‘They think that if you're a teacher here … you're not clever enough to be a proper teacher’: the courtesy stigma experienced by teachers employed at schools for pupils with behavioural, emotional and social difficulties (BESD)

Abstract

A wealth of literature has identified that children with behavioural, emotional and social difficulties (BESD) and their families are frequently stigmatised due to the perceived controllable and ‘invisible’ nature of this special educational need (SEN). Yet little research has considered the impact of this stigma on another group of individuals, educational practitioners employed in BESD schools. This is despite these professionals working in close contact with pupils with BESD, a heavily stigmatised group, on a regular basis. This paper therefore, details a study which explored perceptions of stigma specifically with educational professionals employed in schools for pupils with BESD. Semi‐structured interviews with nine practitioners (including head teachers and class teachers with additional responsibilities) were conducted, all of whom had worked within the BESD sector for at least 10 years, with data being analysed via Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA). Findings revealed how educational practitioners employed in BESD schools experienced courtesy stigma, with many not being perceived as ‘proper’ teachers due to a discourse of care surrounding BESD. Other professionals reported much confusion from their mainstream colleagues and other individuals about how they could want to work with such ‘challenging’ pupils. This courtesy stigma was linked to the wider stigma surrounding BESD schools, which were often ignorantly perceived to be full of ‘bad boys’ or ‘absolute horrors’. This paper concludes by considering the implications of these findings for policy and practice, and provides recommendations for addressing the identified stigma towards practitioners employed in BESD schools.

Inclusion: the role of special and mainstream schools

“…However, teachers in special schools can also experience stigma. Broomhead () explored the stigma attached to the educational practitioner employed in BESD schools using interviews with six headteachers and three class teachers in BESD schools. She concluded that practitioners in BESD schools may not be perceived as ‘proper’ teachers due to the discourse of care surrounding them.…”

“…Secondly, research highlighting the benefits and challenges faced by special schools is investigated (Hornby & Witte, 2008;Parsons et al, 2009;Parsons, 2015;Day et al, 2012;Reed et al, 2012;Kelly et al, 2014;Black, 2014;Cook et al, 2016). Thirdly, research emphasising the value and challenges of inclusion in mainstream settings is reviewed (Frederickson et al, 2007;Lindsay et al, 2016;O'Hagan & Hebron, 2016;Broomhead, 2013Broomhead, , 2014de Graaf et al, 2013;Waddington & Reed, 2016;de Boer et al, 2013;Glazzard, 2014;Webster & Blatchford, 2015). Research that listens to the voice of 'disabled' and 'non-disabled' children regarding mainstream and special school provision is the final theme (Griffiths, 2007;Prunty et al, 2012;Gasson et al, 2015;Geordiadi et al, 2012;Tuersley-Dixon & Frederickson, 2016;Roberts & Simpson, 2016;Feiler, 2013;Skovlund, 2014).…”

From the voice of a ‘socratic gadfly’: a call for more academic activism in the researching of disability in postsecondary education

“…Such 'courtesy stigma' has been documented in other fields. For example Broomhead (2016) documented how teachers employed by schools for pupils with behavioural, emotional and social difficulties felt stigmatised and treated as if they were not as clever as other teachers.…”

Commentary on “De-fusing and re-fusing face-to-face encounters involving autistic persons in Hong Kong”

“…Courtesy stigma can also be projected onto professionals who work with a stigmatised group. For example, Broomhead (2016) explored how teachers in special needs education are not considered as “proper” teachers.…”