Wednesday 24 November 2010

The Importance Of Teaching

Our document’s called “The Importance of Teaching” because we know that there is nothing which is more important in improving our school system than raising the prestige and esteem of the teaching profession and giving teachers more power over what happens in the classroom. That’s why we’ll be slimming back a lot of the regulation and bureaucracy that’s got in the way of teachers doing their job in the past and it’s why we’ll be giving teachers new powers to keep order and discipline in the classroom ...

Michael Gove, Secretary of State for Education

Andrew Kidd Duke Street Primary School Chorley Jane Watts Anne Callander

Behaviour and Discipline :
The requirement for 24-hours notice of detention will be abolished in legislation.
The DfE will issue a “short, clear, robust guide” on teachers’ power to use reasonable force, giving schools greater discretion on how to monitor these powers. Teachers will be able to search for pornography, tobacco and fireworks.
There will be statutory guidance to extend heads’ powers to punish pupils who misbehave on the way to or from school.
Anti bullying guidance will be simplified from 500 to 20 pages. Inspectors will be given more time to look for evidence on pupil behaviour, if there is bullying in school and how well it is dealt with, taking evidence from pupils and parents. Parents with concerns can ask Ofsted to inspect: they can decide how to proceed.
Allegations against teachers. The Association of Chief Police Officers is looking at how investigations in these cases can be speeded up. Heads will get guidance from the DfE to ensure teachers are not automatically suspended in these cases, and there will be legislation to ensure reporting restrictions prevent the identification of staff until they are charged with a criminal offence. The Government will clarify that referees should not be required to report allegations proved to be malicious or untrue.

We will better protect teachers from false allegations :
3.11 The fact that teachers are often the only adult in a classroom of young people means that they can be subject to false or even malicious allegations. In a recent survey, 50 per cent of staff questioned reported that they or a colleague have had a false allegation made against them. As well as being a distressing experience, this can affect career progression and damage the perception of teachers. So we will legislate to give anonymity to teachers accused by pupils and we will speed up the progress of investigations.
3.12 It is of course absolutely essential that genuine cases of misconduct or abuse are dealt with fairly and effectively. And to do this, false allegations need to be identified and dismissed quickly. Governors and head teachers should ensure that all allegations are investigated without delay. We will work with local authorities, the Home Office and the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) to address this issue. ACPO are committed to looking at new ways in which investigations can be speeded up, without compromising their integrity, by eradicating all unnecessary delays.
3.13 Many head teachers have felt that the only option while investigating an allegation is to suspend the teacher in question, regardless of the nature or seriousness of the allegation. We will update guidance to schools to ensure that allegations against a teacher do not automatically result in their being suspended. Where there are no risks to children, we want to see alternatives explored so that teachers do not have to endure the stigma and speculation that accompanies suspension.
3.14 False allegations can damage teachers’ career prospects even once disproved. We will clarify that in future when employers are asked to give references for teachers they should never be required to report prior allegations which were found to be malicious or untrue. We will legislate to introduce reporting restrictions that prevent a teacher’s identity being revealed until the point at which they are charged with a criminal offence.
3.15 We will consider whether these measures should also be applied to the wider children’s workforce.



There have been several inspirational moments during my long fight and campaign for justice. One is especially relevant when, at a low point late one night, I e-mailed Michael Gove for help. He was online too and we exchanged a couple of e-mails and he closed his last by saying :

“Thank you for getting in touch. I very much sympathise with the terrible position you find yourself in. My heart goes out to you. And your position underlines my determination to provide more protection for teachers who’re falsely accused in the future.”

His sincerity gave me hope that maybe one day he might ‘champion’ the cause.

That was two years ago. Today, I feel differently and appreciate the ingenuous nature of people and politicians. He learned nothing of the life of a teacher or what tragic events can lie in wait for them.

Today, in his white paper, he claims to be providing increased powers, support and protection to the teacher. In truth, he is reinforcing the control and scope of the head teacher, governors and LEA and the teacher’s needs have not been addressed – worse their needs have not even been considered, examined or explored.

The head teacher is able to act with impunity, their actions being free from question or scrutiny – the consequence of an autonomous system. In many cases, it is the bully who now is being empowered with free reign and scope.

