Sarah Crossley, 35, phoned Dorothy Barley Junior School’s safeguarding team after her daughter, who is in year four, was supervised by a man when getting changed for PE.
“I found out two members of staff must always be present when children are changing,” said Sarah, of Ilchester Road, Dagenham.A rule the school hadn't complimented until someone noticed and complained....
More than 33 parents signed a petition set up by fellow parent Carol Jerzyk calling for children to get changed in front of staff of the same sex.
A few days later, on March 23, the academy changed their policy so at least two members of staff are always present when children get changed.But they can still be male teachers.
But Carol, 40, also of Ilchester Road, says she’s still not happy with the outcome. “They’re at the stage when they shouldn’t be getting changed in front of male teachers at all,” she added. “My daughter is eight and doesn’t even get changed in front of her dad – so I don’t want her getting changed in front of a male total stranger.
“They might have more than one member of staff but my daughter is still getting changed in front of men and other boys.”And I don't know about you, but that seems wrong to me. You'd expect it to seem wrong to more than 32 other parents, as well.
The comments are....well...
Sam
I think this is a bit ridiculous. I'm a primary school teacher and not once have I had concerns about the conduct of the male professionals I have worked with. It's standard practice across the primary school sector. It is sad to see such scaremongering in relation to primary teachers. The implication is too horrible to think of and seems completely unreasonable in the circumstances. Try another school - you'll find the same practice. Learn to trust teachers and support the job they do for your children.Yes, trust the authorities know what they are doing! That doesn't seem unreasonable, does it?
tinman
A total non-story. This is standard practice everywhere. There has never been a single instance of a single parent at a single school in the entire country where this has been an issue. The fact is this these 2 women are card carrying members of the BNP and started this campaign when a new black PE teacher started at the school earlier this year. They are infamous in the area for their bullying of minorities and even a small amount of investigative journalism by this paper would have discovered this. Well done Barking & Dagenham Post you have given 2 bigots exposure in their bid to force a hard working teacher out of their job due to the colour of their skin.Yes, sacrifice your children or we'll label you BNP supporters!
OK, you want to apply that to all children? Every boy in a lower primary class that has an "accident" and needs changing has to get the one male teacher in the primary school to come out of class and get a boy changed? If there are no male teachers (which isn't that uncommon in primary school), the boy can just sit in his own disgusting filth until he gets home, I presume?
ReplyDeleteI'm more worried by the idea that her own husband is portrayed as a sexual risk to her daughter. How things have changed since I was a kid. As a boy, should I have been scared of my mother seeing me naked?
ReplyDeleteThe interesting thing really is the new terror of nudity. My childhood of communal school showers, changing rooms etc, seems to be long gone.
And as Stig implies above, with male teachers a dying breed, particularly at the primary school level, what are you going to do when only women are available? Or is this just a girls thing? It is, isn't it?
And why same sex? What about homosexuals and lesbians, shouldn't they be safeguarding the opposite sex? And which changing room do the transexuals go in, both teachers and students?
ROFL. (Not really but I want to)
ReplyDeleteThis is what happens when all these PC people get together. It goes into a pile of shit as they try an reconcile opposing requirements.
"OK, you want to apply that to all children? "
ReplyDeleteAbsent the usual 'paedophile' fears, no. The parents are concerned about daughters entering puberty.
"How things have changed since I was a kid. As a boy, should I have been scared of my mother seeing me naked?"
Yes, we should all be scared, ALL THE TIME! That way, 'child protection experts' are guaranteed a job for life.
"This is what happens when all these PC people get together. It goes into a pile of shit as they try an reconcile opposing requirements."
Indeed! *popcorn*