Worth fighting??

[TiredAndTeasy23]

Trying to reach out for some honest support and advice from level headed strangers.
Long & short of it is my husband has been dismissed from his teaching role due to stopping two teenage boys fighting. He saw them in a headlock together and considering they are older and physically bigger boys who can cause damage, he shouted and then pulled one lad by the loop of his backpack (which he was wearing) and moved him into a classroom nearby and separated them. This followed with a suspension and ended in dismissal. My husband has been distraught over this. He’s usually a happy and positive guy but he is a shadow of a man I once knew. He has a union who was honestly just as confused and when he saw the cctv his response to my husband was “well I expected a lot worse! You have control the entire time and no harm came to either boy”. He applied and the school stayed strong and said it’s gross misconduct. He, with the union rep are now gearing up for a tribunal but they are aware this could take months if not over a year with no guarantee. My husband took a mundane job which sees him working all day, well into the evenings and weekends meaning he isn’t seeing our young children.
I guess I’m asking for unbiased advice on whether that’s it. Teaching career well and truly over or with totally transparency and honesty, could he get another teaching job or is it a waste of everyone’s time to even apply.
im so angry this has happened to him. If he had done something awful or unthinkable it would be easier to comprehend but he’s a great teacher, has blinding references (many from that same school!) but he just doesn’t seem like he will be given another chance again.
All thoughts welcome.
Thanks

That is so sad. Can he approach a different school to do some relief teaching? Explain the situation first and see if they can help? Or can he teach Engish 2nd language at a private college? I was thinking of media publicity (for what looks like a witch hunt) but then he'd be seen as a trouble maker and his chances of a come back would decline significantly. For his depression he may need counselling, regular exercise and/or social activities. It's an awful situation and entirely no fault of his from what you've described.

We’ve discussed going to see a GP because he is struggling mentally. The job he is doing is so mundane and it’s tough him never being home to help with kids. Our eldest has complex needs and needs a lot of medical care which I now do on my own, with another small child and working part time. He isn’t home evenings or weekends so he is struggling to find a sociable hobby to help. It’s just a rut. I’m telling him to apply elsewhere and just be honest. Show them the union reports and offer to show all communication. He deserves the right to teach. He’s fabulous! I’m not the best person to remind him he’s great as I am that typically moaning half glass empty person. But I remind him how proud I am of him for getting a job 24hrs after being dismissed and supporting our family but it doesn’t get rid of the pain for him. We went to a Christmas light switch on a few months ago in our town and a former student and her grandfather came up to my husband and said if it wasn’t for him, she wouldn’t have got into college and stuck at school. I could have cried. He’s a great teacher and loves helping the underdog. He’s brought supplies and books out of his own pocket for students with nasty home lives. That doesn’t help him in this situation but it’s just the type of person he is. It’s clear the current school didn’t gel with him (he is one to stand up if something isn’t ok and voice if he disagrees with policy) and I think they wanted rid. But now they’ve just ended someone’s career and it looks like they’ve managed it.
theres a teaching job come available locally I’ve told him to go for
it and expect some knock backs. Just doesn’t seem fair does it? How can the government complain about the lack of teachers when their trusts aren’t supporting the good ones 😔

Apologies if I come across as naive but are you saying your husband can still teach if so can’t he do supply teaching it would allow him to still pursue what he loves while fininding the right school or generating further employment prospects for the future. Of course if the union advised the school was high handed then you should persue the tribunal. Teaching is a career and profession which needs good experienced teachers. If your husband is unfit for work then yes see the doctor but it sounds like this isn’t the case as he’s working in a mundane job to support you all as a family yes.

Your husband didn't deserve this. Fighting will not be easy but he didn't do anything wrong and deserves to have his name cleared. It will be hard, you may regret it at times if they try and throw other things at him but especially in such a unique profession, don't let the fuckers drag him down.

So he can teach, he wants too. He just doesn’t know how to approach applying for other teaching jobs once they ask about his previous role. He has to say why and he isn’t sure if the gross misconduct from a previous role stops him teaching. It’s incredibly tough as we live in a small community where everyone knows everyone and the rumour mill has already begun. He’s just embarrassed but equally angry with the situation.

