An unheard voice in education

Time to end myth about bad teachers

A school principal writes . . .

I am a school principal who has been teaching for more than 30 years. I reckon over that time I have heard all of the great myths about the Irish education system. One of the most persistent of these is that there’s nothing you can do about a bad teacher, which was aired in this column recently.

This is simply not true. If there is an issue about a teacher’s performance, behaviour, attendance or any other school-related matter then there’s a way to solve the problem. But I don’t blame some parents for repeating this myth, because on several occasions I have heard my fellow principals say this in public. And I cringe each time I hear it. So it is little wonder that a parent might believe this myth – but the more it is repeated, the greater credence it gets.

For years a complaints procedure has been in place to handle issues with teachers and school principals. This is in every school. The first step is to approach the teacher informally and raise any concerns directly. Most complaints are dealt with effectively at this stage between the teacher and the parent with ease. If the problem is not solved between the teacher and the parent, the next step is the principal and, failing that, the chair of the school board.

If this doesn’t solve the problem then the board of management can be brought into it, and they have to deal with it.

Part of the myth is that the hands of the principal or the board are tied and there is nothing they can do. Again, that is not true. A very robust disciplinary procedure was brought in under the Education Act. It is similar to disciplinary processes in most workplaces and covers behaviour and competence to do the job. In serious cases it can result in disciplinary action and, occasionally, dismissal.

But what it does mean is that boards of management cannot ignore a complaint or refuse to do anything about it.

The key to it all is that the parent must be prepared to raise an issue that is bothering them. No parent should resign themselves to helplessness, keeping the head down or just putting up with a problem. Not telling a teacher or a principal there’s a problem is a recipe for more of the same, because, quite frankly, the teacher might not even realise there is a problem.

And, contrary to what the parent wrote in this column two weeks ago, the situation is unlikely to improve if the parent does not complain.

Let’s be honest: most teachers do a decent job. As in every job, some are better than others, and there is no doubt that some are better at teaching certain subjects than others. That said, if there is a problem with a basic issue like literacy or numeracy, then keeping the head down should never be the default option for parents.

This column is designed to give a voice to those within the education system who wish to speak out anonymously. Contributions are welcome. E-mail sflynn@irishtimes.com