Boy who urged the killing of a teacher returns to the same school

[Blandmum]

I saw this in the Times Ed today. I can't find an on line link.

A boy at Gleed Boys School in Spalding set up a website in Bebo that urged fellow pupils to 'kill' a teacher. He also encouraged them to post abusive comments about this young female member of staff.

The Head permanently excluded the boy, but this has been over turned by the governors. The head has to take the boy back into the school. The teacher is off sick, with stress.

Nice.

Primary or secondary?

I am not being awful but I do think secondary teaching is a whole different ballgame....

I am not belittling primary teachers here,am sure in some primay schools discipline is a big issue too.

Primary,even

secondary

Well,what were the demographics of the area?

My relative consistently taught in some of the most urbanly deprived sectors of a very large city.

it was an inner city school with more than its fair share of problems. Though im quite sure there are worse schools out there. i do actually know the town that this school is in and it is far from "inner city" more "nice county town" and whilst problems can happen all over the country the town in question isn't the hub of yob culture.

Well,possibly this is what makes it more shocking.

Robyn1972 - thanks for your caustic comment that suggests that I'm the one and only person who has never done anything wrong. Your words, not mine - I haven't posted anything to that effect. As a secondary school teacher and therefore used to hearing pretty unpleasant stuff, I'll rise above this kind of verbal bullying.
The point I have made is quite simple - this boy did something vile, that was clearly premeditated, not in the heat of the moment, which is unlawful and has had huge repercussions. For the feelings of the teaching staff at the school to be so strong, it's clear that this boy has inflicted huge damage and needs to accept the consequences. And as many people have pointed out, going to another school instead is getting off pretty lightly.

Robyn, if it is you posting on the Times Ed (and why not, you have every right), just a word to the wise?

Posters there are quite picky about the use of correct punctuation. You can expect a lot of ribbing if you don't use correct english. And people may not take you that seriously.

They do it to everyone that posts there, not just you.

To those posters who comment that "He's only a 14 year old boy" Can I just chip in, I work with 16-18 year olds. Last year I faced down an agressive student who was playing up in my class. Nothing unusual in this, it happens on a regular basis as all the teachers who post here will tell you. Two hours later he stabbed another student in the corridoor outside the staffroom. While he was making threats to me he had a knife in his pocket. He could have used it on me, he just chose to take out his agression on a fellow student that particular time.

My point is, many students, including 14 year olds, make threats of violence. What we, as teachers, cannot be sure about is just how many of those students are prepared to carry out those threats. We have to work on the basis that any threat made is capable of being carried out.

Personally, there's no way I would have NJ's son in my class if he had done that to me.

I really don't get this argument that he's a 14 year old boy and therefore shouldn't be punished.

Yes, he's a 14 year old boy and that's why he's not being hauled before a court and sentenced to prison or fined for harassment. His punishment should fit the crime of a 14 year old boy. IE exclusion.

MB, they don't do themselves any favours by being that petty, do they?!

You could argue that.

On the othe hand, I would imagine that if a taechers' message board had errors and spelling mistakes, people would post and complain that there were unsuitable to teach!

I have had people tell me that on MN. I can't type, or spell, and cannot be bothered to run every post through a spell checker. I do check all my lesson materials.

But still MNetters have questioned my ability to teach. I assume the posters on the Times Ed site have had similar experiences, and now demand high standards of english

Fair enough MB.

I think what the boy wrote does sound like incitement to kill the teacher.Speaking as the mother of a young teacher, I would have been worried out of my mind if it had happened to us.

I think the internet needs sorting out.

The arguments against exclusion all seem to be focussing on the boy, and of course it is he that would be moving schools. The decision whether or not to exclude affects the whole school. The message is sent to all the children, not just this one child, that bullying is acceptable. Because it is bullying. The death threat thing is a red herring IMO.

I cannot see how a managed transfer to a new school cannot be in the best interests of all concerned. If the parents don't see that, I wonder what the agenda really is TBH. Especially after all the media hoo-ha and the actions of the staff in refusing to teach the child. How can this situation be in the best interests of their child?

Of course a move to another school is in the interests of everyone here. Which as you say begs the question of what the real agenda is here. Anyway, I still stand by my comments earlier that any 14 year old who CHOOSES to behave in this premeditated and disgusting way has thrown away his right to be educated in the school of his (or his parents') choice. He didn't give a shit about the rights of the teacher in setting up that website did he???

I'm not sure it is in the interests of quite anybody. What about the kids and teachers at the school he is sent to ?

I can understand your concerns.

However, changing school can have a beneficial effect on the child. Sometimes a big shake up gives them a sharp shock and makes them realise that their behaviour is unaceptable. If the child is really remorseful, a fresh start may be all that is needed to get him back on track.

I have seen this work in the past.

You also need to consider a few other factors. Places in Pupil Referal units, or EBD schools are very thin on the ground (the shouldn't be, but that is another thread). A child who is excluded has little chance of getting refered to this sort of specialist help. The choices are then, send them to another school, where they will be monitored through the day, or let them roam the streets.

Whol;e they may cause trouble in the new school, there is probably a greater chance of them getting into trouble if they are wandering round, unsupervised all day.

In addition failing to get qualifications or have an education will significantly increase the chance of the child developing more antisocial habits, possibly ending in crime and a prison sentence.

resurecting this thread.

Posters on the Times Ed website have said that the students in this school are planning a strike if the boy is returned, as they fear that they may be the next victims of cyber bullying.

No idea if this is true or a load of cobblers, anyone else have any information?

The Times Ed thread has shrunk! Well over 100 postings now down to 89! Can't find any info on that site about a pupils strike, but have found this if that's any help.
www.spaldingtoday.co.uk/news?articleid=2991810