HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Lucknow Sentinel, 1986-11-05, Page 5Lucke Senntlubel„ Wednesday, November L, ION
Education system lawsnits topic of PD day seminar
By Shelley McPhee -Heist
CLINTON - This is the age of the lawsuits
and the education system is often the target
of heavy weight court battles.
"Suing is the thing to do today. Rights are
applied differently today and teachers are
right in the middle of the caldron. You cn't
help it, you're dealing with adolescents and
"their minds and emotions aren't fully
developed yet."
This was the message given to Hurn
County secondary school teachers by Harry
Archer at the . Professional Development
Day seminar, The Teacher and The Law,
held recently in Clinton. " '
Mrs. Archer, the secretariat with the On-
tario Secondary School Teaehers' Federa-
tion (OSSTF) deals directly with this topic
on a day to day basis. The former high
school principal now works as a trouble
shooter, as a field secretary who in-
vestigates incidents that involve lawsuits
and charges made against teachers.
He sees the OSSTF involvement in this
area.as a clear cut role, "Why do we get in-
volved? It may mean the loss of a teaching -
certificate. We help teachers, but do not pro-
lect incompetent teachers."
This is not to say that Ontario's teaching
profession has wide -spread problems in this
area. In fact, Mr. Archer notes, "Niney-nine
per cent of teachers won't be bothered by
legal technicalities. Lawsuits need not hap -
ped f.you take precautions.sttll, accidents
can happen. You should be prepared arid use
common sense." • .
Mr. Archer, who works in the. Toronto_
region, further , noted, "`, (The.:larger .the
metropolis the more the lawsuits." However -
he warned that this. does:npt exempt smaller
education districts, ``In smack towns when
incidents occur. Everybody knows about it
and you can't getout because .the only road
out of town is blocked."
Teachers, boards .of educations and
schools face a wide range of lawsuits. For
the most part, most suits are made against
school boards because it is perceived that
they have greater insurance coverage.
Successful lawsuites have seen awards of
*up to $3.8 million made, as was the instance
in the case of a student who played rugby at
school and had his neck broken. He was left
a parapelegic and the•caae was cited as one
' of negligence.
Negligence is one of the main: claims that
:result in lawsuits. Others incinde, assault,
r ility ' impircatiw*s" as i+>ated • with
alcohol and, drug Mate& problems, theft,.
"ism = most caseS ice' . yarlety' of
n
Ns surroundinrg='the: T-eaa a e> :,Education•
d e nttact Cuter `'
esin's= icfti«4`° �. traps
• ac eufs, th ttleave per--
hrte1 furies
t c beery bIarihe' '± m r i i enc, ar
't a *ease •q tT s yt�erV isiorfi
Mr. • Archer warned,:: "Teachers must be'
visible' to supervise, SOrne,areas,,' like gyms
o:,, r.- .and, sly should never be`•.used without
superviSion."
° • lie placed special elnphasis on chemistry
lab rooms, noting, "Lock your doors if you
have any ,chemicals or bunson burners
available. In chemistry labs and in shops,
students should wear goggles and aprons.
Never leave the students along. If they
won't co-operate then send them out of
class."
He further noted, "Give the 'students the
Vi&•d thefts
�n
area
rules. They'll only listen with: half an ear,
but you've told them. You've done your
lob."
Mr. Archer placed great emphasis on "do-
ing your job. Just be careful."
He commented, "You have to be a saint to
be a teacher. You have to be able to stay
sane and still do the job."
The teacher must be in control at all.
times, and, be prepared to take logical, ac-
countable emergency measure when the
situation
Teachers must
caution in dealing
student
occur&
show
with
assault.
may
a
extreme control and
students. A
but, If
difficult
teacher,
the
teacher hits him back, the teacher is guilty,
he has to pay," Mr. Archer warned.
Many teachers are hesitant to act in
emergency measures, in fear that the first
aid action they take could make them ac-
countable for serious repercussions.
"Of course you administer first aid," Mr.
Archer said. "You're not going to let a kid
bleed to death. Often in those cases you
can't find the principal, or the vice prin-
cipal, the mother or the father. You have to
do something. You can't waste time finding
what religion the kid is."
Harry Archer is one of, the consultants
that acts as a mediator between parties
Page 5
when lawsuits have been made or threaten-
ed. Ile said that the OSSTF works to provide
fair, legal couselling for the teacher or
education board in question, but he stressed,
"We're not in the business of protecting bad
teachers. Bad teachers exist in the system
because of the a ,inistration."
He encouraged the teachers who attended
the seminar to do their job to the best of the
ability and lawsuit. probabilities would be
greatly reduced.
"If you do your job well, you don't need a
fellow like me. The majority of you do a
good job. Remember, your primary job'is to
look after the students."
SAVING AT STAN
RE�Qll'RE LO
ilio..
,4 „I// f/i.,•.
°Via
1,
•
Goderich police have charged two men,
accused of using false identification to
commit thefts in three Huron County
Towns.
The men used the false identification to
rent video cassette recorders at outlets in
Goderich, Lucknow and Winghatn. Police
have recoved three VCRs valued at ap-
proximatly $1,200.
Shortly after 1 a.m., on Nov. I, Goderich
Police Constable ;Matt Affleck, having
received information on the case from a
citizen, stopped a car in which the stolen
recorders were found. One,of the men was
arrested by Affleck, while .the other
escaped, but was later arrested, by police
in another municipality.
"These arrests were the result of ex.
cellent work by a citizen; irta}erting police
quickly and efficiently," said Goderich
Police Chief Patrick King.
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