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Now that's what I call a sack lunch gone bad...
Recently, a dinner lady at an English primary school was sacked because she informed a child's parents that their daughter was violently attacked by her fellow classmates. In your opinion, do you feel (positive or negative) that the school employee did not go through the proper channels with the school administration before informing the parents?
From the Times Online Excerpt...
September 22, 2009
Dinner lady Carol Hill sacked for telling parents of attack on daughter
A school dinner lady has been sacked after telling a pupil’s parents that their daughter had been attacked by her classmates.
Carol Hill, 60, who worked at Great Tey Primary School in Essex, saw Chloe David, 7, tied up and whipped with a skipping rope by fellow pupils in June.
Chloe’s parents, Scott and Claire David, received a letter telling them that their daughter had been “hurt in a skipping rope incident”, but they say the school did not tell them the full story of their child’s ordeal.
They have since removed Chloe and her brother from the school.
Mrs Hill was sacked yesterday after a disciplinary hearing found she had breached pupil confidentiality and was guilty of gross misconduct for discussing a pupil outside school.
Mrs Hill, a grandmother, is lodging an appeal against the decision taken by the board of governors, Deborah Crabb — the school’s headmistress — and the local vicar.
Chloe’s father Scott accused the school of not reporting the incident properly.
“In the accident book, which I have seen, it says she was tied up,” Mr David, 33, told The Times. “It stinks of a cover-up.
“We can’t understand why she \ has been sacked for doing her job properly. It seems malicious to me.”
Mrs Hill had told Mr and Mrs David that she had found Chloe outside with eight knots around her wrists with four boys around her. She had been whipped across the legs. Two boys later admitted taking part.
The parents of the boys involved were called in for a meeting at the school but Mr and Mrs David were not consulted.
Mrs Hill saw Chloe’s mother shortly after the incident. “As I was talking to her I said I was really sorry about what had happened and then it became clear she did not know the whole story,” she explained earlier this year.
“I had to tell her because she then realised there was more to it.”
Mrs Hill was unavailable for comment today.
A spokeswoman for the school said: “We can confirm that a meeting was held last week to consider an issue at Great Tey Primary School.
“The detailed outcome of that meeting should be confidential between the school and our employee, Mrs Hill.
“However, we can confirm that, subject to any appeal, Mrs Hill will not be returning to work at Great Tey Primary School.
“The school’s priority remains providing the best possible education to all of our pupils and ensuring their development and wellbeing. We will continue to deliver this on a daily basis.”
From the Times Online Excerpt...
September 22, 2009
Dinner lady Carol Hill sacked for telling parents of attack on daughter
A school dinner lady has been sacked after telling a pupil’s parents that their daughter had been attacked by her classmates.
Carol Hill, 60, who worked at Great Tey Primary School in Essex, saw Chloe David, 7, tied up and whipped with a skipping rope by fellow pupils in June.
Chloe’s parents, Scott and Claire David, received a letter telling them that their daughter had been “hurt in a skipping rope incident”, but they say the school did not tell them the full story of their child’s ordeal.
They have since removed Chloe and her brother from the school.
Mrs Hill was sacked yesterday after a disciplinary hearing found she had breached pupil confidentiality and was guilty of gross misconduct for discussing a pupil outside school.
Mrs Hill, a grandmother, is lodging an appeal against the decision taken by the board of governors, Deborah Crabb — the school’s headmistress — and the local vicar.
Chloe’s father Scott accused the school of not reporting the incident properly.
“In the accident book, which I have seen, it says she was tied up,” Mr David, 33, told The Times. “It stinks of a cover-up.
“We can’t understand why she \ has been sacked for doing her job properly. It seems malicious to me.”
Mrs Hill had told Mr and Mrs David that she had found Chloe outside with eight knots around her wrists with four boys around her. She had been whipped across the legs. Two boys later admitted taking part.
The parents of the boys involved were called in for a meeting at the school but Mr and Mrs David were not consulted.
Mrs Hill saw Chloe’s mother shortly after the incident. “As I was talking to her I said I was really sorry about what had happened and then it became clear she did not know the whole story,” she explained earlier this year.
“I had to tell her because she then realised there was more to it.”
Mrs Hill was unavailable for comment today.
A spokeswoman for the school said: “We can confirm that a meeting was held last week to consider an issue at Great Tey Primary School.
“The detailed outcome of that meeting should be confidential between the school and our employee, Mrs Hill.
“However, we can confirm that, subject to any appeal, Mrs Hill will not be returning to work at Great Tey Primary School.
“The school’s priority remains providing the best possible education to all of our pupils and ensuring their development and wellbeing. We will continue to deliver this on a daily basis.”
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Kim on
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Though I am from the United States and am not familiar with school protocols there, as a parent I believe that we should be told immediately when our children are harmed in any way, all provided all the facts. Because the information given to the parents was not complete is a breach of trust between the school and parents. The dinner lady should be praised for her action, not punished.
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Permalink Reply by Felicia on -
“The school’s priority remains providing the best possible education to all of our pupils and ensuring their development and wellbeing. We will continue to deliver this on a daily basis.” well this line sums it up beautifully; the school failed to provide a safe environment for the child, and then further insulted the integrity of their statement by not providing the parents of all the children involved an opportunity to be involved in a discussion about their children and their subsequent behavior. The school's actions against the woman who did the humane and proper thing by informing the girls' parents is sufficient evidence for me that the headmistress and all those involved in the red tape cover up should be replaced.
As a mother of four children, two of whom had experienced bullying with devastating consequences , and as an educator, I feel very strongly that the school should avoid sloganizing their mission and actually live the mission. By omitting a person who was willing to stand up and do the ethical thing, the school officials are condoning the corruption behind the situation and sending a message to students and their families that clearly says "If you do the moral thing, you could be punished." No wonder so many young people are killing and maiming one another with knifes, rocks etc. If people cannot be made to feel safe by doing what's right, when and where can they be safe?
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Permalink Reply by Mark (Marcar) Noonan-Piotrowski on -
I fully concur to all your replies. However, it's a disgraceful shame that the school administration would take such drastic immediate actions towards one of its employees for speaking out even though she was out of line. But all it comes down to one main point...saving one's ass and tossing the good Samaritan to the wolves.
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Permalink Reply by Felicia on
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See I have issue with her being out of line; where do we draw the line when we are talking about the rights of children. She did not divulge the information to anyone other than the legal parents of this child, and to that end the school is nuts to say she usurped their authority, particularly when they did nothing.
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