Accused of assault
Discussion
Thanks all, some interesting advice. I love my job and certainly wouldn't want to walk away and leave some brilliant colleagues behind. I just need to make sure the right decisions are made Monday, then hopefully, I can return straight away. The latest trend at our school has been students antagonising teachers and then secretly recording them on their phone and using a one sided recording as evidence to complain.
Some teachers are at their wits end most of the time. Teenagers empowered by their ignorant and oblivious parents and it doesn't look like changing any time soon.
Some teachers are at their wits end most of the time. Teenagers empowered by their ignorant and oblivious parents and it doesn't look like changing any time soon.
take-good-care-of-the-forest-dewey said:
I think perhaps you underestimate that choice. I'm from exactly that background, and have many mates who signed up because it was either that or nothing...most likely the petty theft turned into career theft and institutional life thereafter. Military life suited them. It certainly made them better human beings.
My father did his national service in the Durham Light Infantry and most of his mates were 'wrong uns' as he put it. A period of being away from a toxic family, being replaced by one which generally has a strong moral compass (unless pissed and on close proximity to another regiment) helped them too - and they didn't have a choice.
You're right... Not everyone is suited to a military life. But your point was there is NO place... And that's incorrect. There is a place for a lot of kids from that background.
And the individual who’s the subject of this thread is too young to join, I’m guessing, so completely irrelevant anyway. My father did his national service in the Durham Light Infantry and most of his mates were 'wrong uns' as he put it. A period of being away from a toxic family, being replaced by one which generally has a strong moral compass (unless pissed and on close proximity to another regiment) helped them too - and they didn't have a choice.
You're right... Not everyone is suited to a military life. But your point was there is NO place... And that's incorrect. There is a place for a lot of kids from that background.
Bingobobster said:
Thanks all, some interesting advice. I love my job and certainly wouldn't want to walk away and leave some brilliant colleagues behind. I just need to make sure the right decisions are made Monday, then hopefully, I can return straight away. The latest trend at our school has been students antagonising teachers and then secretly recording them on their phone and using a one sided recording as evidence to complain.
Some teachers are at their wits end most of the time. Teenagers empowered by their ignorant and oblivious parents and it doesn't look like changing any time soon.
Last paragraph is my experience too, unfortunately. Some teachers are at their wits end most of the time. Teenagers empowered by their ignorant and oblivious parents and it doesn't look like changing any time soon.
I would hope it is made clear to the parent(s) and pupil that false accusations are a very serious issue and could lead to permanent exclusion. Ifs its becoming a bit of a theme in the school the head needs to tackle it and do so very publicly involving parents and pupils. I've taught in mainstream, SEN and residential centres for the most "challenging" youngsters and rules need to clear for everyone and supported by management.
I've seen a trainee teachers career ended before it started by false accusation.
I'm sure all will be well on Monday but wokring in that kind of environment is not good for you, if its not going to change I'd be looking at alternatives.
I've seen a trainee teachers career ended before it started by false accusation.
I'm sure all will be well on Monday but wokring in that kind of environment is not good for you, if its not going to change I'd be looking at alternatives.
Assuming your account is accurate (no suggestion otherwise), I would hope the police charge the child and mother for wasting police time and even possibly PTCoJ, something that they like to use these days. This type of nonsense needs to be stopped.
One of the joys of life in Japan, Hong Kong and Singapore is how lovely and polite the school kids are: all dressed smartly and behaving like “people” as opposed to the feral creatures that I see in London these days.
All started with Toby Blair and his policies of zero repercussions for bad behaviour if my recollection is correct.
One of the joys of life in Japan, Hong Kong and Singapore is how lovely and polite the school kids are: all dressed smartly and behaving like “people” as opposed to the feral creatures that I see in London these days.
All started with Toby Blair and his policies of zero repercussions for bad behaviour if my recollection is correct.
21TonyK said:
I would hope it is made clear to the parent(s) and pupil that false accusations are a very serious issue and could lead to permanent exclusion. Ifs its becoming a bit of a theme in the school the head needs to tackle it and do so very publicly involving parents and pupils. I've taught in mainstream, SEN and residential centres for the most "challenging" youngsters and rules need to clear for everyone and supported by management.
That’s spot on but unfortunately school management is often made up of teachers who’s ambition or circumstances leave them promoted beyond their abilities. It requires some determination and backbone to continue facing down every single behavioural issue until they start to subside and not every head teacher is well enough equipped. 21TonyK said:
I would hope it is made clear to the parent(s) and pupil that false accusations are a very serious issue and could lead to permanent exclusion. Ifs its becoming a bit of a theme in the school the head needs to tackle it and do so very publicly involving parents and pupils.
You'll know this, but what these schools are up against is that many of the kids don't want to be there - they only turn up because their parent(s) usually force them to go. So they don't care what happens.Teacher daughter tells me exclusion is extremely difficult - the Head is usually very reluctant and even after him the LA will push back as they have the legal obligation to provide a place and, depending on the area, there's often no where else to send the kid.
