also have the femoral arteries running down either thigh which if severed could easily prove to be fatal in a very short period of time. So in effect the injury was caused by the manner in which the search was undertaken.

Would a police officer attempt to take a knife from a subject? Not without the necessary risk reduction measures (often a firearm and nor should a civilian and in line with all key legislation the stance of the DFE is that:

“The department strongly advises schools not to search pupils where resistance is expected, but rather to call the police”

                                                                                                             DFE 2011

A none consensual power for teachers and those designated by the Head or Principal to search for certain items means you don't need the consent of the student. Wouldn't it make sense then, wherever possible, to search bags and coats for said items when the subject isn't actually there? If we can eliminate the risk of a confrontation by removing hazards from a scenario then in line with all guidance, then that is the course of action to be taken.

The finest cloths known to man?

First of all whilst we are on the theme of a Hans Christian Anderson fairy tale, let's dispel one myth straight away and that is the preconceived idea that it is mandatory for schools to use the prefered training provider of their local authority. This simply isn't true:

"It is not the place of the Government or its departments to steer schools toward third party training providers...We feel Headteacher's should use their expert judgement to select training providers for physical intervention"  

                                 Statement received in response to my letter to OFSTED

Let's face it, a Local Authority's choice isn't always right and those working in procurement, leadership or as school business managers may not be aware that there are safer, better risk assessed alternative systems available. Advise on due diligence can be found here: https://www.safer-handling.co.uk/#!fact-file/c66t  

Non-delegable duty of care

It is the school themselves that must choose the provider, why? Quite simply because they haven a non-delegable duty of care and will be held responsible for the acts or omissions of their staff.

Whilst we have training providers chosen without proper due diligence who are teaching strategies without the correct risk assessments or operationally efficient and medically reviewed techniques who are promoted by local authorities, management, teaching supply agencies and health and safety designates, people will continue to be assaulted and the lives of Teachers, staff and visitors put at risk.

Telling staff to use strategies that are ineffective, likely to fail is a guaranteed way to have staff worry what they are actually allowed to do instead of reacting appropriately. Under the employment rights act 1996 staff have a right not to be disciplined or dismissed when in circumstances of serious or imminent danger they defend themselves or others, they leave or propose to leave the workplace if the danger can’t be averted and if the danger still remains? Refuse to return to work.

Schools won't be safe places to work or visit whilst we have training providers chosen because they hold some kind of "BILD" accreditation. Trainers who insist that you MUST NOT teach to staff who are at risk of being assaulted anything which could potentially cause harm to an attacker. Whilst “Non-harmful methods” of control (hand-holding & guiding) alone and which promote self-defence strategies where the person defending themselves is incorrectly told they “must not ever hurt an attacker” and that it would be"illegal" to strike or inflict pain on a person who is for example strangling them, biting them or trying to kill them with some form of weapon then everyone is at risk.

If this is the case and force that causes discomfort or pain is unlawful then what next then? What for my fellow NFPS trainers and I? Will we be forced to stop teaching our qualifications and be thrown into the tower of London? Will the Police swap Tasers for Ken Dodd’s tickling sticks? Will CPR and resuscitation be banned in case a dying person's ribs were cracked? Shall we ban vaccinations because pushing a needle through a babies skin is now considered child abuse?

No. But its just as ludicrous as what is being promoted day in day out and it needs to change.

Put some clothes on

The emperor walked beneath the beautiful canopy in the procession, and all the people in the street and in their windows said, "Goodness, the emperor's new clothes are incomparable! What a beautiful train on his jacket. What a perfect fit!" No one wanted it to be noticed that he could see nothing, for then it would be said that he was unfit for his position or that he was stupid. None of the emperor's clothes had ever before received such praise.

"But he doesn't have anything on!" said a small child.

"Good Lord, let us hear the voice of an innocent child!" said the father, and whispered to another what the child had said.

Headteachers & others in positions of authority, are YOU choosing your positive handling or physical intervention training providers correctly?

Are your "Distinguished Cavaliers" (Deputies, "positive handling" trainers, Child Protection Officers, Health and safety managers or Local Authorities) letting you step out under a canopy carrying the colourful non-existent train consisting of "Caring Cs, None aggressive" or "Therapeutic" defence and intervention skills trailing behind you? Are you left naked with little or no protection except for the piece of paper ticking you off until next INSET?

Please adhere to or better still, become the voice of the small child in the crowd as without a change this fairy story could easily become a very Grimm tale.

Doug Melia writes about, speaks on, delivers courses in, eats & sleeps use of force, & personal safety. To ask him a question, book him for a workshop or discuss training options email [email protected].