STUDY REVEALS DRUGS AND GUNS CULTURE IN SCHOOLS

A STUDY which quizzed teachers about unruly pupils has revealed the
culture of drugs and guns in schools has spread beyond inner-city areas.

Teachers in the county were questioned after Wrexham was chosen as one
of 14 areas across England and Wales for the research programme by
Warwick University.

The study of 1,500 teachers by Dr Sean Neill suggested some schools
faced severe problems with unruly pupils.

Hywyn Williams, chief learning and achievement officer at Wrexham
Council, said the authority recognised the challenges facing schools.

He said: "It has to be remembered that the vast majority of our pupils
behave in an excellent manner, they are motivated and want to learn.
It is only a small minority that cause problems.

"There are a number of initiatives we are using such as staff training
in assertive discipline, a student assistance programme and circle
time in primary schools.

"There have been changes in the curriculum, particularly in the 14-19
age group when disruptive behaviour tends to be more common. The
quality of school buildings is also important and we are investing
heavily in improving our schools.

"There are however, occasions when exclusion is the only option to
schools and when this happens young people attend the pupil referral
unit where improvements to this area are also being addressed."

As part of the study, teachers revealed gun and drug culture was not
restricted to gangs in large cities as provincial towns and rural
areas also saw more youngsters arming themselves with weapons for
'protection'.

The research investigated selected local authorities chosen to be
geographically and socially representative.

They were Barking, Bradford, Brighton and Hove, Cardiff, Cornwall,
Derby, Hull, North Yorkshire, Salford, Sandwell, Suffolk, Swindon as
well as Wrexham.

Overall, nearly one infour teachers - 22.4 per cent - had to deal with
pupils carrying weapons at least once a year.

The research also found 'significantly more' teachers encountered
pupils dealing illegal drugs than seven years ago, with 11 per cent of
teachers encountering drugs daily or weekly.

The National Union of Teachers, which commissioned the study, said
schools should be 'weapon-free zones'.

NUT general secretary Steve Sinnott said: "The idea of bringing knives
or guns into schools is totally, utterly unacceptable.

"Senior leaders in all schools need to get that message across very
clearly to every single youngster.

"Teachers and parents want all schools to be weapon-free zones. We
have got to make sure we are doing that.

"What some youngsters are saying is that one of the reasons they carry
a weapon is that they feel safer when they have got something to
protect themselves with."