Teachers in the clear
Teaching Council has had the power to probe claims of bad practice for over two years – but only two were upheld
MORE than 90 complaints have been submitted to the Teaching Council since it began taking reports of bad practice just over two years ago – but only two have so far been upheld, new figures have revealed.
The Teaching Council, which regulates teaching standards in the country, was finally given the power to investigate complaints in July 2016.
By the beginning of November this year, a total of 59 complaints relating to primary school teachers had been submitted while a further 33 complaints were made about secondary teachers.
Just over half of the complaints against primary teachers were considered serious enough to be investigated, while 16 out of the 33 complaints against secondary teachers were deemed to require a deeper probe. However, only two complaints have so far been upheld – one at primary level and one at second level.
The majority of complaints – 65 – were in relation to a teacher’s conduct and behaviour.
Other complaints related to issues such as a teacher’s professional integrity, competence or a possible breach of the teachers’ code of professional conduct.
Some complaints related to medical concerns and criminal convictions. Anyone, including an employer, teacher, or member of the public, can make a complaint to the Teaching Council about a registered teacher.
The council usually only deals with complaints if the alleged matter took place after July 25, 2016, though it will investigate complaints before this date in exceptional circumstances.
If a complaint is proven to be valid, the council’s Disciplinary Committee can impose sanctions such as admonishing the teacher, placing conditions on their registration, or suspending them from the Register of Teachers for a period of up to two years. The committee can also decide to remove the teacher from the register and ban them from applying to be restored for a certain period. In certain cases, the council can also look into complaints relating to episodes that took place outside of school or outside the country.
A spokesperson for the Department of Education said the council’s fitness-to-teach processes are not intended to replace the procedures already in place in schools to deal with issues of professional conduct and competence.
‘Underperformance or misconduct are dealt with first at school level, and while generally school procedures should be exhausted before any inquiry by the Teaching Council takes place, the council can proceed where there are good and sufficient reasons,’ the spokesperson added.
The first fitness-to-teach public hearing took place in November 2017, and saw a teacher struck off from the teaching register for professional misconduct after she ordered students to Sellotape their own mouths.
The inquiry heard the substitute school teacher was trying to quieten a giddy primary school class on March 1, 2012, when she told the five girls to tape their mouths for giggling and chatting.
One of the students told the inquiry: ‘She picked up the Sellotape off the dispenser on her table. She held it up in front of me and asked me to put it on. I was scared and shocked.’
The teacher did not attend the hearing and had no legal representation, but described the allegation of professional misconduct as ‘historic and unfounded’.
‘School procedures must be used up’