The Scottish Conservatives today criticised the SNP’s “complicated and confusing” new guidance on behaviour in schools and said they must take a stricter approach to restore discipline.
At First Minister’s Questions, Russell Findlay said John Swinney was “making the same mistakes” as when he was education secretary by letting disruptive pupils get away with bad behaviour in schools.
The Scottish Conservative leader urged the SNP to take a tougher approach to escalating levels of violence in schools, especially by empowering teachers to exclude pupils when necessary.
He criticised new SNP guidance which includes suggestions for teachers to have “a conversation to jointly problem solve with the child”, proposes they produce laminated bullet points advocating alternative behaviours, and includes nearly 100 questions for teachers to consider on bad behaviour.
Scottish Conservative leader Russell Findlay said: “Violent and disruptive behaviour in schools is getting worse.
“A small minority prevents the majority of pupils from learning in peace and safety. Some teachers feel unsafe, many feel unsupported.
“The SNP’s naive and weak approach fails everyone.
“The SNP’s new guidance on schools is 49 pages of tedious, hand-wringing nonsense. It’s complicated and confusing.
“As education secretary, John Swinney issued too much guidance and made it even harder for teachers to do their jobs. He’s making the same mistakes again.
“John Swinney caused discipline to collapse. He sent a dangerous message to disruptive pupils that they could get away with it. He fundamentally changed the culture in the classroom and it is now harming children and their education.
“People in the real world know how to sort this out. We need a tougher approach, not laminated cards and inclusive chats.
“John Swinney should end the barrage of guidance and empower teachers to take a stricter approach.”