There is a naïve belief in the fact that everyone will behave fairly but they do not and can not – for they are judges in their own cause – so ‘natural justice’ will never be delivered.

The head teacher said, at my appeal hearing, that he knew that I was guilty of the assault from the day of the allegation. He said that he collected evidence and statements that supported his belief and rejected anything that, in his opinion, only served to ‘cloud the issue’. Lancashire County Council staff knew that there were documented reports of the significant resentment that was held by the head teacher toward myself but their HR staff lied about this fact at my appeal hearing. (Lancashire County Council’s failures and corrupt behaviour is detailed in my entry Sweep It Under The Rug).

I believe, that through my head teacher’s enthusiasm and his malicious intent, a point of no return was reached where it became impossible for Lancashire County Council to back track. To do so would have created a complex situation involving school staff, governors and the head teacher. So Lancashire County Council staff lied at my appeal hearing and pushed through a false finding of my guilt - with the knowledge that their actions would never be investigated. They knew that my health had deteriorated to the point where I was too ill to return to teaching. So they reinstated my position which then denied me the opportunity to take my case to an employment tribunal.


As allegations of abuse are relatively rare, a school can never have the experience and skills necessary to investigate allegations and to manage a case properly.

At best, the teacher is subjected to a theatrical farce where logical argument is replaced by purely emotional decisions by those who may well being ‘doing their best’.

In my case, the governors had no experience or training in handling allegations of abuse. My appeal hearing was like an obscene cross between the execution of Mary Antoinette and an episode from Kavanagh, QC. Two governors even told me how excited they were and that they had been looking forward to it for weeks; adding that they had had their hair done specially for the day !

It seems that there a few who really want to look at the failings of the system. The press and media favour the ‘poor teacher’ story so there’s a wealth of such articles, my own included. The unions claim to have worked on the problem for 20 years but they have achieved nothing. I believe that the unions are guilty of complacency and are responsible for the continuance and acceptance of a situation that can result in suicides – it kills people !

The government have done nothing to correct it – its failure to do so is nothing short of disgraceful negligence. Barry Sheerman, MP did get very close to describing the problem – he said that all that a teacher needs is ‘natural justice’.

And there it is in a nutshell :

“A teacher needs ‘Natural Justice’”

Sadly Barry Sheerman missed the significance of his own words.

Recently Chris Rider, BBC journalist produced the first programme that looks tentatively at the failings of the process. It was broadcast on Radio Lancashire last week. It identified the key failing to be that the school and LEA are both the judge and jury of allegations against teachers. There it is – a teacher can never receive ‘natural justice’ !

So Mr. Cameron and Mr. Gove, I have done your work for you – all that you need to do with your white paper is to amend it so that the teacher will be protected by a framework that guarantees them ‘natural justice’. Do that and we’re all winners !



The white paper sets great store on teacher’s anonymity being a crucial concern. In an ideal world it might be but it must be remembered that it is a school and rumours spread fast. Any expectation of confidentiality is unrealistic. However, this should not suggest that the school can release the story to the media – which is precisely what they did for me, supported by comment by Lancashire County Council.

The other issue is that of returning to work whilst an investigation is underway. I strongly suggest that we stop listening to the unions and use commonsense or psychiatric comment. Try to imagine what it might feel like to a professional teacher when an allegation is made. Your world is shattered instantly – suddenly every facet of your life falls apart. You can barely live let alone work – and can you comprehend what it would feel like to return to the scene of the so called crime ?

What is needed is very fast and comprehensive support for the teacher. The case too must be progressed with speed. It is not unreasonable for a police investigation to take a month to reach a conclusion. The aim should be not more than another month before any other investigative process is completed. That’s a total of 2 months and I believe that to be acceptable. Again, there needs to be an inquiry into why it takes schools years to complete their process – the cynical reason is that the dust will have settled, life’s moved on at school and the teacher and their story is no longer of any import.

Finally, consideration MUST be made of the damage that has been done. Financial compensation, early retirement, long term support to assist the teacher to reintegrate must be considered. We can not ignore an allegation and the priority must always be to the child but we must accept a responsibility to the injured party – and that will be the teacher on most occasions.



It seems wrong that government white papers should be written badly to the extent that they are open to misinterpretation :

“It is of course absolutely essential that genuine cases of misconduct or abuse are dealt with fairly and effectively.”

