Kathleen Marshall believes that teachers who raise their voice in the classroom are undermining the dignity of their pupils.
Marshall, appointed as the first “children’s czar” by Jack McConnell to advise on policy, claims teachers should not be permitted to display any sign of anger against even the most unruly of pupils.
“Verbal abuse and disrespect of young people should not be tolerated, the way people sometimes think it’s okay to shout at children and young people and undermine their dignity,” she said.
Marshall said that teachers should only be permitted to raise their voices to be heard above a rabble of pupils.
“Abusive shouting is not respectful and can just make pupils feel angry and resentful.
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“There’s a lot of work to be done in making people aware of what things are not acceptable in their interaction with children and young people.”
Teachers reacted with astonishment to Marshall’s comments, claiming that raising their voice is one of the few sanctions left to them.
A survey published earlier this year revealed that teachers are being swamped by a rising tide of classroom violence, with one in five suffering assaults by pupils. Despite government initiatives designed to restore order in the classroom, 90% of teachers said the problem was getting worse.
At one school a young teacher quit the profession after pupils set fire to her books in the classroom. The teacher claimed her complaint was ignored by senior staff, who refused to discipline the children involved.
Of the 2,000 teachers who were surveyed by the NASUWT, 95% said they regularly deal with children who refuse to follow basic instructions.
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Mounting concerns about violence in classrooms forced Peter Peacock, the Scottish education minister, to reverse a government policy that had put pressure on head teachers not to exclude or suspend disruptive pupils.
“There are times when you have to shout at a pupil,” said Victor Topping, of the NASUWT. “The schools have only been back a few days and already I’m hearing reports of kids throwing their desks and seats at teachers and a threatened sexual assault of a female teacher. ”
Nick Seaton, chairman of the Campaign for Real Education, denounced Marshall’s comments as “absolutely crazy”.
He said: “Most sensible people will think it is political correctness gone mad. How are teachers supposed to keep discipline if all the sanctions have disappeared? Shouting is absolutely vital if they are to keep any sort of discipline, without which children cannot learn.
“Most youngsters respond to being shouted at and they have to get used to criticism if they are going to cope with life at work rather than be shielded from imagined harm.”
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Marshall is also concerned about teachers who use what she regards as inappropriate language. She made it clear that she supports campaigners who believe words like “sissy” can damage children in a similar way to physical abuse.
Recently Scotland’s Anti-Bullying Network, set up by the Scottish executive, warned teachers to avoid using such language on the grounds that it can seem to give other children tacit approval to join in and bully pupils.
It follows research that found boys as young as seven regularly use taunts such as “poof” and “gay boy” at school.
Marshall said using the word “sissy” potentially “denigrates a young person and takes away from their dignity”.
“There are traditional attitudes where people often don’t realise the impact of what they’re saying. It all comes down to the basic notion of respect. Children have got rights and the right to human dignity.
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“People need to have their awareness raised and as you go along with the awareness raising you make it clear what will not be tolerated.”
Marshall, who has been given a budget of £2.5m, also revealed that she intends to do more to make children aware of their legal rights in a move that could see young people increasingly hiring lawyers and taking court action.
She also plans to organise a child referendum, asking more than a million young Scots what they think about the country and give them the chance to vote on which issues concern them the most.
Marshall says she is determined to be an outspoken champion of children’s rights and has already criticised the executive about its antisocial behaviour agenda, for not banning smacking and over the conditions in which the children of asylum seekers have been kept at the Dungavel detention centre.