Contacting school about male teacher

[Slidingdowntherainbow]

My child goes to a preschool attached to a primary school. The Head is always on the gate each morning welcoming children (and parents) in the gates, we see her every morning.

The other day, I went to collect my child earlier than usual and walked past the playing field as usual, it's on the way to the preschool.

It was a hot day and the Head, along with another female colleague, was sitting on a grass bank watching the children and I know they saw this as they laughed.

A male teacher was walking along the playing field with each hand squeezing two girls shoulders. So he was between them, with a hand on each of their outside shoulders, seemingly squeezing. The girls were giggling and the the Head laughed. Not that I think it matters as he shouldn't be touching them at all, but it wasn't a quick squeeze, he was more resting his hands there for a good 30 seconds I'd say.

Anyway, it may be nothing, but it made me feel very uncomfortable. 1) it's inappropriate to touch a pupil for no good reason 2) he gives me the ick anyway, he's a big presence and I sometimes see him when dropping my child off and I just don't like his demeanor, not sure why.

Do I report this? My child won't be going to this school so I'm not worried about that. More that the Head actually saw this with her own eyes and laughed, so I suspect will be defensive. I then have to walk past her daily, potentially for the next two years. Unfortunately I can't report anonymously as I was the only person walking past at this time.

I'm not suggesting anything more than this has happened, but isn't this a slippery slope? Should a teacher (especially male), be touching pupils necks?

Would appreciate opinions please!

Jesus wept

Care to elaborate? If you're minimising it, then I assume you've never completed safeguarding training yourself?

Get a life.

Ffs. No wonder teachers are leaving in their thousands

Report what??

I'd be worried about the staff reporting a strange person standing outside the school premises spying on the children tbf. At least the ones inside have a DBS.
Do you?

One minute it's the outside of their shoulder- then it's their neck? Visible and seen by multiple members of staff- with neither girl appearing uncomfortable. I'd be very wary about making an accusation you seem to have very little basis for.

No, please don't report it. Not every male is a sex offender and imo we should be encouraging more male primary school teachers as they have such a positive influence on their pupils.

I hold the safeguarding training at my school.
Nothing you've said is cause for concern apart from, as I said, a member of the public hanging around outside.

You're worried that a teacher was having a laugh with two primary school aged children?

Would you have given it a second thought if the teacher was female?

I has it really become illegal for a teacher to touch a child, even when totally appropriately in a kind supporting way?

How sad our world has become!

Wow. The world has gone crazy. Report away, make yourself look like a massive tit.

You saw something at a distance with a context you have no idea of; head and other colleague were close enough to have that context and all involved were laughing…

safeguarding does trump absolutely everything but doesn’t seem to be at play here so no, I would not be reporting this to the head, who already was there and saw what happened, heard anything that was said and was laughing.

Teacher. Parents like you are part of the reason there is an exodus out of the profession right now.

You don't like someone do want to attempt to ruin hid career.

I think you should report yourself. You need help.

You're being ridiculous, it's no wonder men don't go into teaching in the numbers we would benefit from.

he had his hands resting on their shoulders in the middle of a playing field.

I think you'll be thrilled when we have AI teachers.

I hate the way teachers are being pressured into no contact at all with the kids.

I'm genuinely surprised at the responses. I've worked in many jobs that require safeguarding training and the No1 is don't touch children unless it's to provide necessary assistance.

It's about having appropriate boundaries. I wouldn't want a man to squeeze my daughter's shoulders. Very happy for them to joke and talk but is there really need to be squeezing their shoulders?

Because he's male.

You couldn't make it up.

ffs, what a stupid thing to think

It wasn't at distance. The path is directly next to the field, I saw it all very clearly.

You can't have it all ways. Safeguarding either trumps everything, and therefore a teacher should not be squeezing shoulders, or it doesn't and touching pupils is fair game. Which is it?

I'd report it, better to be safe than sorry.

God forbid, a man to be witnessed in public being gasp CARING.

hands on bums = cause for concern
hands on shoulders = totally flippin normal

So glad my son goes to a school where the teachers will hug him and hold his hand. Fuck me.

Men are by far much more likely to commit abuse against children, that's a known fact.

Believe it or not (I suspect not given you all see nothing wrong with this) I've worked in schools and I've worked with male colleagues. All know never to place hands on a young child. 1) because it's inappropriate 2) because it's against safeguarding procedures 3) because it leaves them vulnerable to misinterpretation.

Perhaps I'm misinterpreting, perhaps it's nothing but a friendly touch, but either way, I couldn't misinterpret if he never touched them. That's why teachers shouldn't (and most know not to) touch a pupil unless necessary, as it leaves them vulnerable to people misinterpretating their intentions.

Out of interest, I'm assuming you're all happy for your male bosses to squeeze your shoulders? Really?