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.

Why isn't a teaching union in on this ?
It seems to me that this is a Health and Safety issue, and as such she has a lot of buttons to push.

They are DC. At least one has voted and the majority of members in the school have refused to teach NJs ds. I think the other union in the school is also voting on the issue.

The head initialy excuded him, and the governers overturned the ruling. The unions then steped in

Agree with Donnie and MB.

What happened to the idea that you are accountable for your actions? Yes, it might have been a stupid, immature thing to do, but nevertheless the damage has been done and I don't see why the child should be preferred over the adult in a situation where he has set out to victimise her.

If the consequence of his action is that he is permanently excluded from this school, that is the lesson he has to learn. I don't see why the siblings would have to move school as well though if they weren't perpetrators.

NJ35, it is one thing to say it face to face,and you can judge by the tone of voice how serious you should be taking this comment. That is the thing about the internet, you can't.

I could sit here typing something as a joke and it would deeply offend somebody else as they did not hear me giggling whilst typing it. If you see what I mean.

I do understand your position, you are his mother and you love him no end. You probably don't love his behaviour at the moment, but you still love him and want everybody else to see that sweet little boy that you gave birth to, who gave you soft cuddles, who told you that he loves you etc.

What the teacher sees is somebody who is close to being a man. Somebody who COULD quite easily beat her up and kill her in an alley way.

I do feel really sorry for you, but I also think that if this was my boy I would move him to a different school, not only for the teacher's sake but for my boy's sake.

I am struck by something Juuule said, and something that I totaly agree with 'He deserves another chance' I agree that he does. But I feel that for the good of this teacher, and for the rest of the staff and for the smooth running of the school, that second chance should be in another school.

A fresh start, in a school where he has not alienated the staff.

I must say, if I was the union rep, I'd play dirty and hard.
First stop would be the school insurers. "Insurance" is given as a reason to stop a lot of things, no reason why it can't do something useful.
I'd bet you could cause the governors a lot of pain this way.
Indeed, they would be my principal target.

A solicitors letter informing them that they have serious potential personal liability will get the self righteous twats to think a bit.

It isnt all the school who do not wish to teach him,if it was I wouldnt be standing by the govenors decision.We all have out own opinions on things and the facts of this incident are NOT represented at all.This is sensationalism at its best! Please bear in mind the comments you make based on your opinion are from a one sided story blown up which is enabling the unions to make an example of one child. We have the right to free speech apparently which you are all doing so on this website,ask yourself is this a good idea then as this is what he did in the 1st place to start this chain of events??? maybe I should now take offence at your views and file a slander case against you? Or go to the press and tell them what you have put about me and my son?? The police didnt feel that he had done anything that he could be prosecuted for,which if he had made death threats he would have been arrested,all opinions differ,I respect yours,please respect mine.Just please try and put what you have heard into some kind of realistic view because trust me,you have NOT heard 95% of the ACTUAL facts.If the govenors let him go back and the police never contacted us,does that not tell you something?? Please think about it and see what that says to you?Thankyou

I think that this is a very sad situation. But I have tried to explain how the situation is now untenable for the teacher in involved. I can understand that you are very upset and understandably worried about the.

We do have freedom of speech but not, I think, to bully.

In all honesty I do wish you and so your son well. But if I had been your son's teacher, I would not willingly take him back into my class.

Since this thread is hurting you more, I will not post further. And I repeat, I hope you get a resolution.

I agree with martionbishops comments I'm afraid. As an (ex) teacher, who has experienced verbal and physical assualt in the line of work, I would not wish to teach this boy, following his actions. Sorry, but I think a new start would be fairer on both the boy AND the teacher, who is afterall the innocent party in all this.

I don't think the boy shoud be excluded from every school in sight, nor permanently reprimanded and dsuffer from this. But is is not fair on the teacher for him to continue at that school IMO. Teachers have enough to contend with int he classroom nowadays, let alone this on top.

I base my comments, not on any news article or TV clip. I have not seen any. I am basing it on the comments made about what the boy did - the comments written by his mother. And also on my own experience of being a teacher of this age children.

He deserves another chance, yes. But not necessarily the same chance - ie. I think a new school is better, for a completely fresh start - away from this teacher, away from the reputation and gossip from this whole incident, and away from the peers who also were involved on the site.

The ironic thing is the teacher concerned doesnt teach him and wouldnt over the next 2 years.
Can I ask,who is bullying now?? 2 wrongs do not make a right and now we have unions taking over and who has stopped and thought about the teacher or pupil involved now? The union voicing their (untruthful) comments will also affect the teacher as it will keep going over old ground,how does the teacher move on? does anyone in the media think how this helps the situation? Thats the sad thing,they go back to their lives without a thought for those left dealing with this.

It must be very upsetting and very difficult for you and your son, for all concerned. I wish your son well with his second chance.

But I do have empathy for that poor teacher though, who will have to face this every day at work, as the reminders will be there every day for her. I talk from experience. I actually have now left teaching because of pupil behaviour issues, but in a school where management did not support the staff.

And so do I,just because its my son who did it doesnt mean as a person I do not feel for her.

It isn't just about the child and the teacher though. Everyone knows about it. And everyone knows that the punishment was overturned. That leaves the staff feeling that they have no support from the governors, and the other children (not your child) feeling that there is little or no comeback.

