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AIBU?

to think that this teacher should keep his job?

174 replies

kweggie · 27/07/2013 10:35

Dean Macfarlane, a teacher,who faced 18 months of abuse from schoolchildren is facing the sack after pushing a boy who spat at him
He became frustrated after being hit with snowballs and said youths had gone into his garden and damaged property. Macfarlane was handed a community order after admitting assault but he fears he may lose job he has had for 34 years at school in Doncaster .
I read this and wondered what had happened to the kids who apparently harrassed him, trespassed and spat at him? What would you say to your children?

OP posts:

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curlew · 27/07/2013 13:13

Where are people getting the facts of this case from?

NameThatTuna · 27/07/2013 13:31

The thing is, this happened outside his home. This didn't happen in a school. It's an unwritten rule that being harrassed by pupils is part of the job (it shouldnt be, but we all know it happens)

This harrassment was directed at him for over a year, and would have continued. How many people live in misery in their own home because they are bullied and harrassed by kids/teenagers and nothing is ever done because they are kids. It can be hell having that on a daily basis.

He retaliated through the stress of it, was a mistake but understandable. Should he lose his job? No of course not.

What about those kids that have harrassed him? They get of with a verbal warning, he's lived with the misery of it and lost his job.

He is more innocent than they are.

All these excuses 'but they are children' excuses their behaviour and the problem continues....

NoComet · 27/07/2013 13:40

If a child over 10 spits at an adult or trespasses on their property to cause damage, not retrieve a football, I don't give a monkeys if they are pushed into a hedge.

We are far too tolerant of low level yobish behaviour.

BoneyBackJefferson · 27/07/2013 13:42

"Where are people getting the facts of this case from?"

So some people learnt nothing from the Fiona Pilkington case, its very sad.

curlew · 27/07/2013 13:45

""Where are people getting the facts of this case from?"

So some people learnt nothing from the Fiona Pilkington case, its very sad."

Can I ask how that answers the question?

Eyesunderarock · 27/07/2013 13:49

South and West Yorkshire have had a long spate of antisocial behaviour from many of their children and young adults, from Jordan Sheard burning a teenager with Asperger's to death on his birthday, to murder of children by children and houses set on fire with occupants.
MacFarlane must have felt that nothing was ever going to change, and that there was nothing he could do. I wonder if he reported the behaviour and how many times?

BoneyBackJefferson · 27/07/2013 13:49

People disbelieved her until she took her own life and the life of her daughter.

whatever "facts" that you feel are missing, all of the papers state that he suffered a sustained period of abuse for 18 month.

Eyesunderarock · 27/07/2013 13:49

It's on the BBC website, and in several online papers.

Eyesunderarock · 27/07/2013 13:51

www.ghanavisions.com/world/52031-doncaster-teacher-dean-macfarlane-who-pushed-boy-in-hedge-is-facing-the-sack.html

curlew · 27/07/2013 15:07

I'm not disbelieving him and I think what's happened to him is awful.

But he admitted assaulting a child and was given a community order. So he can't carry on being a teacher.

BoneyBackJefferson · 27/07/2013 15:13

Would you say the same if the child was 18?

Personally I don't see what the abusers age has to do with anything, If this man loses his job then the abuser wins.

curlew · 27/07/2013 15:18

Why did he admit the assault? What did the magistrate say?

BabyMakesMyEyesGoSleepy · 27/07/2013 15:19

Yes what he did was wrong but I think he reached his limit. My sympathaties lie with him.

GibberTheMonkey · 27/07/2013 15:27

Mine too

beatback · 27/07/2013 15:29

What would happen if a 13 yearold Boy/Girl went up to a Teacher in a Classroom and spat all over the Teacher ? Is the teacher supposed to say "SIT DOWN AND GET ON WITH YOUR WORK" and is not allowed to use any kind of reasonable force to deal with a totally unacceptable incident. The only way to stop this kind of incident is with some kind of force and the people, who think there are other ways of stopping/dealing with these incidents whether from adults or kids have been fortunate to never have been in this kind of situation.

GreenShadow · 27/07/2013 15:30

I would prefer my children to be taught by someone who can keep control of the class. If this includes preventing children from assaulting both him and the other children, then all well and good.

curlew · 27/07/2013 15:33

There are two different issues here.

It is completely understandable that he lost his cool and pushed this kid.

However, he has a conviction for assault on a child.and can therefore not be a teacher.

Does anyone know what the magistrate said about the case?

kilmuir · 27/07/2013 15:36

Yanbu

INeedALieIn · 27/07/2013 15:36

From what I have read I would be very happy for him to teach my children. I

would not like them to be taught by teachers who have to put up with low level, constant disruptive bullying of teachers by pupils as the teacher feels unable to deal with or hault the behaviour.

This shift in power from teacher to children causes more harm in the longrun to all parties.

MidniteScribbler · 27/07/2013 15:38

He should lose his job due to the criminal record. I can't imagine there is any head who would allow a teacher to remain on staff with a crime against children on his record. The fallout would be enormous.

But that doesn't mean I think he should be charged in the first place. A natural reaction to someone spitting at you would be to try and avoid the spit landing on you in the first place. I can easily see how he could have shoved the kid away to avoid potential biological hazard in a highly volotile situation. There is an element of self preservation in that, which most people would do.

The law (and the parents of these little criminals) has failed to protect this man from ongoing harassment and abuse. Sadly, he'll now be the one to pay for it.

beatback · 27/07/2013 15:39

He might have a Conviction for Assault on a Child but the law is an ASS more now than ever. It seems to look after "The Clients" anyone in the legal profesion will know what that means.

beatback · 27/07/2013 15:43

Being spat at is many times worse than being hit! It is the most vile sub Human thing anyone can do to someone. It is far worse than being hit.

BoneyBackJefferson · 27/07/2013 15:44

curlew

I agree that he will probably never teach again, What I don't believe is that this was a fair outcome.

foodtech · 27/07/2013 15:44

Haha greenshadow I would love to see you in charge of some of my s3 classes last thing on a Friday. I have excellent behaviour management and have still had tables thrown at me. How you would prevent 15 yr olds from doing what they want I would love to know especially 20 of them.

beatback · 27/07/2013 15:46

Sorry i repeated myself!

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