Conviction

[Malibooo]

Hi everyone. This is my first time posting. I will try and summarise as clearly as I can. I would value your advice.
I left home at 16. I slept in bus stops, empty flats and on people's couches. Some of these people weren't very nice to me.

I eventually got a flat of my own. Again, I was vulnerable to certain people. One night I burnt some letters and photos in my flat. (1985 I was 18) Causing some damage. I don't know what the police gleaned from the people around me but they did not want to prosecute. However, the CPS decided to prosecute. I was given two years probation.

I moved on. When I was 21 my husband died. I was 7 months pregnant. It was a very difficult time.

I remarried and was a victim of domestic abuse. I got divorced and then married my current husband. We have been together for 27 years. We have five children and 13cgrandchildren.

When I was 40 I went to university. Over the years I secured two degrees and a PGCE.
During this period of 24cyears. I worked in 2 schools successfully. Both schools knew of my conviction as did university as I had to explain the circumstances of conviction in front of a panel.

I was offered a job last year at my old school. I had worked there for 11 years. Three of those years with the current head. I only left to complete my PGCE (Biology) in 2018. I also did one of my placements there. I was so happy to be offered the job as a Science teacher.

I took my DBS and identification documents to the school. They were happy to see me. The head was isolating so I didn't get a chance to see him. The next day I received an email to inform me that the job was not going ahead. Too cut a long story short, he said he did not know about my conviction and would feel 'uncomfortable' employing me.
I was devastated. I am 56. I had finally come to terms with my past and had worked really hard. I very stupidly let this affect me and have been depressed and anxious. I barely leave the house. and have lost a lot of weight. His response made me feel so ashamed.
Should I be punished for the rest of my life?

There is a lot more to this in regards to how I was treated during my teenage years. I can't tell you how proud I was at the changes I made and in all I had achieved. I battled dyslexia and my own demons to make a success of my life. I now feel rubbish.
I don't want sympathy. I'm just curious, as to what other people think. Should I continue to have consequences for something that happened 36 years ago?

That's awful, what a dick head, you sound amazing

No, you shouldn't, but unfortunately some people don't think that way. You sound amazing and have come so far, keep pushing through, don't let this get you down

I thought after a certain amount of time it no longer showed on your DBS?

It’s only one headteacher. I know that may come across as a little blithe and please don’t think I am being dismissive as I know this must be awful for you but honestly, stuff like this happens all the time in teaching.

I did the PGCE with a woman who had a conviction for possession of cannabis, was offered a job at the school she did her placement at but they withdrew the offer. Like you, she was beside herself but applied for another job and was offered that one.

Honestly, it’s fine. Life happens. There are people in teaching with convictions, most fairly minor, some not so minor but explainable. Please put that HT out of your mind - you won’t be unemployed as a science teacher, I promise!

Yes thats what I thought?

About dbs

So sorry to read this.
Could you e mail the head as you know him and explain?
You have done unbelievably well despite your terrible start.

It will be a spent conviction but I think schools ask for an enhanced DBS which shows everything.
OP I’m so sorry this happened. You sound like you have pushed through incredibly hard circumstances and made a decent life for yourself. I hope you find another job soon, with a more understanding headteacher

I think it's extraordinary they won't take you on, based on a 37-year-old offence, committed when you were eighteen, for which you weren't given a custodial sentence. Especially when it's wasn't an offence against the person.

Hopefully you dodged a bullet. There are loads of dick Heads around - I have worked for some of them. You have done an amazing job and science teachers are always in demand.

Keep applying but perhaps next time you apply for a position, ask to speak to a member of SLT before you put in your application to explain. I know you shouldn't have to, but it is often better to be upfront about things like this. Wishing you the very best of luck with finding the dream job.

I think it’s the school’s loss. You’ll find a better teaching job.

I think most employers would look past a single, old, non-custodial sentence given to someone who was barely an adult. Most people realise that others grow and mature. If that particular headteacher doesn’t, I’m not sure what kind of a leader he is.

A lad in our local neighbourhood stupidly set fire to some objects in a garage a while back. It was a thoughtless, reckless action but thankfully there was minimal damage as the fire was quickly extinguished. However, he was charged with 'arson with intent to endanger life' which I gather isn't unusual if a fire is deliberately started where it could spread and endanger others.

So, I wonder whether it's a similar case here. The charge and conviction sounds terrible though I can see from your perspective it was a case of you burning a few items.

