To Think That DD School Are Covering Up Teacher’s Unprofessional Behavior

[MrsJLL]

DD is age 10. She bright and sporty. Very sociable, happy at school and doing really well.

I was recently at the school gates waiting to collect her. The mums tend to stand around chatting in little groups.

I was stood close by to many other mums but was just checking something on my phone so was alone but only about 1 to 2 meters away from everyone else.

A teacher approached me and unbelievably announced within earshot of the many of other mums that she has diagnosed my daughter with ADHD because apparently she acts like the “other ADHD” kids that this teacher knows

I was really shocked and upset as we have never had any SEND contact and this teacher is just a class teacher. Other mums definitely heard what the teacher said and also saw me being upset. The teacher then walked off after I got upset and refused to elaborate.

I subsequently made a complaint to the Headmistress about the teachers conduct and the fact she had discussed sensitive medical information in a public place, thereby breaching data protection /GDPR.

The response came back from the head that the teacher was not acting on behalf of the school when she said those things to but was speaking in her own capacity and on her own behalf.

Therefore, whilst it was regrettable, she hasn’t done anything wrong and neither has she breached any data protection laws because the information she gave me about her opinion of my daughter’s mental health was not the “official view of the school” so it doesn’t matter that it was overheard by various people.

The Head then reiterated how confident they are in this teacher’s professionalism.

That is apparently the end of the matter as far as the Head is concerned.

it has really upset me and I feel like the school are covering up for this teacher.

AIBU?

what should I do next?

What are disagreeing with?

The head is on very very weak ground she hopes she won’t take it further, but you must. Didn’t you say this teacher saw her once a week for music. Keep pushing and let us know how you get on.

If the teacher is allowed to harass parents in her own capacity then you should also be allowed to speak to her as publicly as possible and tell her to stop picking on your child and being unprofessional.

Alternatively report to governors or even the police if her behaviour escalates to bullying.

Please do not listen to this post and follow the complaints policy, escalating to Governors.
As a Chair of Governors with decades of experience, I am really quite concerned about the advice you have been given by a Governor and would question what type of Governing Body they are running!

School staff sign a code of conduct that there are aspects of their lives that cannot be intrinsically separate from their profession. An example would be posting on social media. Given this happened on school property, by someone employed by the school, disclosed information protected by Data Protection laws and was clearly related to their professional capacity, otherwise they wouldn’t have been saying it, I don’t think they’ve got a leg to stand on if it happened as you said it did.

Take it all the way!

Contact your local MP, the LEA, Estyn, and write to the chair of governors. When the school inspection is made, they will read that letter and then investigate as to whether they think it was dealt with appropriately. Literally, copy everyone in to one, large email chain, including the school...maybe even the local newspaper.

Teacher here: The teacher was unprofessional and broke confidentiality. She was speaking in her capacity as your child’s teacher. She perhaps didn’t mean to speak in a way that the other mums heard and it was a misjudgment. I accidentally made a huge gaffe once in a “reply all” email moment. I was (stupidly) emailing at home at time. It made no difference, it was my responsibility. I could have used stress and workload as an excuse but it was still my fault entirely. I was interviewed by head and advised to seek union support. I asked for permission to apologise to parent and I was given it. I apologised but explained I was fully prepared to accept whatever consequence as I deserved it. Thankfully the parent accepted my apologies. It was a horrible time but taught me a massive lesson. I think you are owed an explanation and apology OP.

You are being unreasonable when you write 'this teacher is just a class teacher'

so this teacher is a fully qualified ( with a degree ) Primary school teacher who has taught different children, some of whom will have ADHD ?

I think there are 2 things here.

1. the teacher should not be diagnosing anything. They should address any concerns in a meeting with you and the senco. We have had a similar experience recently, with the class teacher announcing ds “definitely has autism”
2. the way the messaged was conveyed - ie within earshot of others

Both wrong, but consider what outcome you want from your complaint and then how much you escalate it.

I’m so sorry I’d move my child. What a nasty teacher

In her own capacity?? Nah. She's saying it in her place of employment, during her work hours.

Take it all the way you can, absolutely unprofessional behaviour.

