NYSUT #07-115
AFT#2999
Kevin Ahern, President, kahern@syrteach.org
Michael Foley, Executive VP for Labor Relations, mfoley@syrteach.org
The results of this survey should come as no surprise, but rather confirmation and evidence of
what the front line STA educators and support personnel are feeling every day. The STA
believes that all employees, students and community members have an absolute right to safe
schools. As the SCSDs leaders and decision-makers, it is up to you to take the immediate and
necessary steps to ensure that this occurs.
Sincerely,
Kevin R. Ahern
President
CC:
NYSUT #07-115
AFT#2999
Kevin Ahern, President, kahern@syrteach.org
Michael Foley, Executive VP for Labor Relations, mfoley@syrteach.org
SAFETY
A majority of the respondents, 63 percent, say access to the building and classrooms in which
they work are restricted to only authorized staff and escorted guests. However, another 35
percent say such restrictions do not exist. More than half, 53 percent, say students are not issued
passes for movement within the school. And the majority of the respondents, 62 percent, say the
areas employees walk through such as the parking lots, hallways and stairwells are secure while
one-third say they are not. More than three-quarters, 77 percent, agree they are well-lit.
Seven in ten respondents say there are personal alarm systems, beepers, phones or other means
of directly communicating a need for assistance.
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Although a few respondents say the security in their workplace is fine, many of the respondents
have suggestions about how security in their workplace can be improved. They include:
Allow only one point of entry.
Ask both parents and students for identification.
Enact a stricter Code of Conduct, which would involve consistency and consequences.
Have a better security system.
Have cameras.
Have more lighting.
Have more staff available.
Have police officers in the building.
Monitor peoples movement throughout the building.
Secure the building doors.
There should be more access to communication devices, such as phones in the
classrooms.
Use metal detectors.
The full list of suggestions can be found in the appendix.
WORKPLACE SECURITY AND TRAINING
Only a minority of the respondents, 27 percent, have received employer-sponsored training on
how to deal with potentially violent situations. Not all of the training has been recent though. For
40 percent of the respondents it has been at least two years since they received training.
Additionally, 40 percent say the training did not prepare them to deal with violent situations that
may arise in their working environment. Overall only 46 percent say the training was adequate.
Considering all of the respondents, only 13 percent say they received training AND the training
was adequate.
The respondents are very interested in receiving training around the issues they deal with at
school in terms of safety and security. Some of the topics raised are generic such as
communication, conflict resolution and dealing with students socially and emotionally. Others
are very specific such as:
Develop mock situations so we know what to do in different scenarios.
How can I deescalate a situation before it becomes violent?
How can I restrain someone appropriately?
How do I deal with strangers in the school?
What am I allowed to do to defend myself?
What is appropriate for violent situations (both verbal and physical) involving both
students and parents?
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What should I do if students are fighting? What am I allowed to do without the threat of a
lawsuit?
VIOLENT INCIDENTS
Approximately half of the respondents say they have been harassed at their current job.
Typically,
a student has been the harasser. The respondents describe the incidents and often the harassment
involves verbal harassment and threats of physical violence or destruction of personal property.
Some respondents also received phone calls or items left at their homes. Many respondents
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indicated the threats eventually became reality. A full description of the harassing incidents
provided by the respondents can be found in the appendix.
An even greater proportion, 57 percent, says they have been threatened at their current job. Most
commonly the threats came from a student and the nature of the threat was to injure or kill the
respondent. Many respondents reported the threat came from the relative or friend of a student,
often the parent of a student.
Just over one-third, 36 percent, say they have been physically assaulted at their current job.
Students were reported responsible in nearly every case. Seventy percent of the time the
incidents took place in a classroom. The respondents who were assaulted indicate that 81 percent
of the time they were not alone at the time of the assault. Half of the respondents say the assault
left them with bruises and many respondents indicated they received cuts, broken bones,
swelling, soreness, aches, back and/or neck pain. One in five say they experienced psychological
trauma. While 42 percent of the respondents did seek medical treatment for their most recent
injury, only two respondents needed to stay overnight in a hospital and 14 percent lost time from
work because of the injury.
The overwhelming majority of the respondents, 90 percent, have reported an incident, whether it
was harassment, a threat or a physical assault, to management. The response and follow-up
actions vary widely. In some cases the management was supportive, yet not in others. In some
cases the student was removed from the class either temporarily or permanently, but not in all.
Sometimes the child was spoken to but allowed to remain in the class. Some respondents say
management was supportive, even if there was no action taken against the student. Others say
management was not supportive and went so far as to reprimand the teacher for alerting the
authorities to the issue. The full description of the responses to reports of harassment, threats or
violence can be found in the appendix.
