Suffer the Little Children

A teacher is a person we entrust our children to for six hours a day, five days a week. He needs to convey a sense of leadership whilst encouraging a nurturing environment in which the students can learn. He needs to share his wisdom and teach his philosphies with integrity, diplomacy and most importantly, passion.

In 2008 Caitie was subjected to six months of abuse from her Grade 5 teacher. Her entire class was subjected to this evil man. This "teacher" threw chairs and desks, called the children filthy names under his breath, yet was heard by the students, he grabbed one child hard enough to create bruises and he knocked Caitie to the ground as she stopped to do up her shoelace. He then laughed at her. He clipped students around the head and called them idiots. This man was not, nor will he ever be, fit to be a teacher. Two years ago we campaigned to have him removed from the school. He left on stress leave and we were told he was never to return. After months of holding my daughter while she cried and begged to stay at home, I had a happy girl again. After six months of failing grades, Caitlin found that school could once again be a safe place and she blossomed under her new teacher.

Yesterday I was given the news that this man was returning to the school to take over Conors year 1 class. A man who could not handle a group of 9-10 year olds is being given the job of teaching 6 year olds. In 2008 he took a group of 4-5 year old Prep students for a swimming class and was screaming at them to get dressed, causing quite a few to burst into tears. This will be the third teacher for the class due to the first teacher, Mrs S going on maternity leave. This wonderful educator took quite a few weeks to find the perfect teacher, Miss H to take her place. Now, her choice of teacher is being pushed to the side to make way for a monster. In a meeting with Miss H to discuss the students, she asked him if he wanted to return to teaching, he said no. Was he happy to be back teaching, he said no, he was biding his time until retirement. A committed, enthusiastic young teacher is being replaced by this man who is using Year 1 as a placeholder until he can retire.

That is just the kind of person I want in charge of my childs education.

As Bertrand Russell once said, "More important than the curriculum is the question of the methods of teaching and the spirit in which the teaching is given."

I couldn't put it better myself. Let him back and suffer the little children.

Sadly

Cindy