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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think teachers are not perfect!

112 replies

daisygreendaisylilac · 24/02/2016 17:30

This is based on a large number of posts about teachers - many that assume the teacher could not possibly have done what the OP has said they did.

If they did, it is excused because teaching is stressful and blamed on the government.

AIBU to think that's a bit of a cop out? Personally I know there are fabulous teachers but I know they are not perfect!

OP posts:
ChickyChickyParmParm · 24/02/2016 18:13

I agree, OP. Teachers aren't perfect. Neither are hairdressers, police officers, receptionists builders accountants prime ministers or vets, sadly. Sad

TattyDevine · 24/02/2016 18:13

Typical that the OP gets ripped to shreds for not pre-preparing a list of at least 100 threads where people have gone on to do what she describes.

I have read countless ones on here, and no, I will not try and find them for you because I know they exist and I don't give a fig who doesn't believe me - perhaps you haven't seen them, but I have.

People questioning the OP about whether they think that really happened, troll hunting if the OP says, yes it did, I was there, complete with Hmm faces and Confused faces.

So they go on here to get support about a bad experience with a teacher and get called a liar or a troll. Of course they also get some support, usually from someone who has had a similar experience.

Original poster
daisygreendaisylilac · 24/02/2016 18:14

Squidgey, swearing at or hitting a child would be classified as gross misconduct and could lead to instant dismissal and I think the latter almost certainly would. I'm amazed anyone would defend that to be honest.

(Bathers, not badgers by the way!)

OP posts:
Original poster
daisygreendaisylilac · 24/02/2016 18:15

Thanks, Tatty, I'm glad I didn't dream them, then!

OP posts:
TattyDevine · 24/02/2016 18:15

In fact there was one recently where the OP updated because she had spoken to the teaching assistant on the phone, and people called her a liar because they thought it was unlikely that the TA was still at school after 3:01pm and that she must be a troll because her update was too fast Hmm

iwuddarryl · 24/02/2016 18:15

daisygreen, I would leave this one if I were you. You shouldn't have to, but it looks like some people are just spoiling for an argument.
Whatever you say from hereonin won't be right.

Take care and have a nice evening!

Original poster
daisygreendaisylilac · 24/02/2016 18:16

I certainly would politely say I'm not the one who has been goady.

OP posts:
Bubblesinthesummer · 24/02/2016 18:18

I certainly would politely say I'm not the one who has been goady.

You started a thread with the title 'teachers are not perfect.' As if it is some sort of revelation.

Where has there been a thread where everyone has said they are?

iwuddarryl · 24/02/2016 18:19

You definitely haven't been goady so don't know why others are being so off with you.
It's like it's a sport to some. Lets crucify the OP see how far we can push her
I hate it.
But hey ho this is mumsnet Hmm

RaskolnikovsGarret · 24/02/2016 18:19

I do think there is a tendency here automatically to disbelieve the child, rather than admit that a teacher acted in an unacceptable manner.

APlaceOnTheCouch · 24/02/2016 18:20

I think sometimes, supporting the teacher is about not supporting the OP iyswim. You see threads on here all the time where for some reason, (it's raining/it's a Monday/ people are hungover) the OP gets a hard time from the beginning. So someone could ask for advice about something that happened to their DC at school and it quickly escalates to your DC was to blame/your DC is lying/the teacher is wonderful/you're a shit parent whose DC is out of control. In that case, it's little to do with people's faith in teachers and just another way to give the OP grief.

bigbuttons · 24/02/2016 18:20

what a stupidly pointless thread

iwuddarryl · 24/02/2016 18:21

Lots of people start a thread on the spur of the moment and don't really think whether the wording of the title is perfect.
It's not a crime.

Many a time I've wanted to go back and tweak the title a little, to make it sound less abrupt, or whatever.

Give it up.

SquidgeyMidgey · 24/02/2016 18:21

daisygreen absolutely they are but my point was that parents do it too, far more often. Then the children come into the safety of school, tell a teacher they trust and it's recorded as a safeguarding issue. Professionalism aside it's a far greater breach of a child's trust for a parent to do any of those things.

RaskolnikovsGarret · 24/02/2016 18:24

I do think there is a tendency here automatically to disbelieve a child, rather than admit that the teacher could have acted in an unacceptable manner. I don't like that at all, as many children do tell the truth and aren't exaggerating.

Original poster
daisygreendaisylilac · 24/02/2016 18:26

That's so true, APlace :)

OP posts:
ShipwreckedAndComatose · 24/02/2016 18:33

iwud are you saying some posters aren't perfect? Wink

I better go and start a thread....

Mellowautumn · 24/02/2016 18:33

I agree with Tatty - there are loads of threads where there is a ruck of people saying essentially 'don't belive your child' a teacher would never do that.

Capricorn76 · 24/02/2016 18:36

I saw a thread pretty recently where a teacher swore at the class and everyone piled in to say 'poor teacher she must've been at her wits end' , kids are horrible these days' etc as if the whole class was to blame for her losing her temper. You would've thought all schools were young offenders institutions the way some were describing all kids. One or two people said wait a minute even if the teacher was at the end of her tether swearing at the whole class most of whom had not wound her up was unprofessional but they were shushed.

Literally everyone from the government to the head teacher to the kids was blamed and the teacher was virtually hailed as Nelson Mandela even though nobody had been witness to the incident to see if she was a victim or just a crap teacher. I was quite puzzled by that one.

In teaching like any other job you'll have some great people, some average, some below average and some shit. Like nurses they aren't all angels.

iwuddarryl · 24/02/2016 18:39

In teaching like any other job you'll have some great people, some average, some below average and some shit. Like nurses they aren't all angels.

true.

TattyDevine · 24/02/2016 18:40

BUT WHO ON HERE HAS SAID NURSES ARE ALL ANGELS CAPRICORN76 Hmm

Only joshing Grin

Katenka · 24/02/2016 18:41

I haven't, personally, seen a thread that says a teacher couldn't have possibly done what the op is saying.

I have seen people tell the OP to speaking school and establish exactly what happened and not always take their kids version as gospel truth.

I have seen people say that it may be unlikely.

I haven't seen anyone tell anyone it can not have happened though

wheelofapps · 24/02/2016 18:43

Careful, OP.
This is Mumsnet.
A post re Teachers that is anything less than adulatory can get you hung drawn and quartered very quickly.

Yes children can 'get things wrong' but by golly so can teachers.

IdaJones · 24/02/2016 18:45

As we are hearing a third hand version of what the teacher said and not the teacher's version of what they said, I think it's only fair that posters are advised to proceed with caution rather than being told "that's terrible, complain to ofsted" etc.

cricketballs · 24/02/2016 18:46

I remember that thread Capricorn and I don't recall it being as black and white with the responses as you make out. No one that I can remember actually condoned the act but offered reasons why it happened