PERSONAL OPINIONS
Given the percentage of respondents who have been harassed, threatened, and/or physically
assaulted at work, it is not a surprise that many still currently fear for their safety. Two-thirds say
they are very worried or somewhat worried about their safety. Nearly 40 percent say they are
not very prepared or not at all prepared to handle a violent situation. (Among the
respondents who say they are very worried or somewhat worried, nearly half say they are
not very prepared or not at all prepared to handle such a situation.)
Although slightly more than half of the respondents say their employer is very committed or
somewhat committed to preventing workplace violence, another 43 percent say the employer
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is not very committed or not at all committed to this. Similarly, while 57 percent of the
respondents say violence and threats are not considered part of the job by administration,
supervisors and/or employees, the remaining 43 percent disagree.
Sadly, 43 percent of the respondents have seriously considered changing their occupation due to
violent incidents they were involved in, witnessed or knew about.
Finally, the respondents were asked for any additional comments to close the survey. Many of
the respondents took the opportunity to express their dissatisfaction with the Code of Conduct.
They say it is not enforced and provides no consequences for poor student behavior. This seems
to compound the respondents frustration with the level of violence in schools that some say has
gotten worse over the years. It has led some to look for work in another building or district or
retire.
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2015 Syracuse TA
Workplace Violence Survey
September 2015
N=838
Hello, I am calling from NYSUT, the statewide union on behalf of the Syracuse Teachers Association. We are
conducting a survey with members like you to discuss violence in the workplace. This is for research purposes
only and your responses will be kept confidential.
1.
N=838
How long have you been working in your current
position?
0-5 years
6-10 years
Over 10 years
327/39%
150/18%
361/43%
I am going to ask you some questions about your workplace or facility with regards to safety.
2.
3.
4.
N=838
Yes
Is access to the building and classrooms restricted to only
authorized staff and escorted guests? N=838 .............................. 527/63%
Are students consistently issued passes for movement
within the school? ....................................................................... 368/44%
Are all areas that employees walk through ( e.g. parking
lots, hallways, stairwells, etc.):
No
Not sure
297/35%
14/2%
441/53%
29/4%
Secure? .......................................................................................
521/62%
285/34%
32/4%
157/19%
34/4%
238/28%
18/2%
a.
5.
How can security be improved at your workplace or in the field (e.g. better lighting, more security
personnel)?
Please see appendix
6.
Now I am going to ask you some questions regarding workplace security and training.
Yes
7.
No
Not sure
601/72%
Skip to Q9
8/1%
Past Year
2 years
3 years or more
141/62%
If yes, did you receive this training within? .................................
42/19%
43/19%
N=229
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Yes
Research & Educational Services
No
Not sure
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Yes
No
Not sure
123/54%
92/40%
14/6%
8.
115/50%
9/4%
9.
b.
Next, I am going to ask you some questions regarding workplace security and your employers policies.
N=838
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
Yes
No
Not sure
198/24%
150/18%
11/2%
279/33%
a.
306/37%
Victims of violence .........................................................................................................
b.
210/25%
Those who were witnesses ..............................................................................................
c.
176/25%
Those who are concerned ................................................................................................
d.
552/66%
Not sure (DO NOT READ) ..............................................................................................
N=838
Yes
Is there information about potentially violent
students/visitors communicated to appropriate staff?................... 287/34%
Do you have designated time during the work day to discuss
and collaborate about problematic student behavior? .................. 325/39%
I am going to read from a list of risk factors for violence within your
school or facility: please select three present in your school. N=838
No
Not sure
469/56%
82/10%
491/59%
22/3%
Choose up to 3
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.
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g.
h.
i.
Overcrowding ..................................................................................................................
221/26%
j.
k.
Other ................................................................................................................................
107/13%
I am now going to read you a series of questions regarding any violent incidences you may have been
involved in.
N=838
17.
No
Not sure
Have you ever been harassed at your current job? ....................... 431/51%
405/48%
2/0%
a.
b.
Yes
N=429
1.
375/87%
Student(s) ........................................................................................................................
2.
7/1%
Stranger ...........................................................................................................................
3.
65/15%
Relative or friend of student ............................................................................................
4.
39/9%
Co-worker (or former co-worker) ...................................................................................
5.
20/5%
Manager or supervisor .....................................................................................................
6.
0/0%
Spouse/lover (or former spouse/lover) ............................................................................
7. Other ................................................................................................................................
31/7%
If yes, please describe the
harassment.
