Should a male teacher have done this?

[mycatisannoying]

During a residential school trip, enter a girls' shared dorm to wake them up?
To my mind it's a safeguarding issue, and there was also a female teacher on the trip who could have done it.
I wanted to seek others' opinions before raising it.
Thanks.

This is the issue for me. Teens are entitled not to have an adult member of the opposite sex see them in a state of undress. That’s why it’s not appropriate for a male teacher to wander into a teen girls’ dormitory. And the OP did say he entered, not just knocked on the door and shouted “wakey wakey”.

And to answer a question earlier in this thread it would also be inappropriate for a woman to enter a teen boy’s dormitory for the same reason.

Rather depends on how long he lingers there, doesn't it? And what he' s looking at?

I'm shocked at the replies. It's completely inappropriate. I wouldn't want an uninvited male to see me in my nightwear. Imagine the girls wearing a nightie and sleeping on top of the duvet

and yet many females I hear saying this have no bother walking around a public pool or beach in a bikini or topless in beaches.

Men who are not predatory in the slightest wouldn’t even suggest secret code words

the secret code word was over a phone so I don't see it as predatory.

We had lesbian teachers at our school

how did you know she was a lesbian? Unless she lived in the area and was known to all the locals and was openly gay to the area it's inappropriate you'd know this.

None of us can tell if it was inappropriate, as we don't know if he announced himself and gave them time or not, but if she feels like it was inappropriate, then you should support her to bring the matter to a senior member of staff. I would not have wanted this to happen when I was 13. Why wouldn't he just ask a female to do it?

Yabu.

Why on earth would it be inappropriate?! Most of the female teachers' marital status is evident in their titles, is that knowledge inappropriate too?

We had a lesbian couple at our school - it was a boarding school and they lived together, so pretty unmistakeable. It was no more inappropriate than any of the teachers whose spouses and partners were known to pupils

Apologies for the thread drift, but that really annoyed me.

My view on the OP is that the DH really should have helped. I do sympathise with decent blokes who fear being accused if they come within 10 feet of a child, I really do, but in this instance I think he should have put her safety ahead of his own inhibitions. My DH would have.

@Wakemeup17 agreed
As a male teacher, I would not do.it but, as a parent I would not have an issue with it.

how did you know she was a lesbian? Unless she lived in the area and was known to all the locals and was openly gay to the area it's inappropriate you'd know this

Sexuality is irrelevant anyway. Abuse harassment and assault is not about sexuality it's about power. It would be inappropriate for a gay male to enter a female dorm as much as its inappropriate for straight man. LesbiNs are no more a danger around girls amd women as every other woman or girl. Lesbians do not assault at the same rate as men.

I posted on the wrong thread please just ignore me. I'm going back to bed before something else happens.

Their dorm should be their private space. It seems inappropriate and unnecessary. Why did he have to come in? Surely a knock at the door and a "time to get up" is enough. I caught part of a programme on radio 4 yesterday about a male teacher sexually abusing girls on a school camping trip. It was chilling. He was able to get away with it partly because things that would scream inappropriate to me, were deemed appropriate.

Most teachers live local to the school they work at.

My teachers who were gay had partners and we knew of them as we all lived in a relatively small town, the same as my teachers who were straight would have partners / wives / husbands we knew of.

Why would it would need to be a secret or something taboo that a teacher happens to be a lesbian?!

Just seen your update about the codeword. There is something completely off about his behaviour. I would be calling the school first thing Monday. x

I wonder if the OP is ever coming back. I'd certainly contact the school and ask to speak to the Safeguarding Lead or the EVC. Not sure I'd mention the phone thing, even though it's odd.

Most teachers live local to the school they work at
no they don't, go to London and cities and teachers be coming from everywhere.

and yet many females I hear saying this have no bother walking around a public pool or beach in a bikini or topless in beaches.

What state of dress/undress is deemed OK/arousing/vulnerable is for a large part socially determined (Victorians and ankles spring to mind) and is generally pretty inconsistent.

Who are you to tell someone what their boundaries should be around whether they want their body to be seen and by whom?!? And night wear is a pretty normal social boundary in our culture.

FWIW, I don't wear bikinis, but do feel fine in swimwear, providing it's at a pool or beach with strangers. If I'm going to be seen by friends/neighbours (eg going to the beach together) I'll wear a rashvest. However I don't want to be seen by strangers in night wear- I'll throw something on before going to the door for post - but I'm OK with close friends seeing me in modest nighter if we're staying somewhere together. I would be utterly mortified if colleagues saw me in night wear ( which I guess is equivalent to a teacher, actually).

Inconsistent - yes! But absolutely my prerogative.

This!

Any one of the girls could have woken early and already be getting dressed. Same with a female and boys, privacy and dignity. Fine to bang on the door and shout, not okay to go in or stick your head in.

Honestly this is terrifying. He went to wake them up probably for an activity as per his job role and you’re bringing up something that he’s done separately which is also fine but you’ve also taken offence to. You’re thought process on this is next level - he’s done something you don’t like so I’m going to insinuate that he’s somehow predatory. This is psychotic, honestly it’s pretty disturbing reading. Absolutely love how you’ve not answered about how it would be different if it was a woman waking up boys - it’s the cherry on top.

This has turned into a very goady, faux-unintelligent thead. It's become very common these days on AIBU.

As others have said, he needs to protect himself against allegations, malicious or otherwise, so it wasn’t a smart choice to make.
It’s a risky situation, he and his colleagues should have planned around it before the trip went ahead. All it takes is one misinterpretation/allegation and if not his career, then at least a very stressful investigation and possible suspension whilst it happens. Then the rumour mill kicks in anyway.

Actually its statistically more likely in abuse/relationship cases for it to be a female teacher and a male senior pupil.

But statistically more likely that it would be a male teacher if it were to happen - which it does.

So when a male student is abused by a female teacher do we say "that was statistically unlikely, so......"

Safeguarding is paramount in schools and all teachers know this.
This safeguarding is based on statistically proven risks. People of the male sex are statistically guilty of almost all(98/99%) sex offences and over 85% of all crimes of violence, therefore any male person has to be considered more of a risk than a female person of any sexuality. This male teacher has behaved in an unprofessional way. The rationale behind his actions may be totally innocent , however management should set him straight on where the boundaries lie, when dealing with adolescent girls who are in a vulnerable state.