HOUSTON, March 3 (UPI) -- A Houston teachers' union survey found nearly three of four middle and high school teachers in the school district have been verbally abused by students.
The Houston Federation of Teachers survey also found 15 percent of the teachers have been physically assaulted, the Houston Chronicle reported. The results were based on an anonymous survey of 2,012 secondary teachers.
The union is using the survey findings to support its argument that the Houston Independent School District is not doing enough to protect teachers and is fostering a "culture of disrespect" toward teachers, the newspaper reported.
Houston school spokesman Terry Abbott said the survey was unreliable and "designed to get teachers to answer a certain way."
A school district-sponsored survey in January found 89 percent of the district's teachers felt safe at school and were satisfied with the district's efforts to keep them safe.
