Britain: Schools Turn to Bouncers for ‘Crowd Control’ During Absent Teachers’ Lessons
April 20th, 2009Via: Guardian:
Bouncers, ex-soldiers and former police officers are being brought into schools to provide “crowd control” and cover absent teachers’ lessons, a teacher has revealed.
One school, thought to be in London, employed two permanent cover teachers through an agency for professional doormen, the National Union of Teachers annual conference in Cardiff heard today.
Bouncers, who more usually work nights keeping order in pubs and clubs, are being employed in schools because they are “stern and loud”, said Andrew Baisley, a teacher at Haverstock school in Camden, north London.
“I know of bouncers being employed specifically because they are bouncers to cover lessons,” he told the conference.
Recruitment agencies are advertising for people with “ex-marine, prison officer, bouncer, policeman, fireman” backgrounds to become supervisors, who do not need to have any teaching qualifications to oversee lessons.
