Prolonged exposure to aggressive behavior from students can cause a teacher to consider leaving the profession. The amount of time used in dealing with an aggressive student and the feeling of not being a good class manager can cause frustration with the profession. According to a 2005 publication. Frustration in the Classroom: Listening to the Teacher, the teachers interviewed noted that teaching has become a tedious, boring exercise as a result of dealing with strenuous demands without much support from management; this can include dealing with unruly students.
A 2008 study published in "Medycyna Pracy" indicated that student misbehavior occurs frequently in schools. The survey pointed to the correlation between student misbehavior and teacher's occupational stress. Stress results from spending too much time managing an aggressive student who may be physically and verbally abusive to the teacher. This not only drains the teacher's energy but also places a psychological and emotional burden on the teacher.
Dealing with aggressive behavior can be complex for a teacher due to the unpredictable reaction from parents, students and management. Teachers have the responsibility of being vigilant, managing and restraining negative student behavior. Yet in doing so, the teacher risks being accused of being forceful or abusive to the aggressive student. The situation is aggravated if the teacher does not know how to handle certain violent behaviors or is unfamiliar with school policies. In dealing with an aggressive student, a teacher risks losing his job or remaining isolated from parents, students and the school management.
A teacher's efficacy in managing the classroom can be threatened by aggressive students. A teacher, who cannot do much, may find that he is losing track of the syllabus because class time is too often disrupted by negative student behavior. According to "The Christian Science Monitor," due to the "no touch" policies in many schools, teachers cannot discipline students or they risk facing lawsuits. Thus, both new and seasoned teachers experience the loss of control of the classroom and the teaching process when students are excessively unruly.