'Misuse Protocols to Blame Teachers'
AObattorney Frans Lathouwers finds that protocols are being misused to blame educational staff for incidents.
Picture: Type tank
A hefty student is freaking out. Is extremely angry and threatens his teacher, Peter. You and I would call this aggressive behavior. Not so at Peter's school. There is no question of aggressive behavior but of 'difficult to understand' behavior. Well, a euphemism that George Orwell newspeak mentioned in his novel '1984'. A nasty event or fact is presented in a cheerful jacket. Brokers are masters at this. A city garden means a garden of two square meters, a lively neighborhood is a busy neighbourhood.
Theoretical story
The school where aggressive behavior became difficult to understand behavior does not stop there. An aggression reduction method was established in a protocol. An arrangement with the pretense of a blueprint on how to act. Very careful towards the student.
The fact that it is difficult for the teacher to comply with these rules in a threatening situation has apparently escaped the authors or does not interest them. The following rules must be adhered to. The teacher announces physical intervention after a warning that has gone without effect. The teacher fixes the student. The teacher continues to communicate with the student during the procedure. The teacher maintains eye contact during the procedure and continues to communicate with the student about the course of the procedure during the procedure. In short: a wonderful theoretical story that has absolutely no connection with the reality of a (sometimes) very threatening situation. Protocols claim to be able to direct and control any interpersonal contact. And that is of course nonsense.
Protocols claim to be able to direct and control every interpersonal contact. And that is of course nonsense
Risk box
What do you think of the following practical example? One of the risk subjects for undesirable behavior is physical education. Catching incorrectly in boxing, for example. A client of mine got a complaint because he caught a girl incorrectly during the dismount. One of the members of the complaints committee asked whether a protocol was available for receiving students during PE lessons. Can you picture it? A student is in danger of falling. The gym teacher recognizes the risk and quickly checks the relevant protocol. By the time he has done this, the student is already on the floor and can make an appointment with the dentist.
The author of this piece works in the well of education and rarely hears success stories. In that practice, a protocol is regularly used to (usually) blame an education staff member for an incident.
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