To think the School overreacted in Expelling Pupil and calling Police for a stunt,when a "bollocking would have been enough".

[smokepole]

Jacob Dowdle, a year 13 Pupil at Altrincham Grammar school on the last day of term May 16, put a paper plate with whipped cream in to his year heads face.

This was a very "Stupid" thing to do, but no harm was meant or injury caused yet the school called the Police and summary expelled him. The teacher was seeking a prosecution for the stunt, when she was not injured The teacher although upset , should have had the grace to except that it was a poor stunt , ( or like most teachers on the last day taken it on the chin as overexcited students behaviour).

Never a true word spoken pag

ilovesooty, my heart goes out to you and I hope you are now recovered.

It's very difficult to describe to anybody who hasn't "been there" just how it feels when you are a teacher and are faced with students like this. It's like being on a roller coaster ride without a safety harness - you feel terrified and out of control. And you cannot defend yourself, verbally or physically (of course.) You have to take it.

The worst feeling of all is that it is your fault, that if you were a better teacher or stronger person, it wouldn't happen. It will.

And I believe most young people are decent. I'm still in touch with many of my former pupils and have some very happy memories of teaching.

The 'standing up to a teacher' bit is just awful. It very clearly demonstrates that the whole media campaign (and it is a campaign) is deigned to punish the teacher for not putting up with being assaulted by this arrogant and unpleasant young man.

What a crusader for the poor an downtrodden he is, running up and forcing something unpleasant into a woman's face as she just tries to go about her day. Clearly she needed to be put in her place stood up to.

The girl who threw the pound coin at my head (I needed stitches) ended up getting excluded for setting the fire alarm off when the HT had an important meeting. I'm glad I don't work there anymore but I don't think I could confidently say that my present HT would be as strong as the HT in this case.

I despise Gove and I do believe that his teacher-bashing has led to the profession being held in such low-esteem. However if he or any other politician had this done to him I'd still class it as assault. We are a supposedly civilised country with the rule of law and nobody should be encouraging people with grievances (imagined or just) to use violence. That way madness lies.

The worst feeling of all is that it is your fault, that if you were a better teacher or stronger person, it wouldn't happen

Absolutely. Even worse when your headteacher actually says that. I knew I had years of excellent teaching behind me, but it still hurts, doesn't it? Yes,thanks, I'm recovered. I have two jobs and I'm self employed too. I wish you all the very best, honeykitten and this teacher too.

I agree again- ilove and I think it's worth pointing out that students who are unpleasant and unstable with teaching staff are generally worse to their peers.

Of course, I have no proof in this boys case but I can think of some delightful students who had to put up with at the very least having their education disturbed by idiots. This is wrong and shouldn't be allowed to happen.

It would be bad enough if it had been a paper plate but you hear the plate land on the ground and know it could have hurt her terribly. Those other kids laughing also deserve to be expelled, entertaining is it, seeing a woman assaulted like that? I wonder if any of them went to help her. Utter bastards, if a child of mine behaved like that I would be deeply ashamed.

smokepole

"The only people who know whether this was a "planned" attack ,or a "Prank" gone wrong are the people who undertook it."

In the original articles about this piece, the boy stated that he had planned to shove a pie in to his head of years face, it has since changed over the last couple of edits.

Its irrelevant it was last day,his behaviour was outrageous.he assaulted teacher
How dare it ever be dimished or minimised that someone in public service be assaulted
The HT and school called it right.i sincerely hope the teacher is ok and well supported

Andreas glad to hear you work for a stronger HT now. I'm glad to say I believe also that there are many decent HTs around too. It's just dreadful when you work for a weak one who won't support his/her staff.

This HT has done the right thing.

We have a water fight for our year sixes (in Australia so it's always a hot day) at the end of the last day. Teachers and students all in it together. It's in good fun, down on the oval so nothing important gets wet and when the whistle blows it is all over, and everyone has a change of clothes because they know it is going to happen.

Hitting someone in the face then posting a humiliating video on the internet is a deliberate act intended to hurt and humiliate the victim. This was an assault by an adult male against another person. Take away the pie and it's a hard hit to the face. Just because he's wearing a school uniform does not diminish the seriousness of his actions. Over here we have a big campaign about 'one hit can kill' where young people have died from a single hit to the head. The repercussions of this act could have been very serious indeed.

The worst thing about this is that she had to suffer this assault and then the character assassination from this thug and his supporters. Victim blaming of the same ilk as 'she was asking for it' 'she made me do it' 'she deserved it'.

Appalling.

Absolutely. And I think it's sickening that this victim blaming has been reinforced by one or two women on this thread.

Sickening but not surprising sadly. I teach PSHCE to Yr11 girls who think that if your boyfriend gives you a slap because you are disrespecting him that's okay.

This is the perfect storm of woman with authority V. arrogant male in the context of a patriarchal society that still thinks women should know their place.

I think that another thing that is quite sad is that the teacher, head teacher and the school will never be able to tell their side of this.

What the kid has been like in school for the last 7 years, whether he is a bully, if he is disruptive, why he doesn't have a good relationship with the HOY. It is all so very one sided.

smoke why do you think public sector workers should have good grace to accept abuse,assault
If you were assaulted at work,would you think,oh well high spirit innit
Your wilful minimisation of this is outrageous

Andreas that's really sad

What a wee dick.

To all those saying this is somehow in some totally twisted way justified:-
Have you watched the footage?
You do realise the plate was made of china?
You do realise she was struck with enough force that the plate broke?

You can clearly see and hear part of the plate falling at the end.
Now put yourself in the place of that poor woman... In the course of your work, this happens to you. Is it so acceptable now?

This is the perfect storm of woman with authority v arrogant male in the context of a patriarchal society

Exactly - a view held by many supporters on the boy's petition, who made vile, sexist comments about the teacher.

The teacher has my unequivocal support,i hope shes well supported

I am aware of a situation at the school( as previously mentioned my DS is a pupil) re a child has been disruptive, naughty and generally foul.

The back story to this is terribly sad, the school could have excluded him a hundred times over and more. Instead, they have bent over backwards and gone out of their way ,to keep this child in school- teachers have invested personal time and weekends to support and nurture.

So what has happened is no typical knee jerk reaction.