Institutional violence against children with special needs

• Author: Ciobanu Grasu, M.
• Position: Ph.D. Candidate, University ?Alexandru Ioan Cuza', Iasi
• Pages: 105-112

Bulletin of the Transilvania University of Braşov

Series VII: Social Sciences • Law • Vol. 4 (53) No. 2 - 2011

INSTITUTIONAL VIOLENCE AGAINST

CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL

EDUCATIONAL NEEDS

Mihaela CIOBANU-GRASU1

Abstract: One of the risks arising from inclusion of children with special

educational needs (SEN) in mainstream schools is the phenomenon of

institutional violence. Using a qualitative approach, the research identifies

the main forms of v iolence against children with SEN: refusal to accept them

in school, educational neglect, exclusion from some activities and

punishment. Some of the causes of victimization are: poor material

resources, insufficient trai ning and motivation of teac hers to work with

children, non-involvement of parents. The ar ticle proposes several measure s

to prevent the phenomenon of instituti onal viclence against children with

SEN in inclusive schools.

Key words: school violence, violence, institutional, inclusive schools,

children with SEN

1 Ph.D. Candidate, University ‘Alexandru Ioan Cuza’, Iaşi.

1. Introduction

The school is a small universe that

reflects the social hierarchy: power

struggles, social practices, prejudices and

discrimination based on sex, ethnicity,

social background, so it is an environment

for the development of violent behaviors.

In school violence can occur both at the

objective level, officially recognized and

reported, in which case the penalties can

occur, and at a more subtle, symbolic,

psychological level. Aggression against

persons, against property, which in Anglo-

Saxon literature is called 'bullying’, falls

into the first category. In The attitudes o f

marginalization, isolation, rejection

affecting school climate [10] fall into the

second category.

Many cases of subjective violence are

part of the figures that do not appear in

official statistics. T he enquiries on schhol

violence and the statistics have different

data.

Defrance [4] makes a disti nction

between the violence of the school as an

institution and violence in school, that is

non-institutional violence. School, by the

legitimate authority exercised by teachers

on students, creates tension, frustration and

violence. In order to accomplish t heir

objectives (instr uction, education and

professional training) school teachers need

authority and discipline. The boundary

between authority and abuse of authority,