Teacher assaulted my son - what to do?

milliebear00001

daily wrote: »

The incident report has already been shown to the son, and now the headteacher is hiding behind dpa and refusing to supply a copy.

Section 7(4) of the Act provides that if you cannot comply with the request without disclosing information relating to another individual who can be identified from that information, then you do not have to comply with the request unless:

• the third party has consented to the disclosure;

or

• it is reasonable in all the circumstances to comply with the request without the consent of the third party individual.

As your obligation is to provide information rather than documents, you may delete names or edit documents if the third party information does not form part of the requested information.

You are obliged to communicate as much of the information requested as you can without disclosing the identity of the third party individual. So, disclosing the information with any third party information edited or deleted may be the best way to meet this request if you cannot disclose all the information.

I am not disputing that there MAY be reasonable cause to release the documents, but whether or not the Head HAS to, is debatable according to the law. In this case, I would suggest it might be the case that the individual witnesses could be identified even if their names were omitted. In which case, there is an argument for not releasing - especially if the individual witnesses request not.

bingo_babe

money_maker wrote:

Can't understand why she thinks she would have to give permission for mediation in a 15 year old?

Because he is a child, and as a parent I have a right to now. I also specifically requested that there should be no contact between my son and the teacher until the meeting took place between me and the head.

money_maker wrote:

I rather hope all avenues stop at a dead end for this poster. I would, however, suggest she seek some advice for her own problems - the ones she hasn't mentioned which are driving her forward.

What problems are they - the fact I think you are talking nonsense? Or perhaps the fact I don't like bullies, or people that exploit vulnerable people, or people in authority abusing their power, or being lied to, or loving my kids.

You're right - I need some help.What remedy would you suggest?

blue_monkey_______________________ wrote:

The boy did not have something thrown AT him, it was thrown near a group of children that he was sitting in and then hit a desk and bounced off in a different direction and hit him. That is an accident. Accidents happen. The teacher did not intentionally throw something to injure someone he threw something to get their attention that then bouched off in a different direction.

Of course, I see the OP mentioned that he was asked several times to stop talking but refused to..... Says it all I guess. Just what swear words did he use out of interest, have you not taught him to use innapropriate language? There are other words he could use to express himself whatever the situation.

You seem to make a lot of assumptions for someone who wasn't there.

In actual fact the object was thrown directly at him from 3 metres. This was not a freak accident. The object travelled in a straight line and bounced off a long desk about a foot from my son. It was entirely foreseeable it could strike another child, if not my son. As I have stated on several occasions a group of children were not paying attention - nothing more than that. My son wasn't running amok or setting the room on fire!

Many people seem to be insinuating that my child is a complete monster and he deserved it.

My son was shocked - wouldn't you be? I think he showed considerable restraint in not responding in a physical way to such provocation.

Nobody has actually answered my question of how they would feel about it if a child lost some teeth or an eye - would it still be ok for a teacher to throw an object at a child - or is that different?

Blue monkey why don't you answer the question or this one?

snuggles wrote:

I notice that none of the people who are blaming the child responded to my earlier comment - if the scenario was a care worker losing their temper with an elderly person with dementia, would they blame the elderly person for being challenging? I doubt it, and this is NO different.

bingo_babe

Daily wrote:

The incident report has already been shown to the son, and now the headteacher is hiding behind dpa and refusing to supply a copy.

Section 7(4) of the Act provides that if you cannot comply with the request without disclosing information relating to another individual who can be identified from that information, then you do not have to comply with the request unless:

• the third party has consented to the disclosure;

or

• it is reasonable in all the circumstances to comply with the request without the consent of the third party individual.

As your obligation is to provide information rather than documents, you may delete names or edit documents if the third party information does not form part of the requested information.

You are obliged to communicate as much of the information requested as you can without disclosing the identity of the third party individual. So, disclosing the information with any third party information edited or deleted may be the best way to meet this request if you cannot disclose all the information.

