Powerless Teachers

Throughout the year in the BCPSS you are more than likely to hear of a few cases of students filing claims of abuse verses teachers. Usually these teachers end up at North Avenue for awhile pushing papers while things “settle down” and then they eventually disappear (quit). This disappearing act isn’t something that is BCPSS specific. I was recently reading the Scottish Sunday Express which had published an article titled “TEACHING IN CRISIS AS FALSE ABUSE CLAIMS BY PUPILS RISE”. This article was filled with the voices of “disgruntled” teachers who have left the profession because of having been falsely accused of abusing or harassing students.
Hearing their voices and stories made me realize how powerless a teacher in any school setting actually is. Simply put, there is one teacher and many students. These students are many times friends of each other and the few “trustful students” that the teacher has have learned from an early age to keep to themselves. This leaves a teacher outnumbered.
In thinking how teachers could regain their power I came up with two ideas. The first idea is in agreement with Dr. Alonso’s heavy push for the co-teaching model. Although this model may strip the teacher of some of their planning power, it would help protect them against cunning students with a motive. Yet, I’m not to sure this would be a model that would entice more people to enter the profession.
The final idea was that cameras, with sound, need to be placed in every classroom. This may be a huge expense, but I find it much less expensive than the loss of excellent teachers who have been abused by students for years. It would get ride of the entire “he said, she said” game that is played out in the court system, and simply ensure that the right person won. I’m not sure if this has been instituted anywhere already, but stay posted and for my next blog I’ll update you on my findings.