The Fine Line of Teacher Regulation (Because They Do Dumb Things)

I think probably the thing I post most about on this blog is teachers doing dumb things. These stories are just always going to catch headlines. For instance, just this week we have: 

Teachers at a mental health facility building a "fight club" where students were allowed to fight one another while teachers watched.

Two (2!) middle aged teachers at the same school having sex with a 13 year old student (without each other's knowledge --- just wacky). 

To compensate for that, states regulate teachers through various means. But, that can go too far and become impractical. For instance, Iowa doesn't know what to do about their driver's ed. teachers that get into accidents. They have a policy in place that those teachers should be suspended, but they don't have the bureaucracy in place to actually enforce that. In my mind, that is too much state involvement. No doubt that teachers of driver's ed. should be good drivers, but do we really need state oversight on this? Do we really need someone at the state combing through driving records and determining what is and what is not worthy of suspending driver's ed. teachers? Probably not as this can be taken care of at the local level (if at all).

So, it's a fine line on teacher regulation and one that is going to continue to generate lots of stories into the future.

H/T Scott McLeod

Comments

[Tina M]

Justin:

Your commets re: Iowa and driver's ed. teachers, make me think of our local health initiatives. If Iowa is successful with dealing with driver's ed. teahcers in such an invasive way does that mean that their health, p.e. teachers, and nurses must be within healthy weight ranges or they might have consequences from the state?

Re: your statement that you post most about stupid things teachers do, have you considered some decisions local school boards make? If not, you might find these listed below to be interesting...especially during these difficult finanacial times.

http://www.goupstate.com/article/20090212/ARTICLES/902121091

http://www.goupstate.com/article/20090225/ARTICLES/902251073

http://www.goupstate.com/article/20090201/COLUMNISTS/902011033

http://www.goupstate.com/article/20090106/NEWS/901060248

[Justin B.]

Thanks for the comments Tina. Yeah, boards can do equally dumb things, but they tend to get away with it more often and it doesn't hit the headlines so much. Who wouldn't want a retreat at Biltmore, right, so I am glad that the local paper called them out on it.

It was nothing personal against teachers, it is just that teaching is the most sensitive position. Society is very sensitive to teachers doing dumb things because they are the ones actually with the kids.

You are right on health and P.E. - health and fitness are an acceptable condition of employment, and most teachers have to do physicals before getting on the job and districts have made teachers take psychiatric exams before letting them return to work ... so, some of that is already happening.

[Audrey Patterson]

The lifestyle choices that teachers make are watched by the community. It’s no longer acceptable to wear a mini-skirt to the mall on the weekend or flash everyone on spring break on video. When individuals go to school to be a teacher, they must understand that things have to change. But should everything about our lives change? Although teachers have rights like other citizens of the United States, it seems like we must uphold this image that is free of any error. We are always under the microscope of the public eye. The regulations that are placed on teachers are harsh at times. There are so many other incidents occurring that get brushed under the rug that do not receive any attention from the public. I believe that the regulations should be reasonable and fair. Yes, teachers should be role models to the children they serve. But we should also be granted the opportunity to live our lives without so much pressure from the community and government.