That's insane she was on school grounds within school hours presumably still wearing staff ID. You don't mention her saying "in my personal opinion " and I assume she has made these observations in school unless she hangs out at your home. I wouldn't accept that response.

ok I’ve read the entire thread and here’s my view, as a teacher (secondary):

1. It was completely inappropriate of the teacher to approach you at pick up in front of other parents. With my students, if i suspect SEND, I would first raise with the form tutor and HoY, who have overview across the different lessons. They ask the other relevant teachers for their views and if evidence points to SEND the SENCo becomes involved.
2. the head’s response is appalling; the correct response would have been for them to speak with the teacher in question regarding professional standards and remind them of the appropriate channels for reporting SEND. Subsequently, for the head to apologise to you on behalf of the school and the teacher in question.
3. the teacher in question likely thought she was being helpful in “diagnosing” SEND, but I suspect she is young and/or inexperienced?
4. there is no way this was done in order to embarrass you; however I concur that it was ill judged
5. I question why your DD and the teacher “don’t get on”? As a teacher I can genuinely tell you I don’t “not get on” with any of my students and if I’m having to pull them in line, it’s because their behaviour isn’t acceptable

please go back and speak with the headteacher to explain why you feel unsupported and speak with your DD’s form teacher about whether they suspect SEND; don’t further damage your relationship with the school.

You mention it’s only for music, is the teacher actually a school employee or is it a music lesson you are paying for? If the latter your contract is with them not the school (at least that was the case with my DD’s) though they were never so unprofessional

You are unreasonable to think that your child being academic and sporty doesn’t mean she has adhd or that there is anything wrong with having ADHD , you speak as though the teacher was saying something shameful about your child, she was simply making an observation

Have you spoken to her main primary teacher about dd and possible adhd.

Id be focusing on that rather than worrying/wasting times with multiple about a teacher who hardly teachers her.

I am not a teacher but work in healthcare management. I also used to be a school governor. The fact that the teacher is employed by the school, teaches your child, talked to you about school on school premises and within her working day means she absolutely has to abide by school policies. Even if she had seen you out of school and mentioned it, she only knows your child through a professional capacity so would still have to abide by the policies.
I would escalate to the governing body, and if they are part of an academy trust, cc them in too.

I agree that both the teacher and headteacher have behaved badly, but are you completely dismissing the SEN suggestion? I only ask, because my DC's teacher suggested that we get them tested for ADHD (not in public) and halfway through the testing (NHS), the school withdrew their "evidence" and I can only believe it was because the HT didn't want any more ECHPs (she had form for trying to get children with SEN to leave the school). In the end we paid for DC to be tested - it wasn't ADHD but it was something that we could work on. HT is no longer at that school.

How was she acting in a personal capacity? She isn't your friend.
If it happens on school grounds she's representing the school!

This is awful! I’ve been a primary school teacher for 18 years and I’m absolutely shocked by the teachers behaviour and by the schools response!
you need to take this further, I’d be asking for a meeting with the chair of governors as I wouldn’t have confidence that the head would deal this properly!

OP can do both things at once. Request a meeting with the SENCO and class teacher andgo through any concerns they might have, behaviours that were noticed etc. AND pursue the unprofessional behaviour of this teacher and ineffective reply from the Head. It’s not an either/or situation.

Is this a peripatetic music teacher who visits to give individual lessons to students whose parents pay? Or is it a teacher who is employed full time by the school?
If peripatetic, this could be why the head thinks she can get away with feeding you that bullshit.

What is your safeguarding concern?

How do you escalate to the governors?
What does the complaints policy say?
This is GDPR and what does their policy on GDPR say?
They could have held their hands up and agreed a mistake was made they did not.
The teacher saying this got information about your DC because of working there so to say this was her saying this and not as a teacher is ludicrous.
This could happen somebody else.
Follow this up.

What I mean is: she has no professional ability to diagnose ADHD

she is simply a teacher and last time I checked teachers weren’t capable of unilaterally diagnosing children with disorders

I'm so sorry you experienced this, and the subsequent response from the Head. I would definitely complain to the Governors but also put in a complaint to the ICO. The email from the Head is an acknowledgement that the conversation took place in public, in a school setting. The ICO can confirm or deny whether this was appropriate or not in an official sense for you. From a not dissimilar experience we had ourselves, the Governors tend to protect the Head.....just not enough resources in education to actually hold some of these people to account until they seriously break the law. I really would prepare yourself to have a Plan B as in my experience, we lost all trust that our child was safe and respected at school.