School violence and its impact on teachers’ well-being

Abstract

As a signatory to the applicable United Nations declarations, South Africa is obliged to ensure that all children have access to quality education. The reality, though, is that there are many barriers that make access to education difficult if not impossible. School violence, an escalating worldwide phenomenon, is widely cited as one of the challenges that schools face. The problem, as research has shown, is most prevalent and disruptive in poor communities. Many teachers reportedly leave the profession because they fear school violence or after they have been victims of violent attacks at their schools.In this article we explore the effect that violence in schools can have on teachers, as experienced by a case of three teachers. An interpretative phenomenological design was used to examine closely the participants' experiences of school violence. The study used the concepts of care and support as theoretical lenses to explore the relationship between sustainable development goals 3 (good health and well-being) and 4 (quality education) of the United Nations in relation to teachers' health as inclusive teachinglearning environments for all school members. Data were collected through narratives that were thematically analysed. The findings revealed that school violence has a negative impact on the general well-being of teachers and can produce what we call narratives of disillusionment.