South African English newspapers' depiction of learner-on-teacher violence

Abstract

This paper reports on findings from a qualitative content analysis on South African English newspapers’ depiction of learner-on-teacher violence, and the effects thereof on the victimised teachers’ private and professional lives, as well as teaching and learning. Lindner’s humiliation theory underpins the study theoretically. The author uses a relational lens to focus on the destructive, humiliating relationship between teachers and learners in schools where learner-on-teacher violence is problematic. SA Media is the databank, and the data source is 57 newspaper articles that report on the incidence of learner-on-teacher violence. The findings indicate that newspapers depict learner-on-teacher violence as the physical, verbal, sexual and psychological abuse and humiliation of teachers. The analysed newspapers highlight the physicality and humiliating nature of attacks against teachers. The study finds that the disintegration of teaching and learning and the degradation of teachers’ private and professional lives are serious negative effects of learner-on-teacher violence in schools where violence is rampant. An important and recurring discourse in the newspapers’ construction of teachers as disempowered, humiliated and vulnerable individuals is that learners’ rights in South Africa supersede teachers’ rights. The study highlights the important role newspapers play in informing the public, education and community leaders and policymakers about learner-on-teacher violence as a serious problem that must be addressed.