Teachers Council
I used to joke that the only way a teacher can lose their job is if they sexually assault a pupil, but it now seems even that won’t do it.
Here’s some of the offences done by teachers, which the Teachers Council did not find seriious enough to stop them teaching:
* Convictions for importing ecstasy and supplying cannabis to minors;
* Admitted sexually abusing his 15-year-old niece over a two-year period as it was “somewhat addictive”
* held UK convictions including battery against an 11-year-old
* stole $12,700 from his school.
* viewed pornography while supervising a School Certificate exam
So is the Council there to protect teachers or students?
No TweetBacks yet. (Be the first to Tweet this post)
Tags: New Zealand
October 22nd, 2006 at 9:27 am
And here’s the part you forgot to quote:
“Before renewing registrations, the council would assess the level of remorse shown by the applicant and whether there had been any repetition of the behaviour, he said.
If teachers were registered, appropriate measures were put in place to monitor their work.
In some cases, counselling and extra supervision could continue for years, he said.
Teachers could be required to disclose their convictions or breaches of ethics at every school they worked but, in other cases, there were no such requirements.”
I would also note that the article fails to mention that conditions are often put on teachers in these situations, eg they can only teach certain age groups, they can only day-to-day relieve or they cannot have a class, etc.
It’s worth considering that if the police have prosecuted successfully then I would say deregistration is pretty much guaranteed (from my personal observation), whereas these cases are possibly ones where the police could not take a successful case, which means, in terms of innocent until proven guilty, the Teachers Council must be more lenient.
There’s a political background here too, in terms of a bigger decision going on at the moment about whether the Teachers Council website should name the teachers in the decisions it reports. That’s the real reason this issue is in the media right now – to put pressure on this decision.
It’s also worth considering that absolutely anyone can make a complaint to Teachers Council, about any teacher. This results in malicious complaints, and means that the teacher is sometimes in the difficult situation of having to try to prove a negative. The complaint will be dismissed but the teacher has no comeback against the person making the malicious complaint, just as happens to the police with the police complaints authority. I don’t think we should change this, but it does show that it’s not as cut and dried, and pro-teacher, as it all appears.
October 22nd, 2006 at 9:32 am
Aw sheesh I wrote a long comment on this but it appears to have been lost…
One of my points was – if the police don’t prosecute successfully then the Teachers Council’s hands are tied somewhat in terms of what action they can take.
October 22nd, 2006 at 12:20 pm
Span,
A teacher was recently fired because he had formed an “emotional bond” with a pupil. Of course, the police weren’t involved because it’s not illegal to have an emotional bond between teachers and pupils. I do note, however, that there apparently is a move to allow greater touching of children by teachers. Long overdue.
October 22nd, 2006 at 12:27 pm
There’s a difference between being dismissed (fired) by the school and being de-registered by the Teachers Council. DPF’s post is about the latter. Yes there are a lot of teachers who get fired for things that the Teachers Council doesn’t de-register them for.
The school legally has to make a report to the Teachers Council whenever a teacher is fired or resigns within 12 months of a competency or conduct complaint/investigation. Teachers Council then decides what to do in regard to the teacher’s registration (i.e. their ability to continue teaching at other schools).
October 22nd, 2006 at 12:28 pm
26 September 2006
A report by Auckland University education lecturer Alison Jones, released in 2003 highlighted interviews of primary school teachers and principals who spoke about their reluctance to touch children because of widespread social anxiety about sexual abuse.
The teachers reported wet and naked children wandering out of pool changing rooms looking for help in getting dressed, and girls lying prone on sports fields while male teachers sent children to find a female to help.
“In many instances, female teachers have had to be called away from their own groups to assist male colleagues afraid to touch or be alone with a child.”
MS Cooper said NZEI acknowledged that the previous code was more cautious in its advice.
“But NZEI knows from experience that teachers and support staff still need to be aware that physical contact with children and students can be misconstrued.
“That’s why the guidelines advise them to be mindful of situations that may expose them to unnecessary risk and to work together to develop policies and practices that minimise that risk,” Ms Cooper said.
October 22nd, 2006 at 12:31 pm
I also note that a recent report found that of the thousands of teachers in early childhood education, only 1% were male. Those involved in the Peter Ellis witchhunt must be pleased with themselves.
October 22nd, 2006 at 12:49 pm
I was recently asked to do some swim coaching for kids, which I have declined. Although it would probably be fine, it only takes one moody teenager to ruin my life. A risk I am not prepared to take.
October 22nd, 2006 at 2:36 pm
Exactly Andrew.
The reality is that teachers are more at risk from assault from students than the other way around.
The violence at the son’s decile 10 high school is horrendous, and I feel for these people. There are some bad eggs to be sure – but they are in the minority.
