Teacher’s swearing at students

[Ejbh22]

Is it ever ok for a teacher to say to students “ you are f*g hopeless” and other such phrases during a 15 minute rant? Three kids had not passed in some coursework (year 11/gcse) and this was the trigger for the outburst of swearing and general put-downs, aimed at the whole class. My DD had passed in her coursework- but is really stressed out by this teacher. I get that teachers are under pressure but does this warrant an email to school?

I would send an email, no one should swearing at kids and teacher is meant to be a professional.

Yes definitely for many reasons 1. It isn't professional 2. It can be very damaging to children to have such negativity, and can become a self fulfilling prophecy 3. It may highlight to the head that this teacher is potentially struggling and needs more support. I wouldn't message angrily, or accusingly, but highlight that there is clearly an issue that needs resolving!

Sorry for the typos :)

Of course not. I’m surprised you had to ask.

Sorry, to be clear, the “of course not” refers to “is it ever ok for teachers to swear like that...”

Not acceptable. Poor kids and poor teacher. Sounds like they’ve been pushed too far and are under way too much pressure for results.
Another vote against performance related pay. Students are not robots and teachers shouldn’t be punished for this.
I hope the kids aren’t too stressed as a result and they all manage to get back on track.

Welcome to MN
Email the school outlining your concerns

Oh dear. It is not acceptable to call students hopeless, let alone use "fucking" before it.

The teacher needs to be setting an example and will not have the learners on his/her side by speaking to them like this.

I think I would probably email about your concerns.

God, of course it isn't! Email the head pronto.

Totally unacceptable. DD told me a teacher called a boy who was acting up a twat.

The only I'd say in the teacher's defence, is that I grew up in the same town as this teacher and it wasn't as offensive a term as it is now. It just meant something like an idiot or stupid.... still not acceptable to call a pupil though.

No it's not acceptable for the teacher to say that. However, I would not raise it unless it happens again. I would imagine just flew out of their mouth in frustration and they are probably spending the weekend worrying that this could be the end of their career for having said it. It is an extremely stressful point in the year, they will quite literally be dragged across hot coal to explain why the 3 students haven't handed it in; students carry no responsibility for their results. The teacher has probably been surviving on minimal sleep, given up every second of free time in school to supporting the students and trying to get them to do their work. I would imagine they just blurted it out of complete utter frustration. Or an aloud thought. I know I have been close enough this week dealing with kids whose practical exams start Monday but who have yet to show any inclination towards doing anything to prepare...

No it’s not acceptable, but I am guessing the deadline to hand the marks in to his HOD or the exam board is imminent. Once pupils hand it in, it has to be marked and moderated. I really do not miss having to sort out the last minute panic of coursework as we do not have it in my subject any more, but believe me when I say, this teacher is probably stretched to the limit.

If it’s a one off, I’d ignore it. If it is happening often or the teacher is regularly having a go at pupils, then speak to their HOD. It might be that the stress is getting to them.

I’ve thought this in my head a few times about some of my very frustrating Y11 classes, but to say it out loud would suggest this teacher is not coping.

In would act with caution, you don't know for sure that it really happened.

The teacher is probably mortified and acted under extreme stress. It's obviously less than ideal but we've all said something in the heat if the moment that we regret.

In would act with caution, you don't know for sure that it really happened.

The teacher is probably mortified and acted under extreme stress. It's obviously less than ideal but we've all said something in the heat if the moment that we regret.

By alerting the head to this, they can investigate what really happened. If the teacher is under extreme stress they can explain that. Whatever’s going on, you can’t call the kids “fucking hopeless”. That’s the sort of thing that stays with them for life.

Ha I’d be up the school in no time! It’s not acceptable in the workplace around adults let alone a school

Thanks for the replies. This teacher swears constantly in class - she seems to have no filter for the language she uses. But for me she crossed the line with the f*hopeless speech. My concern is that this teacher marks the coursework... and it’s judgemental stuff, not maths, so there’s a risk of a vindictive markdown of my kid’s grade. But I will send an email to head of year - nothing angry, just a ‘this has happened, can you help..’

On the bright side, only a week or so before study leave starts and a new school for sixth form

I doubt she would mark down anyone’s work out of spite (especially a pupil whose work has actually been handed in!)-her career progression demands her pupils make ‘at least expected’ progress- that is the issue!

I would email head teacher, not head of year.

Nah, it's fine. Why'd you even ask?

I'm a teacher and usually defend teachers on here, but that is unacceptable. Having a good 'swear filter' is necessary as a teacher and should be second nature unless you are very newly qualified. I've been justifiably annoyed many times in my 20 years of teaching but I have not once sworn at students. It's not that hard. An inadvertent 'shit!' if you drop a pile of books - fair enough. Sweary rants at students - nope. Definitely complain.

Definitely not acceptable.

I am a teacher as well have been over 30 years . As others have said a one off slip may be due to stress but this constant use is unacceptable. Just as anyone else has to use acceptable language in the work place. This isn't an acceptable role model. I would email the line manger .

No, not acceptable.

I wouldn't stress about them marking it down. As someone who marks coursework/controlled assessments every year, it's sods law that the candidate you agonise over whether to push them up slightly or mark them harshly is always the one in the sample the exam board requests. More frustratingly, if I am found to be "too lenient", every candidate, even those whose work they haven't seen is pulled down.

Whilst it isn't on to use the f word, at this time of the year, I have come very close. Some kids, despite reminders weekly, plans for the year, numerous deadlines etc. seem to have a very blasé attitude to meeting deadlines. As someone else has said, it doesn't end with them handing it in. It has to be marked, printed, formatted (I'm thinking about music needing to be in MP3 rather than wav form) moderated and checked. That doesn't happen overnight. So I agree with the teacher that the kid is hopeless if they have still not handed things in.

Completely unacceptable! I don't speak to my DC like that and wouldn't expect anyone else to either. I understand that the last years of school are about preparing them for the real world but even so, in a professional environment they wouldn't be spoken to like that either. I'd definitely be wanting to speak to the school. Hope you get some answers. It's always the children like your DC who are knuckling down that are most affected by such comments too, while the ones it's supposedly aimed at let is go in one ear and out the other. Completely unfair.