Teachers last night issued a stark warning to Government after revealing that a 14-year-old boy who allegedly assaulted a senior staff member at CedarBridge Academy was suspended for just ten days.

Lisa Trott, president of Bermuda Union of Teachers (BUT), claimed the student ?jumped? one of the school?s deputies and ?pummelled him with punches? during an incident about a fortnight ago.

She warned that union members would begin reporting incidents to Police unless tougher punishments were imposed by the Ministry of Education. The maximum suspension which can be given is for 45 days.

Ms Trott told the pupil was immediately suspended but that it was not for long enough in the union?s opinion.

?It was an out-and-out assault. I would think that this is one of the most serious offences that you can commit (in school). The only one more serious would be to attack the principal.

?In our opinion if this was not serious enough for a 45-day suspension, then what is?

?If these things occurred on the street they would be criminal offences. Because they happen to occur within the four walls of a school doesn?t make them any less criminal.

?If the Ministry is not going to take the steps to protect teachers then teachers are going to have to start reporting all these incidents of assault to the Police.?

She said the incident was witnessed by ?students and teachers alike?. ?He (the teacher) was attempting to get out of the way. He did the utmost to defend himself though he never hit the student,? she added.

Ms Trott spoke out after a meeting of BUT members at CedarBridge last night ? held less than a week after teachers at the school called a halt to lessons when a student who made vulgar comments was allowed to return to the classroom.

She said members were angry and aggrieved with the Ministry because it ?seems to have lost respect for teachers and the union?.

She described Friday?s incident as ?the straw that broke the camel?s back? and accused the Government of not sticking to the terms and conditions of its collective agreement with the union. ?We had planned this meeting for at least two weeks to address the members about our growing concern regarding the Ministry?s treatment of the union,? she said. ?The fact that Friday happened three working days before we had that meeting ? it was almost poetic.?

The BUT begins negotiations with Government on teachers? terms and conditions on April 13. Ms Trott said the discipline of students would be one of a number of issues on the table.

Friday?s sit-down at CedarBridge was sparked when a student was allowed back to school pending an appeal hearing against his suspension, due to be held at the Ministry yesterday.

Teachers want an interim policy to stop the same thing happening again before a new Student Code of Conduct is brought in which is likely to not allow suspended children to return to school until after their appeal hearing.

The Ministry of Education declined to comment last night.