This is simply a beat up on a slow moving target.
October 22nd, 2006 at 2:58 pm
Explain to me how having a conviction for importing ecstasy renders one unfit to teach.
October 22nd, 2006 at 3:22 pm
Richard, in the same way that a conviction for fraud renders one unfit to provide investment advice. Mind you, the way things are going, a conviction for importing ecstacy may well shortly be a precondition for Labour preselection, along with all the other failed school teachers.
October 23rd, 2006 at 2:06 am
* does interesting things with tennis balls.
October 23rd, 2006 at 8:02 am
No, I still don’t get it. I can see how a conviction for child abuse renders one unfit to teach, in the same way that a conviction for fraud renders one unfit to provide investment advice. But a conviction for trying to post six Ecstasy tablets hidden in a ballpoint pen from London to New Zealand? Huh?
October 23rd, 2006 at 2:18 pm
Actually Ruth, I was not talking about physical violence from students.
All it takes is for one kid, or parent for that matter, to get it in their head that I am one of those god-damn-sexual-preverts, and my life will be changed forever.
Again, a small risk but one I am not willing to take.
October 23rd, 2006 at 8:18 pm
The lack of men in early childhood is due to three things imho:
1. Fear of persecution/accusation (eg Peter Ellis, as has already been mentioned)
2. The pay – historically pretty ridiculously poor, now slowly stepping to pay parity with primary and secondary teachers for a small number of early childhood teachers.
3. The status – much like being a male nurse. Both 1 and 2 play a role in this factor too.
Female early childhood teachers, from my observation, are very keen for more men in the role and very encouraging to those considering it. I wish there was an advertising campaign for men in early childhood like there is for women in the Army…
May 24th, 2007 at 3:14 pm
http://3.xxxsexygirl24h.info x
May 24th, 2007 at 3:14 pm
http://3.xxxsexygirl24h.info x
May 24th, 2007 at 3:14 pm
http://3.xxxsexygirl24h.info x
May 26th, 2007 at 12:01 am
http://sexoases.info x
May 26th, 2007 at 12:02 am
http://sexoases.info x
May 28th, 2007 at 1:53 pm
http://11.sexybiqini.info x
May 28th, 2007 at 1:53 pm
http://11.sexybiqini.info x
May 28th, 2007 at 1:53 pm
http://11.sexybiqini.info x
May 29th, 2007 at 6:55 am
http://18.sexxywomen.info x
May 29th, 2007 at 6:56 am
http://18.sexxywomen.info x
May 29th, 2007 at 6:56 am
http://18.sexxywomen.info x
May 30th, 2007 at 1:43 am
http://1.xxxsex368d.info x
May 30th, 2007 at 1:43 am
http://1.xxxsex368d.info x
May 30th, 2007 at 1:44 am
http://1.xxxsex368d.info x
May 31st, 2007 at 10:22 pm
http://5.epornreview.info x
June 1st, 2007 at 6:22 am
http://20.filmsexs.info x
June 2nd, 2007 at 2:56 am
http://7.freesexxnet.info x
June 2nd, 2007 at 2:56 am
http://7.freesexxnet.info x
June 2nd, 2007 at 2:56 am
http://7.freesexxnet.info x
June 3rd, 2007 at 7:24 am
http://3freesex.com x
June 3rd, 2007 at 7:24 am
http://3freesex.com x
June 3rd, 2007 at 7:24 am
http://3freesex.com x
June 3rd, 2007 at 4:30 pm
http://pornoneskimo.info x
June 3rd, 2007 at 4:30 pm
http://pornoneskimo.info x
June 3rd, 2007 at 4:30 pm
http://pornoneskimo.info x
June 3rd, 2007 at 5:36 pm
http://supergirlsex.info x
June 3rd, 2007 at 5:36 pm
http://supergirlsex.info x
June 3rd, 2007 at 5:36 pm
http://supergirlsex.info x
June 4th, 2007 at 4:05 am
http://sexxearch.info x
June 4th, 2007 at 4:05 am
http://sexxearch.info x
June 4th, 2007 at 4:05 am
http://sexxearch.info x
June 6th, 2007 at 7:55 am
http://14.777ppornsexyxxx.info x
June 6th, 2007 at 7:55 am
http://14.777ppornsexyxxx.info x
June 10th, 2007 at 7:11 pm
http://9.sex4xfree.info x
June 10th, 2007 at 7:11 pm
http://9.sex4xfree.info x
June 16th, 2007 at 11:11 pm
http://miniskirtbabes.info x
June 16th, 2007 at 11:11 pm
http://miniskirtbabes.info x
June 16th, 2007 at 11:11 pm
http://miniskirtbabes.info x