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Original poster

Teacher arrested for attempted murder

544 replies

Bottomofthebarrel · 02/03/2024 01:59

This week a teacher at my DD’s secondary school was arrested for attempted murder. He stabbed a woman in the head and neck in broad daylight, and I believe he was only unsuccessful in killing her because other people intervened. She is in a critical condition in hospital, so he could be looking at a murder charge. This has all been in the news, including the BBC.

This man was teaching my own child until very recently. She was given an after school detention by him for being very slightly late to his lesson, and the detention was just him and her sat in a room. That sends shivers down my spine now. I can’t get the whole thing out of my head.

This must be so disturbing for all the kids at the school. I feel that the school are potentially going to struggle more with behaviour control from now on - this man was employed as one of their role models so I can’t help but feel they’ve lost the moral high ground. Not to mention the effect on those who are in their exam years and are now minus a subject teacher.

How the fuck does someone like that become a teacher? I must say in the last 9 years since my DC started secondary, I’ve come across a few - all of them male - teachers who have got my back up and seem to be definite ‘power tripping know it all’ types, and not particularly bright to boot. There’s another male teacher in another local school who was in the news, having to pay £200,000 damages to his neighbour after a childish bullying campaign which went on for years.

Is this the best we can do? I get teaching isn’t the most attractive profession, but it actually terrifies me that these people are supposed to be guiding and leading our children, sometimes on a one to one basis. My worry is that with the current shortage of teachers, and desperation to fill vacancies, the standards are going to sink even lower.

This isn’t a general teacher bashing thread, there are many truly wonderful ones out there, and I know it’s an incredibly difficult job. Just feeling very shaken by what has happened this week. My DD really didn’t like this man and I assumed it was her being a stroppy teen, now I feel awful for not taking her seriously.

OP posts:
GingerScallop · 02/03/2024 02:42

Bottomofthebarrel · 02/03/2024 02:32

No I don’t think there’s going to be a sudden spate of stabbings in the school, of course not. But to answer your question about my own teen, she’s not stupid but she does tend to follow the example of others, and not necessarily in a good way, which is quite normal teenage behaviour IME.

Are you worried she will take this teacher's act as an example and start stabbing people? Being violent? I don't quite get this.

Willyoujustbequiet · 02/03/2024 02:39

2 weeks ago a local teacher dropped his pants in a year 9 class and exposed himself.

It hasn't been reported as far as I'm aware but a video is apparently a video doing the rounds so only a matter of time.

There are some bad apples just like there are in all walks of life.

GingerScallop · 02/03/2024 02:39

Of course it's shocking but the school has not lost moral ground as it didn't commit a crime. And the horrendous crime of one teacher should not be an excuse for students or their parents. It will be hard enough for the remaining teachers. And if your dd was late, she was late and school policy was applied. You are shocked and shaken. And am sure it's given you some major schadenfreude too. But no institution can perfectly screen out "undesirables ". They are simply a reflection of society

HeddaGarbled · 02/03/2024 02:37

But for a role model to impressionable teens to have done this does kind of send the wrong message about what kind of behaviour is acceptable

Oh, well, hopefully, all your children won’t start stabbing women in “broad daylight” (Why does the degree of light make this worse? Is stabbing someone at night more OK?) because their teacher did it so now they’ll all think it’s acceptable behaviour.

Honestly, be concerned about the victim, be shocked about the perpetrator, but stop with the sensationalism.

Original poster
Bottomofthebarrel · 02/03/2024 02:32

No I don’t think there’s going to be a sudden spate of stabbings in the school, of course not. But to answer your question about my own teen, she’s not stupid but she does tend to follow the example of others, and not necessarily in a good way, which is quite normal teenage behaviour IME.

OP posts:
Original poster
Bottomofthebarrel · 02/03/2024 02:28

No I don’t know anyone else who’s gone to prison for attempted murder, and I’ve led far from a sheltered life 🤣. I guess that’s why I’m so shocked by what’s happened.

OP posts:
Hermittrismegistus · 02/03/2024 02:27

Bottomofthebarrel · 02/03/2024 02:21

I hope I’m wrong about the moral high ground bit, I really do, and hopefully that is me being daft. But for a role model to impressionable teens to have done this does kind of send the wrong message about what kind of behaviour is acceptable.

Don't be daft.

