Secondary school headteachers across a Welsh county have written an open letter voicing concern over pupils' behaviour — including vandalism, vaping and abusive language.
The letter to parents says the impact of the Covid pandemic is becoming increasingly apparent, pointing to widespread "detrimental" behaviour ranging from graffiti to social media abuse. The message is attributed to "headteachers of Carmarthenshire secondary schools" and includes heads' signatures next to the emblems of 10 schools.
The schools warned that some of the behaviour could lead to "criminal investigations and prosecution". They said some pupils have been cutting computer cables with scissors, removing keys from laptops, tearing charging ports apart with pens, damaging doors, kicking and punching holes in plasterboard walls, smashing ceiling tiles, tearing signage and window handles, and blocking and flooding toilets and sinks with paper towels.
The letter raises concerns over pupils putting "inappropriate" graffiti on equipment and aiming abuse at schoolmates and staff. It says discriminatory language is "accepted as the norm within certain friendship groups". When pupils are disciplined they accept the language is "wrong" but sanctions "do not seem to change their habits", the letter adds.
The message also alerted parents to pupils spending "significant" time on social media or gaming, sometimes until the early hours. The schools warned this could be making children feel lonely and like they are missing out if they are "not part of something others are doing".
"There is a marked increase in the abusive and threatening nature of comments posted in group chats, with individuals hiding behind the fact that comments either disappear after a period of time, or other chats allow anonymous comments to be posted," the heads added.
They urged parents to take screenshots of abusive posts and report them to social media platforms. The heads said online harassment can also be reported to police and culprits "could face criminal prosecution".
The schools are having to invest a "significant amount of staff time" to prevent pupils using electronic cigarettes — also known as vapes — during the school day. The legal age to buy vapes is 18 in the UK. The products allow people to inhale nicotine in a vapour rather than smoke. One study found the vapour can lead to changes in lungs' immune cells. The schools' letter describes nicotine as "highly addictive" with the potential to slow brain development.
The letter says the behaviour problems are not confined to one school but a "common pattern" across all Carmarthenshire secondary schools" as well as reflecting a national picture. It adds: "The vast majority of pupils are well-behaved and make a positive and valuable contribution to schools and the community at large."
The message was shared online by Ysgol Dyffryn Aman, a mixed school in Ammanford with around 2,000 pupils. You can see the other schools behind the letter here.
It comes after WalesOnline reported in February that bad behaviour had "soared" at Welsh schools following lockdowns. Examples included fights between pupils, verbal aggression towards staff, rows outside school spilling into the classroom and children "not knowing how to work with others".
A Welsh Government spokesperson said: “We’ve more than doubled mental health support for schools, to over £12million, since the start of the pandemic as part of our ‘whole school’ approach to mental health and wellbeing. Counselling services currently see around 11,500 learners each year and support for staff will be trebled this year.”
