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Parents admit even they are scared of ‘gangster’ bullies who run school as teachers strike over knife fears
PARENTS have today admitted even they are scared of so-called gangster bullies as teachers launched yet another strike over knife fears at a Birmingham school.
Starbank Secondary School in Yardley has been rated as "Outstanding" by Ofsted but has been plagued by regular fights and punch-ups in the school corridors.
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Teachers, who have had panic buttons installed, have this morning staged yet another walkout as they demand action on the terrifying attacks.
Parents said they supported teachers in the protests - claiming the bullies "control the school".
Some students are said to carry blades around the school, slugging it out bare knuckle-style at so called Thursday Fights.
Yasmin Achtar, 50, who has five children at school, said: "We support the teachers that are striking, there must be something seriously wrong for them to be doing it.
“A lot of the teachers in the secondary are supply teachers or temporary, because they can't keep full-time staff.
"Even us parents are scared to have our pictures taken to let people know what is happening - we fear the children could face the repercussions in the classroom.”
Fears over youngsters using knives to terrorise the school comes as London's own knife crime has continued to spiral out of control.
Figures from London's Metropolitan police showed that knife crime surged by 16 per cent in the capital year-on-year in 2018, as Britain's crime epidemic continues.
And one parent said her own child had been through bullying - claiming it had been swept under the rug.
The bullies get heard more than the victims here, and they control the school, not the teachers
Shabana Begum
Shabana Begum, 30, said: "When my daughter first started here, a boy started harassing her.
"My daughter ignored him until he got physical and started hitting her, when I brought it up with senior members of the school they promised me a meeting that never happened – it was brushed under the rug.
"The bullies get heard more than the victims here, and they control the school, not the teachers."
Parents have previously called on metal detectors to be installed at the school.
Both years seven and eight of Starbank School, in the Small Heath area of Birmingham, have been kept at home today.
Dad-of-one Suhell Miah, 37, whose child is enrolled in Starbank primary school, attached to the main building, said: "I don’t blame the permanent teachers for walking out, because it's not a safe school to teach in.
"Something has to be done about the situation and I don't see the teachers have any other choice."
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Starbank secondary confirmed today that years seven and eight remain at home but would not confirm if a strike was taking place.
Chris Keates (Ms), General Secretary of NASUWT – The Teachers’ Union said a meeting had been held today, saying: "Unfortunately insufficient progress was made at the meeting towards addressing our members’ concerns and, therefore, the strike action planned for Wednesday July 3 will proceed as planned.
"There will be no picket at the school on this occasion as the members will be having a private meeting to review the position, discuss all of the outstanding issues which remain to be addressed and consider the next stage in the dispute.
"Contact will then be made with the Birmingham Authority and a further statement may be made by the NASUWT on the situation at that time."
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