Would a teacher who is convicted of drink driving lose their job?

[icecreamandfrozenyogurt]

If someone is convicted of drink driving and they are a teacher would they be sacked from their job?

This has nothing to do with me or anyone I know personally but I read not that long ago in the local press of a teacher who was convicted of killing someone through drink driving and they were obviously and quite rightly sacked from their job but I wondered if no one had died or was injured would they still lose their job?

I am a HCPC, people have been struck off the register for drink driving convictions, there isn't a similar set up for teachers though, so I guess they could be sacked from that school (or resign) but go on to work elsewhere.

Lots of teachers, doctors, nurses, paramedics, solicitors, bankers, CEO's, Health practitioners, social workers, paediatricians (every job you can think off, will have criminal records whether it's for driving offences or something they did in their youth...)
I know of 2 teachers with driving convictions
1 teacher with theft/fraud (landlines phone bill connected to neighbours house. Not 100% on the exact facts there) when he was 18 years old (now in his 40's)
2 GP's with driving convictions. (Married to each other)

@CecilyP

*Drunk driving surely goes against the teachers’ standards?^

No it does not. The DBS check is to check that you do not have any offences against children so that you are safe (as far as can be ascertained) to work with them.

How can it not break part two?

@Whitefire

I am a HCPC, people have been struck off the register for drink driving convictions, there isn't a similar set up for teachers though, so I guess they could be sacked from that school (or resign) but go on to work elsewhere.

I think you’re right. Some schools would sack the teacher for drink driving but others might be probably give a warning

Ultimately it’s down to the severity of the offence and the assessment of the employer, some cases would be a cause for dismissal, and some could be considered a slight error of judgement. Also consideration is given to when the incident happened (a historical, small error at a young age and a recent conviction would be viewed differently eg)

In itself, a driving conviction is not necessarily an offence that would cause a teacher to lose their job (or not get offered one) but would need to be brought to the attention of the employer/potential employer

Additionally, it’s likely that any injuries caused to others or the potential to cause harm would reflect badly and be the cause if more comeback as well, and the severity of punishment the offence attracted.

Considering there are police constables who've been convicted of drink driving and kept their jobs, it's highly unlikely a teacher would lose their job, unless there were other factors, such as causing injury/death.

Only if there are convictions on a DBS, a teacher would need an enhanced DBS which would reveal such convictions- it is then up to the employer to make the final call on whether they employ the candidate or not

I know a head who did.

@Badbadbunny

Considering there are police constables who've been convicted of drink driving and kept their jobs, it's highly unlikely a teacher would lose their job, unless there were other factors, such as causing injury/death.

Really? Every police officer I’m aware of who has been convicted of drunk driving has lost their job. Quite rightly too.

Friend did not lose her post due to drink driving but did eventually when it became apparent she was an alcohol.

No. I have direct experience of this

Unless they were breathalysed on leaving school proving they had been pissed all day )also have experience of this

My ex-DH is a mental health nurse who was convicted of drink driving and received a 13 month ban. He kept his job.

It would probably depend on how serious the offence was. If they were simply caught drink driving, probably not. If they had injured (or worse killed someone) they'd be off to jail and then they would lose their job anyway.

We need teachers, and it's probably not in the public interest to sack someone for a criminal offence that doesn't directly affect their teaching which isn't a crime of sex or violence.

It goes to the other thread about employing prisoners. It's better that people are in gainful employment and paying taxes.

@OverByYer

Really? Every police officer I’m aware of who has been convicted of drunk driving has lost their job. Quite rightly too.

Link to a sky new report -

Devon and Cornwall Police said nine serving police officers have criminal convictions.

A police constable has a conviction for drink driving
A police constable has a conviction for Data Protection Act offences
A police constable has a conviction for careless driving
Two police constables have convictions for speeding
Four police constables have convictions for driving without due care and attention

Kent Police said 22 serving officers have criminal convictions including five officers ranked "inspector or above".

An "inspector or above" has a conviction for common assault
An "inspector or above" has convictions for criminal damage and speeding
A constable has a conviction for common assault
An "inspector or above" has a conviction for "excess breath alcohol"
Two "inspectors or above" have convictions for driving without due care
A sergeant has a conviction for driving without due care and "excess breath alcohol"
Six constables have convictions for speeding
Four sergeants have convictions for speeding
A constable has a conviction for driving without due care
Two constables have convictions for careless driving
A constable has a conviction for using mobile whilst driving
A constable has a conviction of driving without due care

news.sky.com/story/revealed-how-many-police-officers-in-your-area-have-criminal-convictions-12024290

@Skyla2005

I think you would because your dbs check wouldn't be clear

You don’t need a clear DBS check to teach.

Each academic year, I have to sign something to say I don't have any new convictions. If I had been convicted of something, I would need to contact my Head to explain. Drunk driving would not impair my ability to teach, although would make getting to school a PITA as I live in a rural area with no public transport.

My sister had a DD conviction in the late 1990s. She already had a driving without due care & attention conviction after reversing into a police officer, so got a lengthy ban (richly deserved). She was able to teach at a university in the UK then at schools in an EU country without any problem.

Hikingforacenery I'm really interested to read those standards. I'm a non-teaching Head of Year (even though I teach regularly) and a Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead and I've never seen them before.

How on earth did you qualify as a teacher without knowing about the teaching standards!

@Witchcraftandhokum

Hikingforacenery I'm really interested to read those standards. I'm a non-teaching Head of Year (even though I teach regularly) and a Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead and I've never seen them before.

This is the link. Teachers have to provide evidence to meet the standards as part of their training and are expected to continue to maintain them throughout their professional lives

assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/665522/Teachers_standard_information.pdf

Like most things I think it depends, someone who is pulled over in random testing (or for something else like a broken bulb and the police smell alcohol) who is just over the licence will loose their licence and be convicted whereas someone who causes an accident because they were drunk is a bit different. The only person I know who recently has lost their licence is my friends dp who was coming back from a friends funeral, he got the time he lost his licence halved for mitigating circumstances (he was only just over). I really don't think you should drink and drive but I recognise that there are degrees

@CheeseTiger

How on earth did you qualify as a teacher without knowing about the teaching standards!

They came in in 2012- none before then- so very easy to qualify without knowing about them

Lol the standards change all the time

It's up to the individual school - the CEO of an academy chain has just such a conviction - governors not interested and no one complained at all

Plus the Head of Year who said of it specifically said she's not a teacher

All teacher should know the standards as part of their performance reviews but that's not to say they're 100% adhered to.