Survey: Student behavioral issues, safety concerns lead to high level of Missouri teacher dissatisfaction

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

One in six teachers want to leave the profession because of safety concerns, according to the Missouri State Teachers Association.

MSTA published the results of an anonymous survey it conducted on teacher satisfaction. The survey shows 70% of respondents thought about leaving the education profession. The top reason for wanting to leave was stress, and the top reason teachers gave for being stressed was student behavior.

"Students know that there is not a lot teachers can do to punish behavior. Students feel free to act and behave how they want without any recourse," said one anonymous survey taker.

Low teacher pay is typically attributed to educators dissatisfaction, but that was only third on the list of this survey.

"Teacher pay is is an issue, but it's not necessarily the highest issue. They're leaving for other reasons.  And that should be concerning. I mean, it's certainly concerning to us as an association, but it should be concerning to us as Missourians," said Todd Fuller with the Missouri State Teachers Association.

While the vast majority of survey respondents said they do feel physically safe in their schools, 9.5% of respondents said they do not feel safe and 19.3% said physical assault is a problem at their school.

"Every teacher in every district in the state knows someone who is dealing with this issue," Fuller said. "And it's become a more challenging issue than it ever was before, certainly before the pandemic."

According to the survey results, educators saw students assault a fellow educator far more than anyone else, followed by parents or guardians.

"Teachers need more support from administrators and parents. There have to be consequences to students' behavior or teachers will fear for their safety and stop teaching. For teachers' pay it is not worth their time to be physically and verbally assaulted by students," an anonymous survey response said.

When asked about verbal assault against teachers, respondents answers changed from physical assault. According to the survey results, 45.9% of teachers believe verbal assault against staff is a problem at their school.

"I've been emailed a threatening email from a former student, and no discipline was assigned to that student. I believe the student was only told to not email me anymore. How is that ok?" said an anonymous survey taker.

Before the December board meeting, the Columbia Missouri National Education Association (CMNEA) asked members about their safety and security on the job. Of the 30% of members who responded, 70% reported they've been verbally assaulted and 31% reported they've been hit, pushed or kicked, according to information sent to ABC 17 News by CMNEA president Noelle Gilzow.

Mallory McGowin with the Missouri Department of Economic Development said the solution will have to come from local school districts.

"It's just so challenging to figure out how best to communicate and enforce those standards statewide when out state looks so different, and the way you go about doing that work and establishing those policies might look different in certain parts of our state," McGowin said.

Missouri law requires schools to have an established written policy on reporting violence in schools. Under the Missouri's Safe Schools Act, enacted in 1996, schools have to report violence to employees on a "need to know" basis.

Columbia Public Schools spokesperson Michelle Baumstark said, "In general, at least in CPS, physical incidents are usually related to something else and not a direct act against an educator or school employee.  For example, the educator may be intervening in some way to resolve an incident between students or to keep an individual student safe from harm from themselves or others."

CPS's behavioral plan was outlined by the district's chief equity officer at the January Columbia School Board meeting. You can watch the video online.