Effects of school violence on educators : a case study of Fairvale Secondary School, Wentworth Durban.

Abstract

Over the past years scholarly authors have focused on how school violence affects learners and their capability to perform well at school. However, studies have ignored the reality that educators are affected by school violence as much as learners are. The study was aimed to examine the direct and indirect effects of school-based violence on educators, with particular reference to those who witnessed violence as well as those who were victims of violence within the school environment. Findings have shown that a school does not exist in a vacuum but is part of the broader society in which it is situated. Moreover, a school that is situated in community that is plagued in high rates of violence is more probable to experience incidents of school violence. Educators suffer from a number of different psychological and physical effects due to their exposure to violence on a regular basis. This research was conducted at a secondary school in the Wentworth area in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal. Wentworth is well known for gang-related violence and the high rates of crime in the area. Reportedly, many learners in this area exhibit behavioural problems that are, in particular, due to the socio-economic conditions of the community in which they live.