The multiple impacts of teacher misbehaviour

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of the research was to investigate the impacts of serious teacher misbehaviour in schools from the perspective of headteachers, a largely un-researched area. Design/methodology/approach: Data were collected via the documentary analysis of misconduct cases from the Teaching Agency and semi-structured interviews with five headteachers who had managed serious cases. Findings: The research suggests four primary impacts of serious teacher misbehaviour, affecting other teachers, students, the reputation of the school and headteachers themselves. The article concludes by suggesting a fifth impact affecting public trust in the teaching profession. Practical implications: Although rare, serious teacher misbehaviour can be highly damaging. Furthermore, the findings suggest that it is almost impossible to predict and so this article suggests a 'map' of the impacts helping headteachers to manage and contain it when/if the worst does happen. Originality/Value: Empirical studies of the impacts of serious organisational behaviour are scarce; empirical studies of serious organisational behaviour in schools are non-existent and so this article addresses that gap.

Conspicuous practice: self-surveillance and commodification in English education

“…Yet intrapersonal surveillance is not only about evaluative data; it is also founded upon safeguarding concerns. With perceptions of declining trust in professions a theme of modernity (Giddens, 1991) and the media sensationalising stories of serious teacher misbehaviour (Page, 2014a and2016b), teachers experience a heightened 'risk consciousness' (Sachs, 2004), institutionalised paranoia around child abuse. As a result, touching children has become an area where 'fear, confusion, contradictions and moral panic threaten a more measured response' (Piper and Smith, 2003, p879).…”

Untitled

“…In an attempt to seek if schoolteachers used their authority to force students to opt for PT, one school administrator from each selected school was invited to be the informant. As Page (2016) explains that despite teachers' misbehaviours being covertly performed, school administrators were still aware of the same. Consent forms to record (video calls) and use data were received from all interviewees.…”

Revisiting Cambodian Private Tutoring: Insights Into Teachers’ Professional Misconduct

“…Similarly, Bray (2003, p. 27) also emphasizes ways in which teachers abuse their position over their students for personal gains as corruption; for example, withholding contents and accepting a bribe to promote students to the next grade. Subsequent literature (i.e., Banfield, Richmond, & McCroskey, 2006;Kelsey, Kearney, Plax, Allen, & Ritter, 2004;Zhang, 2007;Zhang, Zhang, & Castelluccio, 2011) also highlights how professional misconduct interferes in students' learning as well as impacts on parents' trust in teachers' profession and schools (Liu & Bray, 2020;Page, 2016). Furthermore, professional misconduct spawns not only the poor quality of education at the mainstream schools but also puts students whose families are unable to pay teachers for these extra services at a disadvantage.…”