Surely all cases should be treated fairly and effectively ? There is also a very nasty implication that is inferred in the above statement that is a continuance of the major complaint of the system – a teacher is guilty from the start and that they then have to prove their innocence !



In all previous cases of allegations against teachers, I have considered the case where the allegation is false yet the teacher is found guilty.

I have recently been made aware of cases where an allegation is founded but the school choose to deliberately suppress the allegation in favour of the school’s and the teacher’s good name. Again, as nothing is open to scrutiny by a third party and there is no way to appeal to an external agency then this eventuality is possible.

So what do we have ? We have a system that does not work and never has in the past. It is a system that can put children at risk and kills teachers. It is a system that deters good teachers from entering the profession. It is a system that encourages and empowers the bully. It is a system that encourages good teachers to leave the profession. Everyone is a loser with this system - let us work together to make a system that does work !


Andrew Kidd Duke Street Primary School Chorley Jane Watts Anne Callander
House of Commons
Wednesday 24 November 2010
The House met at half-past Eleven o'clock
Prayers
[Mr Speaker in the Chair]
Oral Answers to Questions
Cabinet Office

The Minister for the Cabinet Office was asked :

David Morris (Morecambe and Lunesdale) (Con): I congratulate my right hon. Friend on his excellent White Paper. What measures does it contain to protect teachers from false allegations made by disruptive pupils ?

Michael Gove: It was a pleasure to meet teachers in my hon. Friend’s constituency during the local election campaign two years ago. I know that they will welcome our proposals to ensure that investigations are speeded up when teachers face false allegations, and to ensure that they enjoy anonymity if such allegations are made. We will also tell head teachers that there should be no automatic suspension of teachers when they exercise legitimate authority in the classroom.

Andrew Kidd Duke Street Primary School Chorley Jane Watts Anne Callander Jane Watts (Chorley ex-teacher): Amazing ! Years of data collation, reports, meetings and recommendations. Dozens of suicides, families and careers destroyed and you come up with something as radical as a chocolate teaspoon ! Anonymity and not being suspended are as much use to a teacher as a bicycle is to a fish ! Why can not a teacher receive ‘natural justice’ as a priority ? Why can not a teacher be compensated for the damage to their health and career ? You really do know how to make a teacher feel safe, protected and so important !

Thursday 18 November 2010

Helen Denton - LCC

Andrew Kidd Duke Street Primary School Chorley Jane Watts Anne CallanderExecutive Director for Children & Young People, Lancashire County Council (2008- )

Helen.Denton@lancashire.gov.uk

Tel. (44)1772 254868




Helen Denton was appointed on 1 August 2008, following the retirement of Pat Jefferson.

She was born in Blackpool and started her career as a secondary teacher in Moss Side, Manchester before a spell as head of home economics in a school in Hong Kong. On returning to the UK, she completed her Masters degree, worked for the Department for Education & Science and then began her career in local government with Oldham Metropolitan Borough Council.

Initially appointed as an Assistant Education Officer, she gained experience across a range of areas before becoming an Assistant Director with broad responsibilities across the inclusion services. A move to Leeds City Council followed to be Head of Service for Children and Families and she was then appointed as Assistant Education Director for Sefton Metropolitan Council.



Over the years I have written to her to express my concerns with regard to the failings of her departments and their members in my case.

Without qualification, she replied : “I do not feel that it is in the best interests of all of the parties involved for this to be re-examined.”

I also provided Helen Denton with evidence showing that a ‘key’ hostile witness, Anne Callander, had lied and perjured themselves at both the disciplinary and appeal hearings.

She immediately replied : “I do not see that does anything to change the current position with regard to your own closed case, so the situation remains that no further action will be taken within Lancashire County Council.”



16 November 2010 - Helen Denton
courtesy BBC Radio Lancashire - Graham Liver

03 March 2009 - Barry Sheerman, MP
Chair of the House of Commons Select Committee For Children, Schools and Families
courtesy BBC Radio 4 - File on 4

I would suggest that he should make a start with Helen Denton ! (The contrast between what she believes and what he knows is immense; as is his sense of compassion.)



