A teacher could set up a successful charity, spend lots of
their own money helping kids, volunteer their time, or even go to the moon;
chances are it will not get noticed. However, if a teacher does anything wrong,
whether they are currently a teacher or maybe only taught for 6 months; they
are always a teacher.
“Do Teachers Have
Right to Private Life?”
“The
media love to play up reports of public school teachers who have been accused
of misconduct as if they are the rule. The latest example involves an
elementary school teacher in New York City who was fined $7,500 after his
arrest for having sex with a prostitute ("Judge:
Teacher caught with hooker can sue over $7,500 fine," New York
Post, Jan. 14).”
“The
teacher contested the fine, and the court ruled that the district had failed
"to offer any legal basis for penalizing a teacher for illegal conduct
that has little or no apparent connection with his teaching duties."
The judge went on to note that the incident occured on a Sunday morning, and
did not take place anywhere near the school.”
“The
city's Department of Education believes that the fine is appropriate because
"teachers are supposed to be role models for their students," and
that the teacher's arrest "blotted that image." Moreover, the teacher
failed to notify school officials of his arrest as is required.”
“Putting
aside the last point, I'm not at all surprised by events in New York City.
In 2012, a highly regarded guidance counselor at a high school in the
district was fired after 12 years of exemplary work when photos of her in
lingerie and bikinis from her early career as a model were seen on the Internet
even though she had disclosed her past career when first hired ("Manhattan
HS guidance counselor stripped of job over steamy-photo past," New
York Post, Oct. 7, 2012).”
Read
the whole thing here: http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/walt_gardners_reality_check/2014/01/do_teachers_have_right_to_a_private_life.html?cmp=ENL-EU-NEWS3
Being
a teacher is a great responsibility and privilege, there is no doubt; but teachers
are human. I do not recall ever being endowed with super powers when I got my
teaching credential, I certainly do not recall signing away my rights or
privacy.
What
are your thoughts? Are teachers being held to unrealistically high standards in
all walks of life?
Dr
Flavius A B Akerele III
The
ETeam
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