The father of a young man stabbed to death in an unprovoked knife attack has appealed to teachers to help prevent knife crime.
Mark Brindley’s son James died after being stabbed in the heart while walking home at night in a quiet village near Birmingham.
Today Mr Brindley spoke to teachers and heads at the Schools and Academies Show at the NEC, Birmingham, where he was promoting The Full Circle Programme, which he set up to raise awareness about knife crime and other youth problems.
Mr Brindley said: “Certain teaching professionals think that if they’re in schools that are in middle-class areas with nice young children who are well-behaved that they don’t have an issue - but I say, ‘If you believe that you’re burying your head in the sand.’
“The issue is not restricted to deprivation or to money or social class. It’s everywhere and affects everybody, so don’t let anybody tell you otherwise.”
Campaign against knife crime
Speaking to Tes, Mr Brindley said the steps teachers could take to help tackle knife crime included:
1. Think long term
Look at long-term interventions within school, so there is something embedded in the PSHE curriculum, rather than a one-hit intervention.
2. Respond to local issues
Discuss local issues in assemblies to raise awareness of violent crime and knife crime. If an incident happens in your area, talk about it.
3. Tap into outside knowledge
Invite experts from schemes like the Full Circle Programme into school to raise awareness about knife crime, and talk to pupils.
Want to keep reading for free?
Register with Tes and you can read two free articles every month plus you'll have access to our range of award-winning newsletters.