N=838
18.
Yes
Have you ever been threatened at your current job? .................... 478/57%
No
Not sure
357/43%
3/0%
Skip to Q19
a.
1.
Student(s) ........................................................................................................................
437/92%
2.
Stranger ...........................................................................................................................
1/0%
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
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b.
1.
2.
16/3%
Threat of personal property damage................................................................................
3.
6/1%
Threat to injure or kill your family..................................................................................
4.
62/13%
Other (Please see appendix ) ...........................................................................................
The following questions are not related to any legal definition of assault.
19.
N=838
Yes
Have you ever been physically assaulted at your current
job? ............................................................................................... 302/36%
20.
21.
No
Not sure
534/64%
Skip to
Q27
2/0%
a.
298/99%
Student(s) ........................................................................................................................
b.
0/0%
Stranger ...........................................................................................................................
c.
d.
e.
f.
0/0%
Spouse/lover (or former spouse/lover)............................................................................
g.
108/36%
Other (Please see appendix ) ...........................................................................................
a.
211/70%
Classroom .......................................................................................................................
b.
5/2%
Office ..............................................................................................................................
c.
d.
e.
22.
Were you alone when you were assaulted? N=302 .................... 56/19%
23.
No
Not sure
245/81%
1/0%
56/19%
Cuts .................................................................................................................................
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b.
Bruises.............................................................................................................................
154/51%
c.
d.
12/4%
Internal injuries ...............................................................................................................
e.
63/21%
Psychological trauma ......................................................................................................
f.
N=302
Yes
No
24.
Did you seek medical attention for your most recent injury? .........................................
126/42%
176/58%
25.
Did you need to stay overnight in the hospital for your most recent injury? .................
2/1%
300/99%
26.
27.
41/14%
Did you lose time from work as a result of your most recent injury(s)? ........................
Did you ever report an incident (harassment, threat, or physical assault) to
271/90%
management? ..................................................................................................................
If yes, describe how management responded and what actions were
a.
taken.
261/86%
31/10%
Somewhat
worried
28.
N=838
How concerned are you about your personal safety
at work? ...............................................................................................................
187/22%
357/43%
29.
Very
Somewhat
N=838
prepared
prepared
How prepared do you feel to handle a violent
situation (i.e., physical injury, threat or
harassment)? ........................................................................................................
131/16%
377/45%
30.
31.
Not very
worried
Not at all
worried
190/23%
104/12%
Not very
prepared
Not at all
prepared
203/24%
127/15%
Very
Somewhat
Not very
N=838
committed committed committed
How would you rate your employers
commitment to preventing workplace violence? .................................................
179/21%
294/35%
228/27%
Not at all
committed
N=838
Yes
Would you say violence/threats are not accepted as part of the job by
administration, supervisors and/or employees. ...................................................... 479/57%
No
137/16%
359/43%
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N=838
32.
33.
Yes
Have you ever seriously considered changing your occupation due to violent
incidents you were involved in, witnessed or knew about? ................................. 360/43%
Additional
comments:
No
476/57%
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APPENDIX
6. How can security be improved at your workplace or in the field?
1 point of entry, pass for parents when they
Better lighting in back parking lot. Better
come in
response time. More staff.
24 hour surveillance of front door.
Better lighting in parking lot
A few more school sentries
Better lighting in parking lot
A Hall Monitor at the Point of Entry, more
Better lighting in parking lots; parents need
hall monitors, quicker response
to be escorted to classes
A phone in every classroom.
Better lighting, more personnel
Ability to be able to call office and have
Better lighting, secure building, security
someone answer
personnel
Add cameras
Better lighting; more security personnel
Add more phone lines into the classroom
Better lighting; more security personnel;
follow procedures at all times
Additional staff
Better lines of communication; enforcement
All visitors should have a pass at all times.
of rules across the board
An intercom system
Better monitor doors
Another hall monitor
Better policies
Another sentry, personal sentry
Better response time
Answer buzzer for help when fights break
Better response to requests for help
out. Stop parents stopping by classes.
Better security at the door
Answer buzzers on emergencies
Better security measures
Answer emergency calls, and more staff
Better sentries at entrance of school
Anyone can be buzzed in; this needs to stop
Better system when parents visit
Ask for identification before letting people
Better training for staff, more security
in school; more lights in car lot
Attitude toward student treatment to adults,
Better way of dealing with students fighting
not intimidate teachers
Biggest security is someone coming in from
Audio heat seeking cameras
outside
Better about signing visitors passes
Breakdown in relationship between cops &
district. No cop presence now.
Better accountability for everyone.
