Will my teacher friend lose her job?

[thelightofthenkew]

Primary school teacher going to court in the new year for driving while disqualified, they were banned for 6 months due to accumulating too many points on their licence.

They will be convicted as they are pleading guilty, will this mean they will get the sack from their job? Anyone know a similar situation happen before?

Asking for a friend.

I shouldn't thinkso. I had a friend get done for drink driving, a ban but she declared it to her job and is not jobless

I know someone in a similar profession who reached 12 points and was disqualified but managed to keep their job, albeit it had to go through a disciplinary process and had the union fighting for him. However in your friends circs it's likely to be the fact that they drove while disqualified that will be problematic as (as far as the school is concerned) as it becomes a deliberate dishonesty and a greater reputational issue. First has implications for anyone in a safeguarding role, second part is likely to be locally reported and unpopular with parents.

https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/local-news/school-teacher-south-ayrshire-gun-12940110?utm_source=linkCopy&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=sharebar

This teacher didn't.

Genuine question... would you want your primary-age child being taught by a person who was driving whilst disqualified? I personally wouldn't. And I'm a primary teacher.

I have a friend who is a TA and was caught drink driving and lost their licence but wasn't sacked. The head said we all make mistakes. X

@Jeannie88 I imagine it may have been different if they were a teacher as we have a legal obligation to comply with Teacher Standards/Code of Conduct.

Yes you will be sacked, when your DBS is renewed the truth shall out.

Yes, me too

But I think driving while disqualified is more serious

@LorlieS I think the assumption there is that someone who drives whilst disqualified is someone who flagrantly both disregards and disrespects the law. I don’t think that’s necessarily the case - it could be - but I think treating any offence as if it is an entire reflection of the person is a mistake. People do make mistakes and errors of judgement, and for my part I’d probably rather any children of mine were taught by a decent human being, who is compassionate and responsible. That’s not the same as one who has never done anything wrong.

@Hereinthismoment Do you honestly think a driver who drives whilst disqualified is responsible?!!

In itself it wouldn’t be grounds for dismissal but is she going to be able to get to work?

It depends. I don’t think they are automatically irresponsible.

For starters, many people manage to be responsible in work and not outside of this. This applied to me for a long time and does to a certain extent now. My home life was chaotic and pretty dysfunctional but was always professional in work.

Following on from that it does depend. ‘I’m banned from driving, oh fuck that, I’m off!’ is one thing. But there are circumstance in which it would be more understandable. I accumulated twelve points on my licence some years ago - it really wasn’t though hedonistic driving - but I didn’t tell anyone as was so embarrassed. I can sort of see that if someone said something like ‘well why don’t you drive there!’ or something and the person couldn’t think of an excuse and felt backed into a corner … It doesn’t excuse it but someone panicking and then making a stupid decision they bitterly regret isn’t someone I think requires a lifetime ban from working with young people.

And there are so many teachers I may not like on a personal level but that’s not necessarily important. There are things you can do within the law that are morally reprehensible such as working as a bailiff or starting an MLM or whatever. As with most things, context is everything!

Getting a criminal conviction does not lead to an automatic bar from teaching. It completely depends on what the conviction is for, the surrounding circumstances and the time that has elapsed since the conviction. Once a conviction is disclosed, a headteacher is allowed to use their discretion as to whether to employ/continue to employ the teacher, after taking advice from the relevant bodies.

No one can tell the OP’s friend whether they will still have a job or not except her headteacher.

Taken from Teacher Standards:

PART TWO: PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT
A teacher is expected to demonstrate consistently high standards of
personal and professional conduct. The following statements define the
behaviour and attitudes which set the required standard for conduct
throughout a teacher’s career.
 Teachers uphold public trust in the profession and maintain high
standards of ethics and behaviour, within and outside school.

I would argue driving whilst disqualified contravenes this.

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/632afc6ce90e0737209da10f/Teacher_misconduct_-_the_prohibition_of_teachers.pdf

Erm, well, let me have a think.... that's a tough one .... oh yes, they can advise her and they can represent her in any disciplinary?

Or have you got a better idea then???!

I think it would depend on the situation and the academy/trust. If the teacher was banned originally due to drink driving and has an issue with alcohol for example does that make them fit to teach? Probably not.

I hope so

A headteacher near where I live got done for drink driving and didn’t lose her job, so your friend might not lose theirs either.

A head teacher of a school smashed into my car when it was parked outside my house. It went to court he lost his license but didn't go to prison and he kept his job.

But this person was driving whilst disqualified so different scenario.

As someone who dealt with the aftermath of a death by shit driving weekly in the 1990. Yes . AND they would no longer be my friend.... worst one the grandmother who's granddaughter was killed by a trailer tied by a rope on the motorway that came lose.... fuck your friend

Spot on.

I certainly don’t know enough about the laws in relation to teaching in to make a strong or valid argument for my opinion, but I don’t think they’d lose their job to be honest.

@Qwerty556 @MySecret21 As a primary teacher with 20 years' experience I would expect they will lose their job. Personally I have no sympathy.

I fully agree with @Qwerty556@thelightofthenkew . this is such a complex matter that nobody can tell you.

For context, I have worked in the Education Sector for 10+ years as a HR Partner and have done several complex investigations into drink/drug incidents. One very similar to this. it will have to be investigated thoroughly with the LADO from a safeguarding perspective. The investigation will not focus on whether a criminal offence has been committed itself, as that is not the role of the employer, but rather whether the teachers actions call into question trust and confidence and whether it has, or could, bring the school into disrepute in addition to potential safeguarding concerns. Nothing in HR is a simple yes or no answer!