The Union of Professional Educators views the video of St Ignatius College students vandalizing school property as a serious red flag.

The incident highlights the need for a thorough evaluation of what is happening in schools, the union said in a statement. The Union stressed that educators should not be left alone in such situations, for example when authorities fail to have clear policies regarding mobile devices and their use in school.

The video, an Instagram story, shows St Ignatius College secondary students rampaging through their school campus, running across the roof and jumping railings all in the name of an internet trend, Times of Malta reports

“We support the action taken by the Education Minister to suspend the students,” the union said. However, this is only the first step towards ensuring the wellbeing of educators and students in this particular school. The minister's decision should be followed by several action plans to support parents and educators. "We urge the authorities to take further steps to ensure that such acts do not occur in schools in the future," the union said.

"It is unfortunate that the Malta Union of Teachers has no clear vision or policy regarding mobile devices in schools that can put all educators at risk," the UPE said. Educators have a right to a safe and healthy work environment that allows them to provide quality education. The Union of Professional Educators said it stands by all educators working in such environments, offering unwavering support to ensure their wellbeing.

The Union of Professional Educators added it is ready to work with the authorities to ensure that policies and action plans are put in place to prevent such incidents from occurring in schools. We believe that the community should work together in implementing measures that uphold educational standards and ensure that students are not exposed to violent or destructive behavior. We encourage parents to use this incident as an opportunity to have a conversation with their children about the consequences of such behavior and the importance of respecting school property. Let us all work together to create a safe and healthy school environment for all.