Disgusted by school’s response to complaint about pervy teacher - Update

[SophEll]

I have debated whether to post this update but I promised I would in the previous thread (www.mumsnet.com/talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/5325717-disgusted-by-schools-response-to-complaint-about-pervy-teacher) and I’m someone who keeps their word.

I have had an acknowledgment of my email to the Chair of Governors who assures me they will ensure my previous correspondence with the school will be personally overseen by the Headteacher as opposed to the senior member of staff who replied previously.

The Governor has understandably explained that the school cannot share the details of any internal disciplinary action, but has assured me the head teacher will provide me with a further response in due course, and asked me to provide my contact number. I’ve also confirmed that should it be required, my friend would be happy to provide her account of the evening’s events.

This proves that the school previously dismissing this without investigation was inappropriate, so I must say I’m feeling rather smug right now at this vindication. Given their prompt response, the Governor clearly recognises the reputational impact something like this could have on the school.

Thanks to all those who provided suggestions on how best to proceed (including those who said I should have laughed it off, been flattered etc) - I’ll endeavour to provide a further update once the headteacher concludes their investigation. An impressively prompt response by the Chair - the joys of retirement I guess!

So they might actual understand

They decrease to you. They don't necessarily decrease. They're just aimed at the next vulnerable female.

Again, he crossed the line from personal to professional here.

I am not sure you read my post. I didn't comment on whether or not he crossed a line from personal to professional.

Clearly I was wrong to equate defending indefensible male behaviour with being a men. I hadn’t realised women on here could stoop to such depths of misogyny too.

I had a look at the DfE website out of curiosity.

There are some standards for teachers, updated 2021 that refer to maintaining high standards of ethics and behaviour within and outside school. I think there is an expectation of respectful decent behaviour, even outside the school gates. Good to know there are standards, even though nobody seems to care to uphold them!

assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5a750668ed915d3c7d529cad/Teachers_standard_information.pdf

Well that’s good to hear
Common sense prevails

Quite. It seems that different parts of the public sector have very different views towards probity.

Or maybe women don't all think the same and have different levels of "complete sleazeball who shouldn't be allowed out"

Yes, sorry. You asked where the line should be drawn. I think referencing a professional meeting in a sexual way is somewhere you could draw it.

Oh they can. MN is full of women doing PR for lecherous men. The partners of these women must be delighted!

Honestly, some of these replies are why teachers are afraid to even go shopping because a parent might see them with alcohol or condoms and call them unfit

It happened outside of the school premises with a women who had nothing to do with the school
So completely irrelevant

Agree
No wonder there’s a shortage

If all men who made lewd comments to women were faced with push-back comments from women most of the time, they would stop because it wouldn't be worth the hassle.

Women like me😄

You presume an awful lot about me Not flown.

I've two sons two daughters and four grandchildren. I've had experiences in my life that would make your hair stand on end that I couldn't even think of posting about.

There's things in this world that deserve reporting immediately, there's things that you make a call yourself on which can be subjective, and there's things that you deal with yourself.

I happen to think this was a storm in a teacup which has now been blown out of proportion with talk of schoolchildren and raping and danger.

Women like me eh?

I discussed this thread with my DH (who is formally a school governor) and his sister who is a teacher. They both completely agreed with you, OP.

The comment he made was indefensible. And yet people on here are defending him.

You should always report things like this about teachers, particularly. When safeguarding reviews come out after major incidents, it's usually the case that about 20 different people held a piece of a jigsaw that said this person is a wrongdoer. You are waving your piece around, it may be the only piece, but it could be the second, third, fourth and a picture could be forming. If this is the first piece the teacher may get a warning, if it's the third or fourth you may be doing more than you realise to protect a vulnerable child, or even a vulnerable parent.

Do you really equate buying contraceptives or alcohol with telling an alumni’s parent they imagined bending them over a school desk at parents evening?

Sad.

No one is defending him
They are disagreeing with OP complaining to the school, his workplace about him.

We’ve stopped witch hunts.

The trend does seem to be that those in the teaching profession are in agreement with my course of action and that is reassuring.

The fact the school initially wouldn’t investigate but now are, is really quite damning. I wonder how many others have had similar complaints batted away and not felt up to following it up?

Like it or not, this country has had a history of institutions looking after their own. Look at the BBC over the years!

Few are defending him and agree his comment was dreadful. It's the reporting to school that people are taking issue with.

Going shopping. Telling a woman you fantasised about bending her over the desk.

Yes, TOTALLY on a par.

I mean, that's not what happened. At all.

You might want to read what happened before frothing.