Edited by Sheepshanks on Sunday 22 May 03:50
OP you have my best wishes with this. Whilst not the same situation a relative of mine is a Deputy Head and an ex student from a previous school who is now in her early 20’s made malicious allegations against him 18months ago. The Police arrested and bailed him. The Union did nothing, zero support and he has been off work ever since. It cost us £15k for a Barrister to effectively challenge the allegations that CPS were considering. He had 60+ references. The union he has paid into for 25 years have done nothing. We can only think this has come about as when my relative was in charge of safeguarding at a high school the now baby daddy of this girls child was reported for sexual assault. You guessed it….relative had to report and process the complaint.
A dedicated educator has now lost any interest in a job he once loved.
Scum will always be scum. CCTV is your best friend in all of this.
A dedicated educator has now lost any interest in a job he once loved.
Scum will always be scum. CCTV is your best friend in all of this.
Really sorry OP. I'm sure you'll be fine though, given the CCTV and witness accounts being consistent with your account.
I'm a trainee GP and this sort of extra s
t is exactly why I am very unlikely to do more than two days as a GP on qualifying. Maybe even just one day. High risk work for st pay. No thank you.
I'm a trainee GP and this sort of extra s
t is exactly why I am very unlikely to do more than two days as a GP on qualifying. Maybe even just one day. High risk work for st pay. No thank you. Mikebentley said:
OP you have my best wishes with this. Whilst not the same situation a relative of mine is a Deputy Head and an ex student from a previous school who is now in her early 20’s made malicious allegations against him 18months ago. The Police arrested and bailed him. The Union did nothing, zero support and he has been off work ever since. It cost us 15k for a Barrister to effectively challenge the allegations that CPS were considering. He had 60+ references. The union he has paid into for 25 years have done nothing. We can only think this has come about as when my relative was in charge of safeguarding at a high school the now baby daddy of this girls child was reported for sexual assault. You guessed it….relative had to report and process the complaint.
A dedicated educator has now lost any interest in a job he once loved.
Scum will always be scum. CCTV is your best friend in all of this.
I foresee bodycams being common, to counter those who take a phone video and edit the before and after.A dedicated educator has now lost any interest in a job he once loved.
Scum will always be scum. CCTV is your best friend in all of this.
I went to a tough school in inner city Manchester in the 1960's, if you forgot your homework you would get six strokes of the cane, three on each hand, which would normally draw blood.
No point telling your parents because they would say "Don't forget your homework then"
Different times.
Good luck
No point telling your parents because they would say "Don't forget your homework then"
Different times.
Good luck
Hope all goes well for you OP. We would never have dared even back chat a teacher when I was at school. We had teachers we could have a laugh with but we'd only go so far. Kids now seem to have no respect, for anything at all 
I was once kicked up the arse by my form teacher when I tossed a dishcloth to him at lunch. He was stood near the serving hatch and would normally have caught it and dropped it on the hatch but he had already started walking back to the table and it caught him just under the chin!
An accident but he went spare! With good reason. He shouted at me to get out, kicked my arse on the way, slapped the back of my head, and shouted detention at the same time! 
I got lines as well.
When he'd calmed down, and I'd had a chance to explain, and apologies profusely, he actually laughed, called me a few choice names, and all was forgotten. I never even considered reporting him. A couple of other kids, the problem ones, thought I was some kind of hero for 'throwing a cloth 'at' a teacher and that I should report him, but it was a total accident, and I liked the guy and got on well with him, he was my form master for registration in a morning and our French Teacher! He'd actually cadged cigs of us, and shared his French Gauloises
This was the 70's though!
I hope the police see sense and at least warn the kid, and his mother, against what sounds like a malicious complaint, and scare the crap out of the mother!
I couldn't do your job, but you obviously love it so Good Luck on Monday, hope the cctv shows the little tt up for the lying git he is! As others have said, take a colleague with you so you at least have some support, and a witness!
I was once kicked up the arse by my form teacher when I tossed a dishcloth to him at lunch. He was stood near the serving hatch and would normally have caught it and dropped it on the hatch but he had already started walking back to the table and it caught him just under the chin!
An accident but he went spare! With good reason. He shouted at me to get out, kicked my arse on the way, slapped the back of my head, and shouted detention at the same time! I got lines as well.When he'd calmed down, and I'd had a chance to explain, and apologies profusely, he actually laughed, called me a few choice names, and all was forgotten. I never even considered reporting him. A couple of other kids, the problem ones, thought I was some kind of hero for 'throwing a cloth 'at' a teacher and that I should report him, but it was a total accident, and I liked the guy and got on well with him, he was my form master for registration in a morning and our French Teacher! He'd actually cadged cigs of us, and shared his French Gauloises
This was the 70's though!I hope the police see sense and at least warn the kid, and his mother, against what sounds like a malicious complaint, and scare the crap out of the mother!
I couldn't do your job, but you obviously love it so Good Luck on Monday, hope the cctv shows the little t
t up for the lying git he is! As others have said, take a colleague with you so you at least have some support, and a witness! Wacky Racer said:
I went to a tough school in inner city Manchester in the 1960's, if you forgot your homework you would get six strokes of the cane, three on each hand, which would normally draw blood.