No teenager will suddenly think it's fine to go around stabbing people or acting like a dickhead just because their teacher did a terrible thing.

Do you think your own child is that stupid?

Kimmeridge · 02/03/2024 02:25

Bottomofthebarrel · 02/03/2024 02:21

I hope I’m wrong about the moral high ground bit, I really do, and hopefully that is me being daft. But for a role model to impressionable teens to have done this does kind of send the wrong message about what kind of behaviour is acceptable.

Or maybe it'll illustrate to them that anyone, even the most seemly respectable people can have mental health issues that noone knows about.

GreenRaven · 02/03/2024 02:25

Bottomofthebarrel · 02/03/2024 02:21

I hope I’m wrong about the moral high ground bit, I really do, and hopefully that is me being daft. But for a role model to impressionable teens to have done this does kind of send the wrong message about what kind of behaviour is acceptable.

Sorry, but you are still not making any sense to me at all. I don't think anyone is sending any message that this kind of behaviour is acceptable.

I think you are upset and not thinking clearly. Just give yourself a bit of time and space and you will be ok. It really isn't going to impinge on your life very much. Is this the first time an acquaintance of yours has gone to prison for violence?

GreenRaven · 02/03/2024 02:22

Bottomofthebarrel · 02/03/2024 02:16

I don’t mean the remaining staff SHOULD lose the moral high ground, of course they haven’t done anything wrong and I’m sure are horrendously affected by what’s happened. However it’s the perfect comeback for a lippy kid though isn’t it, if they get in trouble, whatever they do isn’t going to be as bad as what Mr Jones did. They were being told to respect this man until Monday, then he finished work for the day and promptly tried to kill someone.

No it is not going to be the perfect comeback for a lippy kid. There isn't one. Mouthy kids are mouthy, and WHAT they are mouthing is irrelevant, and makes no difference. I really don't see what your worry is here, with the lippy kid.

Original poster
Bottomofthebarrel · 02/03/2024 02:21

I hope I’m wrong about the moral high ground bit, I really do, and hopefully that is me being daft. But for a role model to impressionable teens to have done this does kind of send the wrong message about what kind of behaviour is acceptable.

OP posts:
PhoenixStarbeamer · 02/03/2024 02:20

Teachers fight, do drugs etc OP it's just a job to many of them they're only human. I know our local schools deputy head and god knows how he managed to stay out the story of a drugs sting that's happened, not when his best friend got 22 years in prison. No way he didn't know, he does drugs himself. Horrible story but I'm not shocked at the fact he was a teacher, just shocked he'd hurt another person that way.

ilovesooty · 02/03/2024 02:18

This is seemingly an unusual and very distressing case for everyone involved but in any profession these things can happen. If someone has no prior criminal record I don't see how they can be screened in the way you suggest. I also don't see how the school has "lost the moral high ground".

HeddaGarbled · 02/03/2024 02:17

What a load of old nonsense. There are violent men in all professions. One violent man who happens to be a teacher does not mean the teaching profession, nor this particular school, has “lost the moral high ground”. You’re understandably shocked, but your post is daft.

Original poster
Bottomofthebarrel · 02/03/2024 02:16

I don’t mean the remaining staff SHOULD lose the moral high ground, of course they haven’t done anything wrong and I’m sure are horrendously affected by what’s happened. However it’s the perfect comeback for a lippy kid though isn’t it, if they get in trouble, whatever they do isn’t going to be as bad as what Mr Jones did. They were being told to respect this man until Monday, then he finished work for the day and promptly tried to kill someone.

OP posts:
GreenRaven · 02/03/2024 02:10

Teachers are human beings. Teachers can have mental break downs. Teachers can be criminals. What sort of screening do you think will weed out a criminal before they have committed a crime? What do you mean by "the school has lost the moral high ground"? That makes no sense at all. The other teachers in the school did not commit this crime. I am sure you are upset, but I expect his colleagues will be far more so, and have far more reasons to be than you. No need to add to it by sweeping statements about them losing the moral high ground, as if that even makes any sense.

OP posts:
Original poster
Bottomofthebarrel · 02/03/2024 02:06

https://www.wiltshire999s.co.uk/frome-college-teacher-attempting-murder/

OP posts:
BobbyBiscuits · 02/03/2024 02:05

Can you send the link to the news stories please?