The system’s not fair ! Hmm … I don’t think that I would agree with that ! I think probably we have to say what is the most important thing that we’re doing and that’s keeping our children and young people safe. And in any system we have to have a balance between the needs of children and young people and their parents because parents entrust us with their children and they entrust us to keep them safe.
This is indeed the responsibility of a school and LEA – to keep children safe. Who therefore has responsibility for ensuring the safety and security of a teacher ? There is clearly a conflict of interest that can never be overcome during a case of an allegation of assault by a member staff against a pupil. The requirements for ‘Natural Justice’ can never be met without the intervention of a wholly independent third party.

The governors are in a very difficult position in terms of having to take the word of one member of staff against another.
Again this is why the hearing panel should be independent and trained. It is simply not possible to reliably judge truth in such circumstances and the panel would need to proceed with extreme caution. The ultimate suggestion would be the introduction of a polygraph examination – which I would recommend as a simple yet reliable solution for such situations.

The head master and the governors; they basically sit as judge and jury and the teachers that we’ve been talking to don’t think that’s fair. Yes. Hmm. Our advice to the governors is that they have to keep the vast majority of governors separate from any investigations that take place.
Dead right ! Typical politician ! Little wonder that Helen never answered the question. How can anyone believe that a head teacher and his governing body could ever provide an impartial outcome for any teacher ?

The whole thing is so incestuous – all in bed together ! It’s obscene and outrageous – this is not justice and never could be. The head teacher and governors have their own agenda as does the LEA. The governors have a responsibility to support the head teacher, sometimes without question ! The teacher will be known to the governors.

I had been a governor at Duke Street. The teaching assistant who made the accusation is a governor. The supply teacher who filled my post was a governor. Two hostile witnesses were also governors. The chair of governors resigned over my case. At my disciplinary hearing, I was judged by a florist (Nigel West of Marshalls) and his delivery man. The same florist, now chair of governors, has the contract to supply Duke Street with its floral requirements. How incestuous a relationship do you want ? This was never fair, never impartial and never honest !

It would be very difficult in any circumstances to keep the anonymity of somebody entirely free.
Anonymity will never be easy to ensure and protect; however it would not be expected that the LEA would provide press releases to all local newspapers – they did in my case and on three occasions ! They also failed to alert me to the fact that they had spoken with the press and that a story would be featured.

You know it’s with great sorrow that we would lose very good teachers but there aren’t a very significant proportion of them.
Ho hum … thank goodness there’s only a few teachers whose lives have been destroyed. Remember too that these teachers can end up losing their families and several have committed suicide. How can anyone show such brutal callousness and outright cruelty ? How many would Helen Denton like to see before she considers it to be of concern. Surely one teacher is enough ! Teachers, in these situations, should be compensated for the damage to their careers and lives.

We have to be seen to be keeping children safe and parents would expect us to do that.
Here again is the crux of the injustice. Surely we should be keeping children safe – being ‘seen’ to do so sounds like ‘lip service’. And this is the problem – sacking a teacher, even though innocent, is a politically correct decision that costs nothing and enhances the image of the school, LEA and Helen Denton !

She is dangerously close to sanctioning and authorizing behaviour and processes that are not dissimilar to those of the ‘Salem Witch Trials’ of the 1690’s using exactly the same rationale and paranoid argument !

The system and everybody within it tries to do everything that they can both to support those people who are going through that process and also to make it is as fair and equitable as possible in terms of ensuring that they conduct a proper investigation and thoroughly consider the facts in terms of whenever they take any action against a teacher on the grounds of their professional conduct.
They don’t try very hard ! What support did you provide me ? – Absolutely nothing ! Lancashire County Council sanctioned an investigation by a narcissistic head teacher who had a documented history of resentment toward me. They ignored presented facts and mistakes were made in the final reports. They excluded governors from hearings. Senior HR departmental staff lied – Vic Welch for example. Lancashire County Council took full control of my appeal hearing; the governing body played no part in this farce. 95% of all questions originated from Anne Sutton (HR). In short, it was Lancashire County Council who found me guilty and at all costs !
(ref : Sweep It Under The Rug)

It would be very difficult to see how the system could change to make it fairer.
Well there we go ! A very brave statement, usually reserved for idiots and those about to experience what it feels like to put their ‘foot in their mouth’ ! No system is 100% perfect and this one just does not work at all !

