Teachers face a difficult dilemma

BRUCE Hogan is the latest teacher to be acquitted of assaulting a pupil. As violence towards teachers grows, so have malicious accusations.

Hogan's union, the National Union of Teachers, dealt with 146 such accusations against its members last year, with 102 already this year. Three quarters prove to be false. The second biggest teaching union, NASUWT, has logged 1,624 allegations since 1991, with only 64 convictions to date (though 362 cases remain outstanding).

False allegations have risen fourfold in 12 years. Meanwhile, reported assaults by pupils against NASUWT members rose from six in 1991 to 42 in Teachers face a difficult dilemma. Student behaviour has deteriorated, reflecting poor discipline at home. Yet teachers fear being accused of assault if they touch a child, even when they are trying to prevent violence.

Government guidelines permit teachers to use "reasonable force" in exceptional circumstances to restrain a particularly unruly pupil. Welsh primary headteacher Marjorie Evans successfully used this defence against accusations of slapping a pupil. She was cleared by the courts in 2000, but had been suspended from school for 18 months. Unions warn teachers to be wary about using physical restraint, to avoid such allegations.

Last year, prosecutors withdrew charges of assault against Cardiff teacher Anne Brooks who had accidentally spilled tangerine juice on a 10-yearold boy.

But they did so only just as the case was due in court and after an eightmonth agonising delay for Mrs Brooks and a bill to the taxpayer of 20,000.

Some teachers argue for anonymity until a case is proved. But no law can prevent playground gossip. And why should those wrongly accused of more serious charges not have that right, too? Others say a teacher should only be suspended if a child is at risk. But no head teacher or school governor will want to be responsible if an accused teacher repeats their offence and a child is seriously hurt.

One reform could help. Hogan's case was heard relatively quickly by normal court standards.

But after an unblemished 31-year school record, several months of torment is too long. Such cases should be heard more rapidly.

Yet speed will not prevent children falsely accusing their teachers. They know they can abuse their parents' genuine fears about child abuse. And they do so in an increasingly litigious society. Sadly, others will face Bruce Hogan's ordeal while this culture prevails.

(c)2003. Associated Newspapers Ltd.. Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning Company. All rights Reserved.