Huge rise in teacher suspensions
There has been an 86% increase in the number of teachers suspended on full pay in the UK over claims of pupil mistreatment, the BBC has learned.
This statistic appears to be alarming at first glance. And, may be that is the case. However, bottom line the report states: "In total there are 537,000 teachers in the UK, so only a tiny minority of teachers - fewer than 0.01% get suspended".
A couple of things jump out at me, "£14.5 million was paid out in salaries for those suspended", in other words, teachers were paid for not teaching. "The length of suspensions ranged from about a week to, in one case in Leicester, more than four years". How on earth could the investigation and suspension go on for 4 years? I find it incredible that the Freedom of Information Act can produce the amount of suspensions, and yet leave a large gap in the knowledge: "The Freedom of Information research did not reveal how many allegations against teachers were upheld". At the very least these figures should be produced.
UPDATE: Thanks to Nich Starling, Norfolk Blogger, for reminding me of the link to this related post.
This links nicely to your article a few days ago about malicious allegations and how they can stay on file.
ReplyDeleteIf you're going to suspend someone pending investigation you have to pay them, otherwise it's a punishment before being found guilty of any offense. If someone's been suspended for four years it means the authorities have made a ricket and don't know how to extricate themselves without looking like heavy-handed cretins.
ReplyDeleteNich: Mentally, I noted the link between the articles and I should have included in the post, which I will do now. In my view, natural justice requires being made aware of the accusations and the accusers. This has all the hallmarks of Joseph K in Kafka's The Trial.
ReplyDeleteJemmy Hope: I agree. However, 4 years makes a mockery of the whole process. As does granting retirement on spurious medical grounds for those accused in the police force, so that they keep their pension, rather than face a diciplinary tribunal.
John,
ReplyDeleteScales have tipped in childrens' favour, though not always in their best interests.
A friend worked in a local educational establishment for 'difficult children', victims of socially deprived backgrounds. She stepped in to break up a vicious physical attack and was suspended for preventing blood spillage. Had she not acted, she told me she would have been accused of negligence.
I suspect the above applies to most educational establishments.
Teachers and rules are no longer respected. Children know they can get a teacher suspended by simply making false allegations.
John,
ReplyDeleteI'm sure some cases are no more than victimization by troublemakers.
"Mr Carburund, will you eventually sit down and stop trying to disrupt this lesson!"
ReplyDelete"Wahh, wahh! You have violated my human rights! I'm going to report you to the school board!"
"nuff said.
Never take heed of the BBC relating to teacher misconduct. The teaching unions pre-vet the reports.
ReplyDeleteIt is one of the few areas of state news which is censored by trade unions.
it is typical misinformation by the BBC, Britain has the highest levels of sexual misconduct by teachers in the world.
For example as the FBI chugged into action, child pornography etc. List 99 referrals doubled between 2003 and 2005.
Not only does one have to be suspended to be referred to List 99, one has to be fired or convicted. There were thousands of referrals in 2005.
Child Protection: Schools
Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:
How many cases were referred to the List 99 Teachers Misconduct Team in England and Wales in 2003, 2004 and 2005; and [HL2654]
How many letters of written warning were issued in England and Wales to teachers for inappropriate sexual behaviour towards pupils in 2003, 2004 and 2005. [HL2655]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Education and Skills (Lord Adonis): The number of cases in England and Wales referred to and concluded by the department's List 99 team in the relevant years is set out in the table below:
Cases Referred Cases Concluded
2003
1,147 1,047
2004
1,362 1,370
2005
2,092 2,554
"Teachers and rules are no longer respected. Children know they can get a teacher suspended by simply making false allegations."
ReplyDeleteLess than one FA of sexual abuse or misconduct per tjousand List 99 referrals.
Haut de la Garenne is the prob in Britain. Brit teachers interdicted by the FBI make up over 50 percent of the global total, for teachers.
Brit teachers are recognized from Thailand to Timbuktu for what they do.
Parts of the UK such as Northern Ireland have *never* had a false allegation of sex abuse against a teacher.
The teaching unions oppoed ctiminalization of pupil teacher sex. What did the Chief Inspector of Schools say about it, yup, he was doing it.
Britain has a prob with teachers doing the school kids.
Did you not have one school in Humberside with 14 teachers doing the schoolgirl?
ReplyDeleteBe serious, Brit teachers are viewed as pedophiles from Texas to Tamania.
"Scales have tipped in childrens' favour, though not always in their best interests."
ReplyDeleteI'll buy you a new car if you can get the govt, to produce stats of sex offending by teachers.
You have an allegation based vetting sysatem that doesn't allow allegations!
PRESS RELEASE ESMOND BIRNIE MLA UUP SOUTH
BELFAST
11 July 2006
INCREDIBLE NONSENSE FROM THE DfES & HOME
OFFICE
THE GOVT. DO KEEP TRACK OF SEXUAL OFFENDING BY EDUCATORS, HOWEVER
APPARENTLY THEY HAVE DECIDED TO PRETEND THEY DO NOT
At the height of the registered sex offenders who were working in
school scandal, the DfES were desperately
sending out bulletins to LEAs demanding the immediate halt to system
wide CRB checks. The DfES were patently doing
the precise opposite of what might be expected of the department.
It was perhaps hardly surprising ( a few months later), that of 58
schools surveyed by OFSTED , 55 did not have a
record of each member of staff stating whether their identity,
qualifications or criminal records had been checked and, if so, when
and by whom.
What OFTSED actually discovered, in plain and simple language, was that
a 'recorded' vetting system may not exist within the DfES
system, the implications for Northern Ireland remain unclear.
The Ulster Unionist Party has struggled for months to clarify the
relationship of our own system in Northern Ireland as it relates to
larger models in Britain. The response given to Lord Laird indicates
that the DfES are in no hurry to provide bona
fide answers to valid questions.
The written answer to Lord Laird by Lord Adonis is remarkable within
the described context of one scandal quickly followed by another, it is
quite amazing.
The starting point for any teacher vetting system has to involve
comprehensive data collection. The DfES and
Home Office do have access to the information and they should have
provided Lord Laird of Artigarvan with a credible response.
Dr. Esmond Birnie MLA UUP South Belfast
Child Protection: Teachers
Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:
How many teachers have been (a) convicted, or (b) cautioned for child
pornography or sexual abuse in (i) England, and (ii) Northern Ireland
over the past five years.[HL6515]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Education
and Skills (Lord Adonis): The Department for Education and Skills does
not record the numbers of teachers cautioned or convicted for child
pornography or sexual abuse. The Home Office has data relating to the
total number of individuals cautioned or convicted, though these are
not broken down by profession.