A REPORT commissioned by the Minister for Education on discipline in schools finds that one out of five in a survey of 250 teachers views indiscipline as "serious and pervasive".
The report was issued at the ASTI conference yesterday.
The report's author, Dr Maeve Martin of St Patrick's College, Maynooth, writes: "There is a sense of foreboding about discipline and a perception that what is not a problem today might become one in the future - a future not too far away."
Teachers feared the spread and escalation of indiscipline, and a majority of schools had a small core of pupils who were persistently disruptive. The report warns that in some post-primary schools in disadvantaged areas teaching and learning are "extraordinarily difficult, if not totally unachievable".
It lists a number of serious breaches of discipline, including - gang fights, often involving the use of knives or compasses; drug trafficking both inside and outside school buildings; vandalism of school property; open defiance, intimidation and hostility directed at, teachers and other pupils, and various forms of bullying.
The report makes a very large number of recommendations. Among them are that all schools should have a behaviour policy which would represent a consensus of the values and aims of the teachers, pupils, parents, ancillary staff, boards of management and the wider community.
Schools should hold high expectations for their pupils and these should be communicated to pupils and their parents. Rules should be few and fair; simple and positively stated; enforceable and enforced; developed and owned by all the partners; discussed, and where appropriate, taught like academic subjects.
Schools' cultures should be such that teachers feel supported in their efforts to maintain an orderly working environment. Schools should offer care and support to students on the basis that students who feel cared about and supported tend to perform and conform in acceptable ways.