Deputy Head + another teacher sacked for carrying child in from playground

[Ponders]

\link{http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1383941/Deputy-heads-career-ruins-sacked-carrying-naughty-pupil-6-playground.html\DM report}

given that it's DM there might be the odd fact missing but as reported, this is mad

'the pupil had been outside and refused to return into the school building. His mother was phoned but couldn't get to the school immediately.
'My client used the minimum of physical restraint to lift him up and carry him to the classroom. His mother came to the school and saw him, and made no complaint.'

boggle

CIAN-Yes they are but it usually ends in a expulsion. Under my LA the child will go to a educational unit whilst waiting for a new school. In the units they have lockable front doors and the power to restrain.

Niceguy-really disrutive pupils stay in the referal unit they are sent to.

Birds, this was a primary school - the child was 6

Unfortunatly it applies to and involves primary school children as well.

niceguy2 Im not making a moutain out of anything just stating some facts, that are being picked apart by your self, but quite frankly you arguing the toss over something you clearly know nothing about.

I know that it's people such as yourself, the well meaning namby pamby cotton wool brigade which has made teachers lives impossible.

Like I've said several times, given the fact you have the full benefit of hindsight, what would you have done instead? Leave the child outside alone or pick him up?

It's easy to sit there saying "oh you shouldn't have moved him". But given doing nothing isnt a choice, what would you do?

You have no facts. Nothing that can be quantified anyway. I had a playfight with my 4 year old stepson tonight. We wrestled, i picked him up, turned him upside down and despite having absolutely no training in how to playfight he hasn't got a broken back, dislocated shoulder and his arms haven't fallen off. In fact the only thing that seems to have happened is he went to bed tired and happy.

Teachers do have the right to physically intervene. The problem that many schools have is the suing culture. Schools are fearful of litigation. Especially as no win no fee lawyers make parents very happy to sue over triva.

I haven't read the whole thread, so apologise if this has been said before.

I work in a state middle (9-13). Several teachers / support staff are "School Safe" trained (a course that teaches staff how to physically restrain a child without fear of being accused of wrong-doing).

If the situation in the OP happened where I work, members of staff who are "School Safe" would be called and be able to physically restrain the child, move him to another part of the school. It's a bit rough where I work, so this happens every couple of weeks or so - with no problem or repercussions.

I thought that all schools had to have members of staff trained in this manner?

I would have thought a situation where two adults are dealing with a 6yo child is far less likely to result in the dangerous use of physical force than a situation where staff have to deal with a violent adult.

I would be very wary of using physical force with my 14yo because I know there is a strong risk that I would end up hurting her to keep myself safe- otoh I had no such concerns when she was small enough to be picked up easily; there was just not the same risk of excessive force.

i agree with niceguy, itsnobiggydoitnow what would you have done...or advise .. ?

This is local to me, there really is a lot more to this story than in the DM. People who know what happened are not shouting wrongful dismissal.

I hope that what really happened will be properly reported then, once appeals or tribunals or whatever are done with.

sweetcat - are you able to tell us any more details or is there a legal bar to doing so ?