To tell my child's school about this teacher?

[HoHa]

I work in a high school. One of the teachers is well known for her unprofessional behaviour and demeanour. She has caused many difficulties in her department to the extent that at least 2 teachers have left primarily because of this person. I should add that she can be brilliant as a teacher, but is very inconsistent and can also be quite unpleasant when teaching. She has not been managed well and has probably not been challenged about a lot of her behaviour. She is leaving the school and there is a sigh of relief all round.

However, the school she is going to is where my child goes. I don't really want her teaching my dc and worry about the effect she could have on other staff at the school.

Should I speak to the Head of Department and request that she doesn't teach my dc, talk to a governor or just ignore and hope for the best? I'm really not sure what to do.

I think you might be getting to personal here.

What are your concerns? Can you give an example of her behaviour?

Re: your comment on her teaching skills. Subjective.......

**too not to

I don't think you can do that, request she doesn't teach your dc. Just treat it like any other situation where a new teacher joins and you know nothing about them. Let her stay again and maybe she will be dealt with better here.

Start again

Good lord no.

Look at it from the school's point of view.

It sounds like workplace gossip and I doubt they'll want any part of it.

If the issue is that she hasn't been managed well, what is management like at your child's school? If it's good, it may be exactly what this teacher needs.

I don't really want to be specific about the behaviour but her lack of professionalism relates to staff and pupils. I am leaning towards just letting her have a fresh start and hoping that she doesn't teach my dc, and that she will be better managed. Very difficult. Sometimes ignorance is bliss in these situations - it's better not to have any inside information.

Sadly, this is not workplace gossip, but someone who has caused a lot of difficulties but I can see how it could look that way.

You're "leaning towards giving her a fresh start"?

I'm not sure that's your job is it...if the HT of the school your child attends has decided she's the best person for the job, some gossip from you won't affect who she teaches! You come over as a little deluded OP.

You're leaning towards 'letting her have a fresh start'?

Seriously?

I'm sorry but you sound a bit strange now. It's not for you to 'let' or 'lean towards'. I'm quite sure her background will be checked, including references etc.

You're just a parent at your child's school and you have no right to tittle tattle (which is exactly what this may look like.

She's not even guaranteed to teach your child and even if she does, there's no guarantee it'll cause a problem.

Wait until you actually have a problem (if you ever do), before saying anything at all.

And even then, you should stick to the problem in hand and not some stuff brought from her last job, that you only know because you happened to work there too.

So you didn't care enough to complain when she was a colleague but now it might effect your children you want to complain?

You said she is brilliant as a teacher so what's your problem?

If you have a substantial allegation that you're prepared to stand by (theft/racist remark etc) yanbu. If it's vague things like - she's always difficult in meetings/rude/forgetful - yabvvu.

As usual, agree with Worra.

You,OP, are presenting subjective hearsay on a topic that really has nothing to do with you.
My perception of this post is that you were closer to the two people that left than this teacher so have taken their side (just my perception) and have only their version of events. reality may be very different.

Also, who do you think the staffroom are loyal to? Parents or colleagues? It's colleagues. If this teacher really is "unpleasant when teaching" rest assured that she will be told by a colleague that you shared your 'concerns' and i look forward to your AIBU thread next year: "AIBU to complain about this teacher picking on my child"

OP I think you're getting a slightly rough time here. I understand that if you have personal experiences of a teacher not being great at her job for whatever reason, you're going to have concerns if you discover that that teacher might teach your child. I think this is perfectly reasonable and, if people were being honest, they would probably share your concerns.

However, I tend to agree with the others that there is really nothing you can do except wait and see and deal with any lack of professionalism that you see in her dealings with your child.

Good luck.

I can understand your dismay but

a. This teacher will be relying on a good reference from the HT of your school. If HT is prepared to give one, there's nothing you can do about it.

b. Your child is unlikely to go through school without encountering a couple of unprofessional, difficult or ineffective teachers. That's life, unfortunately.

Thanks for your support Goosey. I am nothing more than a concerned parent finding myself in the uncomfortable situation of having information I don't know whether or not to pass on. I did not work with either of the staff members who left but have spoken to them on occasions about their concerns.

And yes......I have voiced my concerns about her at my school, as have a number of other people.

What are your concerns if she's a brilliant teacher?

The op said she can be a brilliant teacher.

I'd let it go. If she does end up teaching your child and you are unhappy, step in then :)

I don't think anyone was dating Op was unreasonable to have concerns, but unreasonable to voice these and expect ' special treatment ' for her DC after voicing the concern. Everyone has agreed on the course of action, which is nothing, unless something happens, in which case deal with that incident.

Dating is saying

The problem is if she's been poorly managed there will be no evidence and it will sound like gossip.

For those who think quality of teaching is "subjective" - observing teaching is a formal thing and staff are trained in it. The trouble is of course, unprofessional types act one way when observed and another when they feel like it ...

Movingonup the difference between "is" and "can be" is huge and damning in teaching/childcare.
It usually indicates someone with good will who can't cope ... or someone arrogant who can't be bothered.

Stop alluding to her unprofessional behaviour and say what she's done then you might get different comments. You can pass on your opinion but you have no actual power here.

I would be extremely upset if I started a new job and someone spoke to my new team about how awful I was. I'm not even sure it wouldn't be some sort of breach of your owm workplace confidentiality. (Not a lawyer but if any co-worker spread gossip directly to a new employer and divulged information that was learnt through a work situation I would expect that to be a breach of ethics at the very least). I would be very careful about that as the "new" HT would have every right to talk to your own employer about such a breach.

We had a head teacher who was parachuted in from another school. The Governors were given no choice. 7 years of problems. Parents complained to Governors, Education Authority and were ignored. They pulled their children out. I did not bother to complain just pulled mine out. Googling it turned out this Headteacher had run a previous school into the ground causing it to go into special measures, this I did pass on to Governors and parents. Then they booted the Headteacher out. Education Authorities can be very disengenous.