POLICE were called to a troubled high school last week after a pupil complained he had been “frogmarched” out of class by two teachers.
The boy told officers he had been left with a bruised arm and a ripped bag as a result of the incident at Levenmouth Academy, Fife.
An investigation has been launched by the local council amid reports both teachers have been suspended but police said today they were taking no action.
The incident is the latest in a string of violent episodes at the school, including an allegation that a pupil threw a can of Irn Bru at a teacher’s head.
The school, which opened in August this year, merged two secondaries and there have been claims students from the old schools regularly fight each other.
The latest incident, which happened on December 13, comes amid growing concern about discipline in Scottish schools and the ability of teachers to take action against disruptive pupils.
A parent of children at the school said: “Two female members of staff frogmarched a student out of class, and ripped his backpack. He apparently ended up with a bruise on his arm as well.”
A Police Scotland spokesman said: “Police in Fife received a report of an incident at Levenmouth Academy which happened on Tuesday, December 13.”
He added: “Having reviewed this matter we are satified that no crime took place and no further police action is required.”
Fife Council’s Head of Education and Children’s Services, Derek Brown, said the incident was being looked into and it would be inappropriate to provide any more information until this process is complete.
He added: “Parents can be reassured that as a matter of policy Fife Council takes appropriate action to safeguard the wellbeing of both pupils and staff within our school communities.”
In September, local police tweeted about an incident at the school where a 14-year-old allegedly assaulted a teacher.
Levenmouth Police wrote: “14-year-old charged for assaulting teacher at Levenmouth Academy by throwing can of irn bru at her head. #nogaid #.”
They later deleted the tweet.
Speaking in October, Laura Donaldson, the mother of two students at the school, said parents were concerned for the safety of their children.
She said: “The staff don’t have the control that they need. We want to help the teachers. They’re not there to discipline our kids, they’re there to educate them.
“I considered taking my daughter out of school but taking them out of school is not going to solve the issue, it only adds to it. I can’t comment on other parents but I know that a lot of people are worried about safety.”
Parents have recently set up a Facebook group to report incidents of bullying and violence at the academy.
Seamus Searson, General Secretary of the Scottish Secondary Teachers’ Association, said a community police officer should be in every secondary school.
He said: “When you get a pupil throwing something or being violent, they need to be taken out of the classroom. Due to the teacher shortage, the senior staff who would do that are often covering teaching which makes it difficult.
“Our advice to members is don’t touch children. It often aggravates the situation.”
“Any physical contact with a youngster and parents get involved, and it is often reported to the council. Then it is very demoralising, the rumour mill starts, it is very hard to come back.
“We think there should be a community policeman attached to every secondary school and they should be known to the pupils. They can search pupils.”
A spokesman for EIS said the results of their meetings remain confidential.
He added: “As a union we don’t think it is part of a teacher’s job to physically intervene.
“However, we would encourage teachers who have been subject to violence themselves to report these incidents to the police.”
