Editorial

Some time ago we became aware, both here in Malta and abroad, of a definite rise in bullying by children at school. We were referring then to bullying between pupils and students, some of which was coarse and easily controllable. Also worrying was bullying of the subtle kind, that which is less easy to identify.

Now it seems that bullying has reached worrying proportions higher up, among the teachers themselves. According to a survey on bullying towards teachers, 84 per cent of teachers say they have been bullied at their place of work, while 70 per cent have witnessed others being bullied.

The survey, 'Workplace bullying and harassment among/towards schoolteachers,' was carried out by fourth-year university student, Joan Ellul, as a thesis, in collaboration with the MUT and the Faculty of Education at the university.

Even making allowance for a certain amount of inflationary self-victimisation, that is a very serious incidence rate. The result points unmistakably to the physical and psychological sufferings of teachers. It also highlights the need for legislation both to prevent bullying, and to protect bullied victims.

Bullying can take various forms. Sixty-four per cent said they had suffered verbal abuse, while almost one-third reported physical abuse, and a full eight per cent of respondents said they had been sexually harassed, mostly by colleagues.

Slightly more than half the respondents reported that they have felt ignored, or deliberately excluded from some activity by another person.

Not every reported act of bullying is necessarily seen as so by the bully. It may be a paying back in kind, or an acceptance by authority or colleagues that somebody is dysfunctional.

But that leaves us with too high an incidence. As MUT president John Bencini said, those in positions of authority had major responsibilities and generally lived up to them, but it is not unknown in this imperfect world of ours for some heads to abuse their power.

Bullying can come from strange quarters, from parent-teacher meetings, for example, while 36 per cent said they had experienced negative, or aggressive use of body language, mostly from pupils, with higher incidence in schools for boys.

It is even claimed by 15 per cent of respondents that they have been intimidated because of their political/religious beliefs. Nothing new there, whether in schools, broadcasting or the Dockyard, but is it really still going on?

Bullying sometimes extends to withholding permission from attendance at professional courses, or exceptional family events, or even to being unfairly criticised for absence from work because of illness. And why should 57 per cent suffer excessive monitoring of their work by the head?

Bullying affects performance. Anger and stress are the most common psychological and physical symptoms as a consequence of bullying experiences, followed by low motivation. In some cases there have been thoughts of suicide.

Most respondents had talked to someone, but half of them said their problems had not been solved. Support was mainly meant for pupils.

A free psychological and psychiatric service for teachers who are traumatised by bullying, is available, as is a lawyer's free service. But more needs to be done, beginning with greater awareness of the problem, and the creation of more legal support for the crushed, vilified and discarded victims.