Building upgrade
Better code of conduct
Bus driver
Better communication between classroom
Buzzers and cameras, more aides
and office and security. More lighting
Better communication with phone in every
By being consistent with policies
classroom
Call for help takes a long time in addressing
Better grip on students
a dangerous situation
Better lighting - single point of entry
Calls to office for emergencies have gone
unanswered
Better lighting and more security personnel
Camera in every classroom - working Better lighting and more security personnel
recording cameras
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More of it
More officers
More people (8 responses)
More people hired
More people, hall monitors and security
guards
More people, more security staff & teachers
& students wear id.
More personnel - competent would help.
More personnel to monitor
More personnel, better training of personnel
More personnel. Personnel should move
away. I was on other floor alone
More phones in open areas
More police in the area
More police officers at school; metal
detectors;
More police officers in the buildings
More respondents to incidences, not
available when needed
More restricted access to classrooms
More safety that will act on behavior of
children
More secure at front entrance
More secure with who enters the bldg.
More security personnel, verify whoever is
buzzed in belongs there
More security (20 responses)
More security and all others need to follow
procedures for letting others in building
More security by the entrance
More security cameras, faster response time
to issues
More security cameras; locks on doors need
to be fixed
More security checks.
More security during dismissal. One point of
entry.
More security guards (5 responses)
More security guards and police officers
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Crisis procedures
Crisis response training
Crowd control (2 responses)
Crowd control, de-escalation training, hall
monitor
Deal with a situation with kids fighting. Is it
ok to interfere? Prevention
Deal with physical students
Dealing with children in mist of crisis or
melt down
Dealing with dangerous and extreme
behavior students.
Dealing with defiant and violent students.
What teacher can & can't do
Dealing with mental illness, explosive
violent behavior
Dealing with potentially violent situations
Dealing with unauthorized guests and
violent children
Dealing with violent parents
Deescalate situations with students and
teachers
De-escalate students and parents
De-escalating a confrontation
De-escalating angry students
De-escalating for students sent out of the
classroom for "reset"
Deescalating or restraining a student
Deescalating situational trainings
De-escalating situations (31 responses)
Deescalating situations, general training
Deescalating situations. Communication
with students. Options to fights
De-escalating situations. Self defense
De-escalating training very tense situations
Deescalating training what to do in certain
situations
Deescalating violence behavior
De-escalation of situations and not to get
into power struggle with students
De-escalation techniques, restorative justice
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Violent situations
Was to restrain a violent child, teen, etc. and
remove them from doing harm
Ways to defuse someone 'like' how to defuse
kids and/'like' or parent
We cant touch the students even to defend
ourselves
We dont need more training-we need more
support to prevent it
We have NO training at all and it's scary.
We need de-escalation training. Now only
offered to special ed teachers
We need the cops back in the building. We
had fewer problems when they were there
Weapons training for those who carry guns
We're beyond training in a negative way
What are the procedures to handle violent
situations
What are the procedures when a situation
breaks out and practice the procedures
What are we supposed to do when a fight
starts without us getting in trouble
What boundaries, terms of restraint, when
kids become violent? Lawsuits?
What teachers can do (touch a student), ok
to break up a fight?
What to do if someone walks in with
weapon, deal with angry parent
What to do if there was a crisis or dangerous
students
What to do if they were attacked by the
students
What to do if this or that happens training
What to do if we have violent parents
What to do in emergency situations so
everyone on same page, code to follow
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Abusive language
Accessing behavior of student ...11 schools
student had been in...mom refused
Admin: told teacher to suck it up and be a
team player or risk losing job
Administration office was very cruel
Administration talked town to her,
embarrassing in front of others
Administration...told she need to attend all
staff meetings
After I asked student to put phone away, he
told me he knew where I lived
Afterschool program student that was
suspended threatened me and damaged
property
Aggressive language
An employee that I don't know came in my
room two days and yelled
Angry grandmother screamed and yelling at
the teacher
Any homebound students are in one
building...gang entered her room
Asked student to leave and he trashed the
room and threatened staff
Asking for pass from students, and they get
offensive and/or aggressive
Assaulted, punched, kicked, called a fucking
faggot
Bad language - rude gestures
Bad language (3 responses)
Behavior come on type of manor
Being approach to get out of the, verbal
abuse
Being bullies to make her cry
Boyfriend of student snuck into building,
became aggressive
Boys roam halls and yell foul language
Bring a weapon to hurt, verbal abused,
pushed and shoved
Bully
By a student and his parent
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Kids run by room and say suck --Kids says very crude things daily
Kids threaten teacher after being asked to
leave the class
Language
Language - kicked
Let kid use toilet afterschool hours. Parent
said I didnt & hit my car
Making obscene gestures, blocking my path
Manager-it was my fault for the behavior of
students
Mentally ill kid sent for meds, ate poop,
touched my boobs, returned to class,
Middle school student - yelling screaming at
her
Middle school students swearing and saying
'f' you to me
Mom entered classroom and listen in on
class without warning
Mouthy swearing rude
Mouthy, threatened to kill her unborn child two pregnancies
Mouthy, will not follow directions, bad
words,
Name calling (3 responses)
Name calling and verbal abuse
Name calling, mild threats
Name calling, threats from students &
parents
No answer - his business
No sharing details
No. I don't want to describe that.