Here’s a suggestion; Why not ask the teachers what they would like to happen ?

By the way, you will find that you can see a lot better with your eyes open !



Helen Denton has the authority, power and control to make a difference, to make changes, to introduce fresh initiatives to help resolve a nightmare for all teachers. Her problem is that it is simpler to sack a teacher, to take their career and their life to appease parents and public alike – child protection is ‘seen’ to be paramount.

It takes a strong stomach to undertake such an act, there can be no regret, no remorse, no sorrow, no heart or compassion. This fact is exemplified in Helen Denton’s radio presentation for she expresses no mention or reference to caring for the teacher.

She knows that I speak the truth. She knows that I did nothing. She knows that I have experienced utter humiliation, destruction of career and life through no fault. She knows that her staff lied, governors lied and that the head teacher, Andrew Kidd, lied. She knows that I never received fair nor impartial treatment or support. She can not reopen my case for she already knows that the outcome would result in the destruction of large and key elements of her own world and that of the school. She also knows that I will never stop. One day the truth ‘will out’ for me and many other teachers.

I challenge her for I can substantiate what I say. She can not for her claims are false and without substance.




Some may wonder why I have not taken action through Lancashire County Council’s own complaints procedure. This course of action was suggested to me by both David Cameron and Michael Gove earlier this year. The ‘Catch 22’ is that Lancashire County Council can veto complaints that they don’t like and this is how they treated my complaint !

Others have suggested taking legal action, embarking on a suit of malfeasance against Lancashire County Council but that requires enormous funds and I have no resources.

So, unless you know of an altruistic legal team, I am reliant on the investigative power of journalists.



I close this entry with my ultimate horror episode. No one, not even Helen Denton, should experience how this feels. It is an event that will live with me forever and, even today, I can not listen to this recording.

31 October 2007 - Jane Watts
courtesy HM Police - Leyland, Preston

It would take a hardened criminal to even consider lying under the stress of a police arrest interview and it is something that even a humble reception teacher is not equipped !

I will say, contrary to what Helen Denton might say, is that this was the only time that I was treated with any humility, kindness and sensitivity. The police have a terrible job to do but they do it well and I thank them !



“I do not feel that it is in the best interests of all of the parties involved for this to be re-examined.”
Helen Denton

It is not in your best interests nor those who were involved in this travesty of justice.

It is, however, in my best interest and of every teacher in the United Kingdom and even the rest of the world !

Ultimately, radical reform will result in improvements in security and safety for child, parent and teacher - which is what everyone wants - Natural Justice !
Jane Watts



Please help me to make a difference – three years of utter misery and struggle is too much to bear. I have fought with honour and dignity throughout but I want an end to my life like this for this is not living, it is a slow death – a prisoner can expect better treatment. For a prisoner there is an end but for me this injustice will be with me forever – every day, every hour, every minute for the rest of my life – it will never fade … imagine how it feels to be wrongly accused of assaulting a child ! Help me to bring those who are responsible to account. Help me to clear my name.



I invite representatives of the media to contact me. Please help me to continue my fight - there is a story of corruption, suffering and is of enormous significance to 450,000 teachers and to the rest of British society - let me continue to tell my story !

Jane Watts : falseallegation@gmail.com

Tuesday 16 November 2010

BBC - Fighting For Justice

Andrew Kidd Duke Street Primary School Chorley Jane Watts Anne Callander
I wish to express my sincerest thanks and gratitude to Chris Rider, BBC, for affording me such an opportunity to share my thoughts and opinions with so many listeners and for his insight and appreciation of the nature of the problem.

For me this has been a significant milestone. I have been campaigning against the process that destroys so many lives; my own included.

Finally, here is a presentation that has examined the process and not focussed on what I term to be ‘a poor teacher’s story’.

This programme is only the start but it is a beginning. My intention is to be there at the end for I will never stop fighting !



15 November 2010 - Steve Becker, David Roy, Jenni Watson

16 November 2010 - Jane Watts, Ken Cridland, Helen Denton
courtesy BBC Radio Lancashire - Graham Liver


Teachers’ appeal process unfair says Lancashire NUT
BBC News 16 November 2010

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