The Bermuda Union of Teachers staff at CedarBridge Academy are not considering striking, union representatives at the school insisted yesterday.

They were reacting after a story in Friday's edition of The Royal Gazette said that -- according to school insiders -- fed-up teachers at the school were thinking about industrial action in protest over spiralling violence.

BUT representative Joey Robinson said: "No-one has contacted any of the teachers' representatives or anyone from the union.

And he claimed: "It certainly hasn't come from a legitimate source.'' Mr. Robinson said union representative were in regular consultation with the school principal Ernest Payette.

He said: "I don't want to get into the problems we have identified. We have not taken any industrial action -- that's not in the forefront.'' He added it was unfair to suggest that "we are going to strike at every little incident -- striking is a very serious thing and we don't take it lightly.'' But The Royal Gazette understands that a group of teachers within the school definitely favour hard-line action amid fears over increasing violence.

Mr. Payette said: "I know that some teachers are very disgruntled....but unless they talk to me personally I don't know -- that's why we have meetings with the staff.'' He added that regular `town meetings' were held with staff so they could air their concerns.

And he said: "This is a new environment, a change. Show me any change which doesn't cause stress and anxiety.

"There are some who have their own hidden agenda, but there are more than 100 staff in this school.'' Mr. Payette confirmed Police had been called to the school on Thursday after a fight between two pupils broke out in the school's north courtyard, but the disturbance had died down by the time officers arrived and they left.

But he denied a female student had chased a male student in the school cafeteria armed with a knife.

And he insisted he had no knowledge of an incident where one student is claimed to have hit another with a hammer on Wednesday.

Mr. Payette said that there were "occasions where children become very aggressive towards each other....students threaten each other and there are occasions when a child might come to blows.'' But he pointed out that many youngsters at CedarBridge suffered problems dating back to before the school even opened.

He said: "We are dealing with a massive student population with specific problems and behavioural problems which need to be addressed. They're coming into this school under a negative cloud.'' But he said the school had notched up successes -- including a good showing in a recent inter-school debating competition.

And Mr. Payette said: "We have gone through a two to three month period where the students are trying to act responsibly. But they are still acting out....these students have many challenges they are facing in their lives.

They have social circumstances they are facing on a daily basis.'' Mr. Payette said that media coverage of the school had an effect on morale.

He added: "Certainly the media has had an impact....the media has in fact created a picture and an image prior to these children ever coming into this environment.'' And he said: "We had to start with a negative perception and try and work towards the positive.'' Mr. Payette added: "The problems we are trying to solve at this point in time were created long before this facility ever opened. These are problems all schools are facing, not just in Bermuda but in Canada, the US and Britain as well.'' Education Minister Jerome Dill added: "There is a job to be done and there is good work being done -- I'd like to see more of that being brought to the public attention.'' And he said that initiatives like `town meetings' were valuable and should be copied elsewhere.

Mr. Dill added: "What we are hearing is frustration -- the reason for that frustration is that there is a very positive initiative which has been launched.'' UNIONS UNS