No point telling your parents because they would say "Don't forget your homework then"
Different times.
Good luck
Sounds sNo point telling your parents because they would say "Don't forget your homework then"
Different times.
Good luck
t OP, best of luck. 80s school for me, not especially tough and no canes by then but my form tutor would repeatedly hit my head on the desk. One hit for each syllable of whatever b
king I was getting. I also got 'run over' by my Geography teacher - at 0.5mph when I purposely didn't get out of his way on the school drive. Don't think I told my parents.
Both would probably be had up these days but was nothing I didn't deserve.
Also was made to hum (well, that noise some people can make through their teeth) the theme tune to 'The Flumps' while standing on one leg in the assembly hall. Think I preferred the physical punishments.
My brother is a teacher and went through something similar with a female pupil. At first it seemed like the head was going to side with the parents but when she studied all the accounts he was given a warning. She realised this particular girl was a ‘problem child.’ You just can’t touch them. The girl’s parents were proper nightmares and wanted to pursue inappropriate touching charges. After a month of seeing him drinking on sick leave as he was depressed and convinced he’d lost his job.. he was called in for a slap on the wrist and made to apologise to the girl and her parents. It was humiliating but he kept his job and changed forms. He said he preferred online classes over lockdown with camera off. There were no issues for him then.
Join a union if you haven’t already. Also, check whether your home insurance covers you for employment issues. If not then get some legal cover in place should you need it now or in the future.
Kids these days have too much access to technology and are growing up fast. It’s the norm now for the average 11 year old to have pornographic content on their phone and exchange it. My brother has been recorded by pupils when he was shopping with his wife. Uploaded to tiktok with inappropriate comments on his wife. Then told on Monday: “Sir we saw you on tiktok how was Windsor sir?”
A lot respect for you. Any time you have at home is probably taken up with lesson planning and marking.
Join a union if you haven’t already. Also, check whether your home insurance covers you for employment issues. If not then get some legal cover in place should you need it now or in the future.
Kids these days have too much access to technology and are growing up fast. It’s the norm now for the average 11 year old to have pornographic content on their phone and exchange it. My brother has been recorded by pupils when he was shopping with his wife. Uploaded to tiktok with inappropriate comments on his wife. Then told on Monday: “Sir we saw you on tiktok how was Windsor sir?”
A lot respect for you. Any time you have at home is probably taken up with lesson planning and marking.
Hope everything goes well, OP.
Permanent exclusion should be the outcome for a pupil making false allegations against a teacher, in my opinion, with police action as well given the "mother" wasting their time.
It's a hard enough job as it is, I'm sure, so bloody infuriating to read your account as an outsider.
I also feel for the majority of pupils who are having their education disrupted by problem kids. Whoever decided on the modern policy of keeping trouble causers in school at all costs should be ashamed.
Permanent exclusion should be the outcome for a pupil making false allegations against a teacher, in my opinion, with police action as well given the "mother" wasting their time.
It's a hard enough job as it is, I'm sure, so bloody infuriating to read your account as an outsider.
I also feel for the majority of pupils who are having their education disrupted by problem kids. Whoever decided on the modern policy of keeping trouble causers in school at all costs should be ashamed.
I did my first year of teaching in a challenging Comp. Luckily I then moved on to a 6th form college which, whilst it also had its challenges, was not as bad.
I'd reiterate the advice about joining a Union or Professional body. They came in handy when I had to have extended time off due to ill health by representing my interest at meetings and also negotiating an ill health severance package.
I seem to recall that there were Govt guidelines about touching pupils in "safe" areas and also concerning the use of force. From what you describe you certainly used a safe area - upper arm - and also did not use excessive force.
I sincerely hope it all goes well for you OP. You have my sympathy and support. Please let us know how it pans out.
I'd reiterate the advice about joining a Union or Professional body. They came in handy when I had to have extended time off due to ill health by representing my interest at meetings and also negotiating an ill health severance package.
I seem to recall that there were Govt guidelines about touching pupils in "safe" areas and also concerning the use of force. From what you describe you certainly used a safe area - upper arm - and also did not use excessive force.
I sincerely hope it all goes well for you OP. You have my sympathy and support. Please let us know how it pans out.
Edited by oblio on Sunday 22 May 08:46
Sympathies OP.
In an ideal world, all the pressure would be on the parent to bear the brunt of the fallout from this, but it isn't, it's on the sensible professional grown ups who are trying to help their children have a better life.
What should happen is that the child is publicly punished for his actions and he and his mother eventually make a connection between what they do and what happens next and moderate their future behaviour.
In an ideal world, all the pressure would be on the parent to bear the brunt of the fallout from this, but it isn't, it's on the sensible professional grown ups who are trying to help their children have a better life.
What should happen is that the child is publicly punished for his actions and he and his mother eventually make a connection between what they do and what happens next and moderate their future behaviour.
V1nce Fox said:
sebdangerfield said:
Do they not provide any legal support if tshtf?
The experiences i’ve had with the unions have left me in no doubt that i wouldn’t trust them to take a st without getting it on their hands. If it turns legal, use actual legal people.
Gassing Station | Speed, Plod & the Law | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff