Teachers Told 'Do Not Get Involved' in Yard Fights, CMETB Hears

Teachers should not physically get involved in fights between students in the school yard, the Director of Schools at Cavan and Monaghan Education and Training Board (CMETB) has told board members. He said national guidelines on the issue have changed and are being updated. The advice drew surprise and concern at the board's first meeting of the new school year.

"If you see a row going on in the yard, do not get involved," Director of Schools Paddy Flood told members, the Anglo-Celt reported.

"You can't get involved?"

Teacher member Colm McCormack said he would feel he had a duty of care, in loco parentis ("in the place of a parent"), if he saw a child being beaten by an older child. But he added: "I can see why, with Tusla and everything, the advice is do not get involved."

Fine Gael councillor Alan Johnston was incredulous. "So, you see a child getting an awful battering and you can't get involved?" he asked.

"It's to protect teachers against allegations to other agencies," Mr Flood said. He said there is "an active discussion going on across the country right now". If parents bring an allegation of a physical nature, schools deal with it professionally, "but sometimes it goes to other authorities", he said.

"If you see a child in danger, you are in loco parentis and that still stands, but you have to be more careful," he added.

What the national guidelines say

The Department of Education and Youth's guidelines, Understanding Behaviours of Concern and Responding to Crisis Situations, were published in December 2024 and last updated in April 2026. They focus on prevention, early intervention and de-escalation.

Under the guidelines, physical intervention may be used only as the last part of a planned behaviour approach. It must never be used as discipline, must be proportionate and should last only as long as needed. Incidents must be recorded. A 2026 circular (0042/2026) set out updates on training and on monitoring and oversight.

The ETB runs post-primary schools across both counties, including the Monaghan Community Special School.