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Teacher suspended. I support the teacher.

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Reply 100

steve2005

I quote

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Reply 101

roubiliac

Original post by steve2005

No, I don't think there was a complaint.

Then how did anyone know?

Reply 102

roubiliac

Original post by MedicalMayhem

Well it's just for DT, I often stayed behind till 6pm, and teacher felt bad for me getting the bus :/ I always take it as a gesture of good will, not knowing the consequences :rolleyes:

...Surely if you had to go A&E and other people were in the car, I can't understand what the problem may be? :rolleyes:

Unless a teacher has insured their car for work purposes and most don't, I never did, it would invalidate their insurance to use the car to take a pupil to hospital. It would be seen as work business by the insurance company. This is why a taxi would have been called.

Reply 103

roubiliac

Original post by rmhumphries

The problem is that he has been suspended, without pay, when he hasn't done anything wrong. A parent could complain, yes, but it would get thrown out of the court if the teacher just gave the pupil a lift - that is not illegal.

It was never against company policy - the Department for Education itself has no advice on giving lifts.

He is a supply teacher. He isn't a salaried teacher.
You are wrong about policy. All teacher unions and all local authorities advise teachers that giving lifts to single pupils is a very dangerous thing to do and strongly advise against it.

Reply 104

roubiliac

Original post by toronto353

I support the teacher, but I'd just like to clarify child protection here. Child protection advises against there being just one adult present with one child in a given scenario. This is because, if said child makes a complaint, there is no witness to confirm or deny these allegations so the adult in question is in a difficult situation.

However, the issue here is the interpretation of child protection policy. The child was not actually alone in a darkened room with this man, but in a car with many windows. Therefore there are many passersby along with fellow drivers who could act as witnesses if there were allegations. That aspect of child protection has been incorrectly interpreted here by the agency.

Utter nonsense.
Giving children lifts is a classic child abuse scenario. All teachers are advised never to do it.

Reply 105

steve2005

Original post by roubiliac

Utter nonsense.
Giving children lifts is a classic child abuse scenario. All teachers are advised never to do it.

IF this is true, and I don't think it is, how is it OK for teachers to drive school minibuses ?

Please don't say, there are always two teachers in the minibus - so this makes it OK.

Reply 106

steve2005

Original post by roubiliac

Obviously a teacher who is alone with a pupil is at risk of being on the receiving end of allegations. Since there would be no witnesses the teacher would be in an impossible position. Most teachers would be aware of the risk... they simply need to use common sense. To say it is very dangerous is exaggeration.

IF the male teacher in this case had given a lift to a 17 year old schoolgirl - then I would call him an idiot, but I would not sack him unless I had reason to believe he had bad motives. I would certainly remind him that he was putting himself at risk.