Now this is interesting and backs up my understanding - many thanks.

I wonder where that leaves the many posters who say I'm not entitled to the information 'end of'?

The statements should contain the facts and so aside from the name surely there shouldn't be any other information that could identify the child. Therefore according to the Act, the head is obliged to release the documents.

bingo_babe

jinky67 wrote:

I thank those that have been objective whether I agree with them or not. Those that jump to conclusions I ignore. because we are saying stuff you dont want to hear?:rotfl:

Um no, it's because people are jumping to conclusions without checking the facts. Or answering my initial question asking for practical advice. None of you know me or my child, and so your moral opinions and judgments are irrelevant.

Anybody who believes that a teacher - an adult - a trained professional - has a right to throw an object at my child are at best, best ignored. It is they that should 'get real'.

I am a fair person and I'm not prepared to accept how the school has dealt with this. Any parent that would stand aside and do nothing shouldn't be a parent. Shame on any of you that condone this sort of behaviour from a teacher.

Same question to jinky67 - how would you feel about it if a child lost some teeth or an eye - would it still be ok for a teacher to throw an object at a child - or is that different?

Or perhaps this question:

snuggles wrote:

I notice that none of the people who are blaming the child responded to my earlier comment - if the scenario was a care worker losing their temper with an elderly person with dementia, would they blame the elderly person for being challenging? I doubt it, and this is NO different.

Mitchka

melancholly wrote: »

whether fair or not, any excessive push for some apology over 3 months after the event will impact on the way all staff at the school interact with your son..............do you want to wreck your son's relationship with all his teachers over this?

I don't get this
Why would his other teachers behave any differently with him?

Zazen999

bingo_babe wrote: »

Anybody who believes that a teacher - an adult - a trained professional - has a right to throw an object at my child are at best, best ignored. It is they that should 'get real'.

I don't think throwing an object that bounced off something and hit your son is professional. But stop saying that he threw it at your son - he threw it in your son's direction, it bounced off something and hit your son. We don't know who was sitting where, and I expect he threw it at a table or something in order to catch their attention - certainly not to hit your son.

The head has investigated, and mediation sessions are being held with the teacher and your son. I'm sure the head has disciplined the teacher appropriately, even though their communication with you has been poor.

I do live in the real world, and can see that the head is in a difficult position with regards sorting it out. But as I said earlier - if you don't think they have sorted it out properly, ie you don't trust that they have, how can you trust them to educate your child from here on in? You either trust the head to get on with the job in hand and sort the problem out or you don't.

Lunar_Eclipse

jinky67 wrote: »

Quite frankly yes.
The object, it would seem, was not flung AT him but close to him and bounced.
HE should have been paying attention, class is not for social networking

If my son came home with the same story i would say "tough luck, sunshine, maybe you will listen in future"

Yes, he should have been paying attention. But the teacher's response is completely unacceptable. The teacher is the role model. And the adult; in a position of power and responsibility. Violence is not role model behaviour. Ever.

What you say to your son can be very different to what you actually think and do about a situation like this. By all means play it cool with the child to make them think they deserve to be reprimanded, but then make it very clear to the school that this behaviour is not on. My main issue would be how they handled it afterwards though.

Lunar_Eclipse

bingo_babe wrote: »

About 3 months and secondly about 6 weeks.

In that case I honestly think it's far too late to expect anything. So I think all you can really do is to write a letter to the Head & Governors letting them know you are unhappy with how it was handled (state the facts as you see them) and the fact that you have received no communication regarding (the outcome of) the incident. And let it go with regards to your son.

liney

Mitchka wrote: »

I don't get this
Why would his other teachers behave any differently with him?

The same reason people at work maybehave differently if you put in a greivance.

I wouldn't have anymore contact than absolutley necessary with a boy who's mother was trying to get my collegue dismissed.

sad_dog_lady

child abuse should never be condoned, so how can we condone an adult attempting to throw an object at a child? its your kid today who's tomorrow?