I had a similar situation in a previous school, where a child was readmitted after an assault on a teacher. Again it was described as a 'personality clash' . It was a very difficult time for everyone concerned .

Not every pupil in the school knew about it but the press have made sure they do now

I think that 'technology' has a lot to answer for. When I started teaching chn didn't have the option of posting on the internet. That didn't stop disgruntled chn from writing 'I hate Miss ...'. Found it written on tables, notes etc. I've had a child say they wanted to shoot me, have heard chn say they want to 'stab' other teachers - they didn't mean it, it was a spur of the moment thing and a product of the violent computer games chn play now.

Had the child written the message in his notebook instead of on a website the outcome might have been different. I don't know whether a 14 year old really understands the implications of posting something on the internet.
However I sympathise with the teacher involved. Have had far too much stress in my life due to behaviour issues in school and know how it can affect you.

I had never even heard of this until I saw your thread NJ35, my comments are only based on the information you have given me.

Try imagining you being forced to go to work with someone who had poste something similar about you on the web! Would you really carry on as if nothing had happened. Accept an apology and move on, give that person a second chance. Or would you take to human resources and demand that either you or that person get a transfer?

I am sincerely not trying to make you feel any worse than I can imagine you alreday do, and I don't think anything anybody will ever say will make you change your mind and fully understand this teacher's point of view.

I do not see why teachers should be put at risk by governors or LEAs who don't take that sort of personal risk.
I frankly don't have much sympathy for the kid.
This was not a heat of the moment issue, or a misjudgement, but a calculated act.

He's not just a threat to the teacher, but other kids. Anyone here really believe the teacher was his only victim.

Just because the policer can't be arsed to prosecute him, does not make him safe.

As employers, the fat self satisfied governors sitting safely far away from the kid, have a duty to ensure the safety of the teacher.

If the LEA wants him back at the school,then they should provide an adequte level of protection for the teacher.
This is not "sending a letter to the parents".
This is someone watching the little shit.
That's expensive, isn't it ?

So the teacher's career gets trashed and other teachers and kids are put at jeopardy because of flaky cost saving.

2 points:

1. At the age of 14 the boy is of an age of criminal resposibility.

2. At my dd's school, the head has as a permanent notice on our school online whiteboard: Please ensure that your children cannot access bebo.

I doubt it is down to the police whether he was prosecuted or not. IME school management are very reluctant to take things beyond the school walls, and are generally not supportive should an individual teacher chose to do that. I kknow when I was physically assaulted it was just pplayed down so much at school, with limited punishment to the child involved, that as an individual teacher I felt powerless and as if I couldn't do anything. So I took the easy way out, and left it and just started my mat leave early.

I agree with cornsilk about the medium, the internet.

Let put this in perspective. The child involved was representing the school via the school council, he was a mentor for younger children, he has various achievement awards. Does this represent a some chav child with homocidal tendancies. I don't think so.

Ok, as previously mentioned the child had issues with the particular teacher, that had been unresolved. He is 14, and obviously frustrated with the situation.

Whereas years ago a child would vent frustration via notes, toilet walls, table inscriptions, etc etc. Now we have the internet, which is a mass medium.

In my opinion, the real agenda here is censorship. As a nation we have 20% of the worlds CCTV cameras for 0.2% of the worlds population. The government want total control, and censorship is one way to do it. There have been some terrible crimes that have been internet fuelled, and if the press can sensationalise any petty incident to fuel the reputation of the internet as an evil tool to the public, the greater the chances of total censorship. It's hot topic!

I think everyones comments about fresh starts for poor teacher and child just show what a bunch of nannies we are. What about standing up for what you believe and fighting your corner. That is what the unions intend to do, so why shouldn't the opposition.

What message are we sending here? Are we saying that it is wrong to apologise for our wrongs, and it is wrong to forgive. That we should simply not apologise and face our wrongs, but we should run away and leave the situation unresolved.

The child had guts to publicly apologise, shame the teacher didn't have the guts to forgive, but instead seeks revenge by bullying the child out of school.

Good luck

There is a difference IM0 about doodle comments on a note book - which, incidently is not something I have seen done TBH, maybe in a child's secret diary, but not a notebook - and writing something on a website, planning what to write and encourages others, by comments, to do the same.

In almost all other work environments people would not be expected to work with a client who had made such threats, regardless of whether they intended to carry them through, In schools it is somehow seemed fine to put teachers in that position with their pupils.

domoni connor-in response to your comment-do you personally know the teacher or child in question? And At which point did I call any of your children a "little shit" ,childish and hurtful and about the same actions that lead us here. Thats not of an appropriate nature. If you are not willing to listen to the full facts and take them on board and prefer to listen to the sensationalisation,then so be it,i pray that nothing like this EVER happens to you, and people speak of your child as you have of mine, as I never thought this would ever occur within my family.Its not a normal occurence believe me,Thankyou

Thankyou eoj for your comments,i appreciate your rational view and not one that completely rights off the life of a good 14 year old who has made a mistake,The students being mentored have no mentor now,there will be no more school council etc so many will loose out. Our world is now geared towards revenge and I have not brought children up to be like that.