Ben Pawlowski
THE start of a new academic year for 1300-plus pupils at a popular Gibraltar school is under threat as teachers complaining of ‘anarchy, chaos and mismanagement’ threaten to launch disruptive strike action.
Staff at Westside School have described feeling ‘vulnerable, worried, anxious, stressed and traumatised’ following a decline in behaviour standards, including violence which has become ‘a regular occurrence on a daily basis’.
The Olive Press has read the testimonies of over 25 members of staff who have decried ‘poor behaviour management’ which has created a ‘toxic environment’ where students believe they can ‘get away with anything’.
The Gibraltar government has been forced to intervene in an attempt to settle the dispute, which involves NASUWT, the main union representing teachers within the tiny British Overseas Territory.
Teachers at the comprehensive school represented by the union received a ballot paper over the summer holidays titled: “Trade dispute over adverse management practices affecting pupil behaviour and the health, safety and welfare of members and refusal to teach certain pupils”.
Union members were asked two questions – whether they were ‘prepared to take part in strike action in furtherance of this dispute’, and whether they were ‘prepared to take part in industrial action short of strike action in furtherance of this dispute’.
For both questions, 43 of the 49 votes cast were in favour of action, throwing the start of term and the new academic year, which begin this week, into doubt for the 1300-plus pupils who study at Westside School.
In a statement to the Olive Press, representatives from NASUWT confirmed that they would be willing to ‘consider an industrial response’ if the concerns of their members were not ‘listened to and effectively addressed’, citing the ballot as a ‘mandate’ for action.
Jane Peckham, deputy general secretary of NASUWT, said: “NASUWT is in dispute with the Gibraltar government over the failure to address teachers’ concerns about worsening pupil behaviour at Westside School which has left teachers feeling unsupported and at risk for their safety.
“For some months, attempts have been made to get management to address the issues, however their failure to put in place effective systems of pupil behaviour management and an escalation in the severity of poor pupil behaviour left us with no other option than to ballot members for action.
“The overwhelming majority of members at Westside have voted in favour, securing a mandate for industrial action. Since the dispute was lodged, the Gibraltar Government and Education Department have met with the NASUWT to agree a process for dispute resolution. This work is ongoing and we have a meeting scheduled with the Gibraltar Government this week to continue discussions in the hope that any action can be avoided.
“However, the safety of our members is our first priority and unless their concerns are listened to and effectively addressed we will have no option but to consider an industrial response”.
In response, the Gibraltar government confirmed they were engaging with representatives of the NASUWT, but denied that they were in dispute, and instead blamed the trade union for delaying meetings to coincide with the start of the new academic year.
They told the Olive Press: “The Government has a structured process to deal with behavioural issues in all schools, however, it is also amenable to consider the recommendation born from the expertise of both our local professionals as well as the UK organisation that represents them.
“Whilst it was the Government’s intention to engage with the union over the month of August, the union’s timetable precluded any meaningful engagement over the period, so the process of resolution will continue now, in September. Indeed, a meeting will be held shortly to continue to progress the matter.
“The Government does not foresee any impediments to reaching a swift and definitive resolution to this issue, and does not foresee any disruption to pupils or staff either. The Government has always enjoyed a positive relationship with all unions, particularly the NASUWT, in the interest of their members – the Government’s employees, and the interests of the public at large”.
At the end of July, staff at Westside School participated in a behaviour management survey report, resulting in a 75% response rate from NASUWT members.
Over 98% of members believed that behaviour had deteriorated over the course of the previous academic year, with the same percentage believing that the school’s current behaviour policy had not been clearly presented and explained to staff.
The alleged deterioration in behaviour coincides with a change in the school’s Senior Leadership Team (SLT) last year after Dr Sonia Montiel Lopez, who pledged to ‘provide a nurturing environment’ for students and staff, took over as headteacher from Michelle Barabich, who retired after a 43-year-long career in education.
Under a quarter of staff felt supported by the SLT whilst reporting behavioural incidents, with 95% of teachers believing that their response to poor behaviour was too ‘lenient’.
Some members of staff have claimed to feel ‘intimidated by the SLT’, with a belief that ‘blame is often placed on teachers’ instead of poorly-behaved students.
One teacher said: “We have gone from a previous management who would support staff and draw clear lines with students on what was and was not acceptable to this idea that the student is never wrong and the adult somehow is always to blame”.
The situation has been described as ‘endemic’, with ‘no consequences for extreme and even illegal behaviour within the school’, such as electronic vaping.
Another member of staff said: “The senior leadership team (the headteacher in particular) have insisted on turning a blind eye to a range of behavioural infractions at the expense of the safety of both Westside staff and students”.
This has created, staff claim, a ‘culture of entitlement amongst students’ where ‘it’s only a matter of time until something serious happens like they physically assault a teacher’.
The Olive Press approached Westside School for comment, but received no response by the time of publication.