It's a tricky one, because inevitably some employers will be reluctant to take someone on when there are factors which could go against them, particularly when all things be equal, they have other candidates with a clear DBS

I think you have to brush it off - that's one employer, there will be others and it's clear that in other roles in school your DBS has not been a barrier.

That's ridiculous, OP, and says far more about that HT than it does about you. You have done amazingly well despite the difficult start that you had in life.

A part of me wants to say that you should push back on this. Explain the circumstances of your conviction and push them to look beyond it. On the other hand, I wonder if life is just too short to be dealing with narrow-minded fuckwits like that.

Life isn't always neat and smooth and perfect for people, and it takes real courage and character to overcome the many obstacles that you have faced. I for one would be delighted to have someone like you teaching my dd. I'll bet you would be one of the first in line to help those kids who were struggling with difficult stuff going on at home as well.

Hi.... It will always be on an enhanced DBS. I absolutely understand this.

OP no I do not think this should follow you for 37 years. But I can imagine if the parents, pupils, LA the Daily Mail got hold of this there would be public outrage. As pp have said there are other schools good luck OP hope you find a great job xx

Hi Markymark. Do you mean there would be outrage if I got a job in the school?

You were let down by the adults around you and then by the police. I am sorrow. You have managed to rebuild your life from shaky foundations, you are an inspiration. I am sorry that you are now in this situation.

You do not deserve to be punished for the rest of your life. Please reach out for support for your depression and anxiety. These are understandable consequences to the things that have happened to you and the situation you find yourself in now, but you do not need to carry on suffering. Help is available (even if you need to pay for it privately) and I am sure you have friends who would happily support you.

You could write a testimonial to the head teacher and ask him to consider asking the advice of the school board or LEA, taking into account the circumstances surrounding your conviction and your evidence of upstanding character in the intervening time. Perhaps an employment lawyer might help draft something (I might be off base there).

You could also reach out to other people who have worked with you, your university college tutor, placement supervisors and ask for advice on how to approach future job applications. Perhaps, an upfront, post first interview statement with additional character references, giving the background to the conviction before the potential decision maker sees the results of the enhanced DBS might help smooth the way... but do ask for advice about this ... are you in a union? Maybe they could advise?

And again... you are amazing!! Hug your husband, call your kids, facetime your grandchildren. Remember all that you have become and use their love to give you strength to get past this.

@SarkyMarky... I hope there would be more outrage at a child who was let down by the systems that are supposed to be there to protect vulnerable people, at the penal system which punishes women more harshly than it punishes men and an employment vetting system that fails to distinguish between people who do pose a risk to society and those who don't.

This should have been filtered out, which means that it would not appear on an enhanced DBS. Contact an organisation called 'Unlock' for further advice or click on this link. The law changed in 2013, so that certain convictions (depending on factors such as the type of crime, age when convicted, sentence imposed) are not disclosed by an enhanced DBS. Your conviction, unless there is more to it, should not have appeared.

unlock.org.uk/advice/filtering-cautions-convictions/

If it's any consolation OP, at our school, the board is in dispute with some of the teachers on a number of issues and a quite a large number of the parents have come out in support of the teachers, standing squarely by their side. I would stand with you and I would not be alone.

Most places would put a risk assessment in place with the facts that you haven't set anything on fire for 30+ years, no criminal convictions in that time, have been employed and well thought of since...
Did you put on your application form that you had a criminal conviction?

I work in HR in education. When things come up on a DBS check we look at a number of things such as how long ago the conviction was, is there a pattern of offending, the nature of the offence, any mitigating circumstances etc. obviously a lot of things will be a flat out refusal to employ but in your case the offence is so long ago, it was a one off, you’ve worked in education since, the nature of the offence isn’t one that necessarily makes you a risk and so on that I think we would still offer you a role. I’d go back and see if you can speak to the Head or ask them to do a risk assessment and hear your mitigation. They may change their minds but even if they don’t a lot of places would have a more sensible approach so try not to get down hearted.

Arson will never be filtered out, it’s on a list of offences that will not be filtered.

I have every sympathy with the OP - what really is very strange though is that the HT was unaware of the conviction previously, despite her working in the school.

I suspect the head had looked at the finances for next year and would rather employ a cheaper teacher,your conviction was the excuse to not employ you

One big no no for us that really marks people down on a risk assessment is if they haven't declared the conviction so do be upfront about it.