Figures showing steep rises in school violence are a matter of the utmost concern. The number of reports in primary schools last year reached nearly 11,000 and there was also a huge jump in secondaries.
The testimonies of teachers who are bearing the brunt of attacks is also a cause for shame. The reality of this epidemic should not surprise anyone who has read the Daily Record this year.
Our campaign on youth violence has reached the desks of leaders like First Minister Humza Yousaf and parents are increasingly alarmed. But the time for warm words is over and action is urgently required to get to grips with this crisis.
The Scottish Government, which backs our campaign, must come up with a strategy to tackle violence in schools. Ministers must lead from the front and empower councils to address this growing problem.
Parents also have a role to play in making sure their children are respectful to staff and fellow students. And social media giants have to crack down on harmful, violent content which normalises violence for young people.
Some of the clips that are shared for fun on social media are sickening and must be blocked. Teachers, often the victims, should also be supported in attempts to deal with the surge of violence in classrooms.
The education of pupils should not be disrupted by the unruly behaviour of a minority of young people. Schools are seats of learning, not places of violence. chaos in classrooms
Lifesaving screen
Amy Callaghan is right when she says sunscreen is a necessity and not a beauty product. The SNP MP has survived melanoma herself and is now campaigning for others to stay safe.
You don’t need to go on a foreign holiday to be at risk of developing skin cancer. More than 12,000 people in Scotland are diagnosed with the condition every year.
Callaghan wants the UK Government to remove VAT from sunscreen to both lower the cost and increase its availability. It seems a no-brainer when the potential benefits are considered.
Too many people – including those who work outdoors for long periods – are putting themselves needlessly at risk. There needs to be a culture change in how people protect themselves from the sun’s harm. A starting point would be the UK Government removing VAT from sunscreen.
It would send a message that more people should be buying the product for their own good.
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