Thousands of teachers 'at risk'

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/7918981.stm

Thousands of teaching careers are being destroyed by heavy handed child
protection procedures, teachers' unions and an MP have claimed.

One union leader told BBC File On 4, that teachers facing complaints are
"guilty until proved innocent."

Barry Sheerman, chair of the Commons select committee on schools, said
teachers were being treated unfairly.

The Department of Children, Schools and Families said it was working hard to
improve the handling of allegations.

'False allegations'

Unions argue that teachers faced with abuse allegations or claims they used
excessive force against pupils, face suspension, police investigation and
unfair disciplinary systems.

And even if the teacher's name is cleared, the complaint is still on record.

Chris Keates, General Secretary of NAS/UWT, said 800 plus complaints were
being made against its members annually and the vast majority related to the
way teachers dealt with difficult situations in the classroom.

"It's a blight on the modern teaching profession," she told BBC File On 4.

Ms Keates said the majority of accusations are false, but added: "Whatever
the outcome of the investigation that will be on the teacher's file. If that
teacher applies for another job that allegation will be resurrected under
the Criminal Records Bureau check.

'Guilt presumed'

"So you could say that everyone of those 800 teachers has got a blight over
their career for the rest of their time teaching."

She claimed that unlike a criminal case, teachers faced with disciplinary
action over complaints from pupil had to prove their innocence.

Ms Keates said nobody doubted that children needed protection but she added:
"This presumption of guilt is one of the major flaws in the current system."

Mr Sheerman said thousands of teachers were being affected by false
complaints with their careers left in ruins.

'Ruined reputation'

The chair of the Commons Select Committee on Children, Schools and Families,
added: "You cannot suspend a teacher without damaging them as a
professional."

He also said: "What the government is doing is full of good intentions, but
it is not being felt down at the grass roots in schools."

The Department for Children, Schools and Families told the BBC, "Guidance on
more consistent and swifter handling of allegations was issued for education
in 2005.

"We are also looking at whether guidance should be amended to make clear
that accusations which have been demonstrated to be untrue do not need to be
included in teachers' references."


--
Of course women are merely defective men! If God had meant women to think
He'd have given them brains



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