44,000 SICKENING ATTACKS 200+ ASSAULTS EVERY DAY YEARS! OF INACTION BY HOLYROOD

Kicked, bitten, spat on and taunted: staff in schools tell of a never-ending nightmare at hands of pupils

- PAUL HITCHEON

BY PAUL HUTCHEON MORE than 200 school staff are being physically assaulted or verbally abused every day amid an epidemic of violence in classrooms.

Official figures reveal 44,600 sickening incidents were reported by teachers and other school workers last year.

The Daily's Record groundbreaking "Our Kids... Our Future" campaign has called for tough action to curb a rise in youth violence.

We have exposed the worrying trend of pupils posting the sickening attacks on Facebook and TikTok.

Statistics uncovered by the GMB trade union, which represents non-teaching staff, lays bare the scale of the problem.

The figures reveal an average of 210 incidents being reported every day of the school year.

The union said most of the acts were committed by pupils against staff and female workers were disproportionately the victims.

GMB Scotland secretary Louise Gilmour said: "These figures are shocking but sadly no longer surprising.

"The Record's campaigning coverage has helped expose a national emergency but official records are still underestimating the scale of the crisis.

"These reports are the tip of the iceberg and our members tell us the number of incidents that are not reported, recorded or investigated far outstrip those that are.

"That must change as a matter of urgency and staff must be given the time and encouragement to report incidents before proper investigation and action." The GMB's members include support assistants, janitors, admin and catering workers.