Violence against teachers: Are schools safe for educators?

Recently, videos of teachers being physically assaulted in the Syrdarya and Kashkadarya regions have gone viral on social media, sparking widespread public outrage. Despite societal reverence for educators, they are not fully protected from violence. Unfortunately, the legal framework safeguarding teachers remains weak, and those who assault them often receive minimal punishment. This raises critical questions: How appropriate is unrestricted access to schools, and do teachers truly feel safe in their workplaces?

What is the status of teachers in our society?

A few days ago, a disturbing video surfaced from a school in the Sardoba district of Syrdarya region, showing a student's mother physically attacking a teacher in front of the entire class. The incident provoked public anger. It was later reported that the woman was mentally ill and was subsequently admitted to a psychiatric hospital. Meanwhile, in Kashkadarya, a student assaulted their teacher.

In recent years, numerous cases of violence against teachers have come to light. Educators have been attacked not only by students but also by their parents, relatives, school guards, vice principals, and even school principals. However, accountability for such incidents remains weak, and punishments are often lenient.

Experts and education professionals interviewed by Kun.uz unanimously agree that violence against teachers is unacceptable. According to Sardor Rahimboyev, an official from the Ministry of Preschool and School Education, access to schools is relatively easy, especially in rural areas where people tend to know each other, leading to a lack of security checks.

"A punch thrown at a teacher is a punch thrown at the education system. A teacher is someone's mother, sister, or daughter. Interfering with their professional duties without justification is unacceptable. In our country, no one — not just teachers — should be subjected to violence. The real issue lies in the enforcement of punishments. Under no circumstances can violence against teachers be tolerated," said Sardor Rahimboyev.

According to education expert Shokir Tursun, the status of teachers in society remains low. He attributes this to insufficient salaries, long-standing disrespect toward educators, and poor working conditions, all of which have diminished the profession’s prestige.

"Teachers should be among the most respected members of society. In sociology, authority is established through professions, and the government plays a crucial role in reinforcing this. However, in Uzbekistan, we have failed to elevate teachers to positions of high regard. They continue to earn less than the national average salary. Our biggest issue is that we haven't solidified the teacher's role and status in society," said Shokir Tursun.

Mentally ill woman allegedly adopted the child

According to the ministry representative, in the Syrdarya incident, the teacher had given a student a low grade, which the student misrepresented to their mother. The mother then entered the school through a back entrance and physically assaulted the teacher inside the classroom. School staff triggered an emergency alarm, notifying security services, who arrived within five minutes and detained the woman. It was later revealed that she had been registered as mentally ill since 2014.

Expert Shokir Tursun stated that, based on some reports, the woman had actually adopted the child. However, official documents do not reflect this, and only one child is legally registered under her name. He emphasized that procedural violations were widespread and that not everyone follows established regulations.

Why were the school guard, principal, and other officials not held accountable?

According to Shokir Tursun, it is crucial to assess whether teachers feel safe in schools by gathering their feedback and conducting thorough investigations.

"I believe the school administration should have faced direct disciplinary action. Imagine if, instead of attacking the teacher with her hands, that mentally unstable woman had entered the school with a weapon. What would have happened then?" he questioned.

The ministry official explained that since any decision in education affects over 10,000 schools, it is important not to rush conclusions. After learning about the Syrdarya case, the minister held a meeting to address the situation and criticized the lack of security. A directive was issued to ensure that all school perimeters are properly fenced.

National Guard awaiting full control over school security

Odiljon Kuldoshev, an officer from the National Guard’s Security Department, stated that while the organization has been assigned responsibility for school security, full implementation has yet to begin.

"We are awaiting the transfer of over 30,000 security personnel to the National Guard," he said. Currently, more than 2,000 National Guard officers are monitoring school attendance, which, according to the ministry, has positively impacted discipline. However, the transfer of security responsibilities remains unresolved due to ongoing bureaucratic challenges.

Following recent incidents, some experts argue that Uzbekistan should implement stricter access controls for school entry. Shokir Tursun expressed disappointment that the ministry has not taken more decisive action.

"Almost everyone in my family is a teacher. We want to feel protected by the ministry. Ensuring the legal and physical safety of educators is the ministry's responsibility. Typically, such cases result in administrative proceedings. However, teachers are being assaulted in front of others, and videos of these incidents are spreading on social media. I believe these cases should be treated as criminal offenses," he stated.

Participants in the discussion emphasized that while severe punishments are important, ensuring the certainty of punishment is even more effective in reducing crime. However, they also stressed that violence against educators should be addressed with the utmost seriousness.