On a daily basis
Order of protection issued made no
difference
Out bursting student and teacher engaged
student to calm them down
Parent - disrespectful - shouting - nasty
attitude
Parent - verbal abuse
Parent (25 responses)
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Swearing (3 responses)
Swearing and having things being thrown at
me frequently
Swearing at teachers
Swearing, shut up, constant verbal abuse,
Swearing, verbal attacks
Swore at and verbally threatened
Sworn at and threatened verbally
Sworn at every day
Sworn at, shoved
Taunting from student
Tell you off
The parent was going to come back and fuck
me up and everyone in the build
They cursed a lot at me
They would cut me down in front of class.
Asked to stop and wouldn't.
This is an often occurrence by different
students and relatives of students
Threated his mom would have her fired,
verbal abuse
Threaten of physical injury
Threaten to have you fired.
Threatened by female student, mouthy
students
Threatened by students & parents, students
swear at me
Threatened to hurt her and punch her in the
face
Threatened to hurt me
Threatened to kill the teacher
Threatened when student was not allowed to
go to senior ball
Threatening
Threatening harm
Threatening me
Threatening telephone calls or in person
Threatening to beat me up if didnt let them
in
Threatening to have intercourse with my
mother
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To bring a gun
To hurt her
Tripped me
Try to redirect bad student behavior and
student turned on her
Two parents screaming & trying to hurt her
Verbal threat (4 responses)
Intimidation (2 responses)
Intimidation from student
It was a 'heat of the moment' situation.
Never felt scared.
Just to hurt
Lie to get me in trouble
Not sure. Really angry student.
Parents said will sue
Parents will come in to beat the crap out of
her
Personal threat, being hit or harmed
Pushed when she was pregnant
Sexual threats
Sexual threats, angry said in threatening way
Slit his throat
Student suicidal
Suing me and taking my license
Threat in the gym no call button to ask for
help
Threat to get teacher fired
Threat to kill somebody
Threaten to harm
Threatened me with his fist
Threatened to have art teacher fired. Scared
teacher.
Threatened to hit other students and myself
Threatened to kill my baby
Threats to superintendent
To kill him and property damage, really
concern him
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21. Where did the most recent violent incident occur? (Other specified)
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In the building
In the hallway (50 responses)
In the hallway student punch me, another
pushed me 5ft away
In the hallway, split a fight and got punched.
Locker room
Nurses office (2 responses)
On the bus (2 responses)
Outside in the bus lane
Outside on the school grounds
Outside the classroom
Usually hallways or bus line up
Walking in from playground
23. What is the extent of your most recent injury? (Other specified)
Arms
Doesn't like to be threatened by school
person
Back and neck injury
Emotionally upset
Back and neck pain
Foot
Bad back
Forced into a filing cabinet
Bit scratched punched spit on
Got bit
Bite by child
Got upset
Bite marks
Hair pulled out and large bruising
Bite marks, spit on, punched
underneath my arm
Bite marks, swelling, almost lost tooth
Hit
Bites - hit
Hit against the wall
Bitten (2 responses)
Hit and kicking
Broken finger
Hit hard by a 4 year old
Broken wrist
Hit in leg
Bruise big toe
Hit in the chest
Bulging disk, tennis elbow, pulled ligament
Hit me in the chest
Bumps from thrown fruit and bruises from
Hurt arm
chair
Hurt knee
Chipped tooth
I was hit but no injuries
Choking
'I wasn't injured.'
Concussions
If I hadn't had a hysterectomy, would have
Could not walk, hit knee/sprained
then
Did not seek treatment
I'm quite sizeable & Ive been bitten,
Disc injury waiting surgery
punched, physically attacked numerous
Dislocated pelvic joint
times
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27a. Please describe how management responded and what actions were taken
A report was done
Accident report, kid to do a problem solving
plan
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