What did he say about his previous employment if he immediately secured a mundane job? Surely he needed to provide details about his old job?. If he’s worried and in contact with the union would they not be best placed to advise about continuing teaching and his concerns.

His current job didn’t really ask. It’s not to do with education is a driving job so it’s high staff turn over.
Ive told him to call the union this week and ask again. Great union rep in being aggressive with this but just says “can’t see why not” which isn’t inspiring my husband. He’s hesitant to apply and then deal with that conversation without knowing the facts and we’ve spent months googling without much luck on finding the answer.

There has been a local teaching job advertised which he could easily do it’s just is it worth even putting himself through that if it’s a guaranteed no but I guess he just has to take the risk. He’s a great teacher, deserves a second chance so he should try and try right?

Has he been reported to his professional body? If the school considers his actions serious enough to dismiss he should be going through the 'fitness to teach' process. I would suggest he talks to them as well as his union.

The Union said he would have been told if he’s been reported to the TRA which so far he’s had nothing and this started last summer so surely he would have heard by now?

Sorry, who should he talk too?

Talk to the TRA. I would assume they will be able to advise if his registration could be affected. If not then he should just apply for jobs and explain, but also explain the TRA view.

Why was he actually dismissed? That’s your starting point. What wording was used in the dismissal letter?

Dismissed for “manhandling a student” was how it was worded.

I had to fire a guy for gross misconduct, he was able to get another job as he didn’t need to declare why he’d left his previous job and I wasn’t able to write in his references why. So to be he should apply for teaching jobs.

he has the evidence he did nothing wrong, he sounds great and in the village this gossip will be yesterdays news. So he needs to get back teaching and enjoying his life again. Ignore the comments or gossip.

@TiredAndTeasy23 so it’s the touching they had an issue with, and his defence presumably is that it was necessary to prevent injury to themselves and others. Sounds like the school are taking a hard line and not accepting any mitigating factors. I wonder if they haven’t dismissed for something like that before, could be a good point to appeal if there is. Definitely persist with union for advice, they will know how to deal with situations like this and what it means for the future. In terms of future teaching jobs, he’ll need to be totally transparent and explain why he was dismissed and what happened. Other schools may also take a hard line. Sorry this has happened.

It doesn't sound like your DH is a bad person

... it doesn't sound like you're is a bad person. Both DBro and DSiL are career teachers and have both come back from "unfair" suspensions and dismissals. His union would not be putting the resource into supporting his tribunal if they didn't think he had a chance of winning. Good luck.

I am so mad for you all reading your post. That is flipping scandalous. I would fight this to the death. Your husband should hold his head high. Apply for other teaching jobs and then sue the ass of the school that did this to him. I would go to MPs the papers whoever would listen. Good luck

Thank you all. I’m honestly baffled we are in this situation. He’s a great teacher and a good person. He used to work in security and saw how one fall or a punch can change lives. He had full control but for the school, that wasn’t what they want. Funnily enough the union rep said “they clearly want rid of you because you don’t fit their mould”. Which isn’t fair to destroy someone’s career over. Especially when other staff and witnesses were happy to come to the appeal but they had pressure on them to not be involved. Speaks volumes doesn’t it?
Ive told him to call the union tomorrow and get some advice on applying elsewhere.

Rivalsbinge, can I ask what you fired them for? Was it gross dismissal? We are worried because of the “manhandling” label he has to declare this and without facts it does look pretty damning on paper? He is happy to show all communication from the union who are fighting that this is very harsh for an early career teacher. No warning just gone. They also said he didn’t seem remorseful, he is remorseful but he stuck to his guns and explained why he did what he did, he didn’t want anyone to come to harm. He said if he saw students fighting he would always intervene and not shy away from helping. He said he knew to not touch them (my husband is a big guy and ex rugby player so knows he is physically a lot stronger than a Y11 student) so he thought using their bag which was attached to them was the sensible option but that now is twisted that he isn’t sorry. He can’t win clearly