Avoid legal conflict with parents
Parents are becoming increasingly articulate. They do not always accept teacher decisions and are more likely to seek redress from management, complaints committees or even the courts. Therefore, the AOb a brochure for primary and secondary school teachers on potential legal issues with parents.
Image: Jake Barnes - Flickr
The publication 'Rights and obligations of parents, pupils and teachers in the school' initially explains the legal frameworks within which teachers, pupils and parents operate.
The Netherlands has education laws, but in practice many 'school-specific' rules apply. These are detailed in the school guide, the student statute, protocols or codes of conduct. Depending on the issue, other laws or inspection frameworks also play a role.
Furthermore, the brochure is mainly full of practical situations. Almost sixty questions are answered. Four examples *:
Liability
Can I have an 11-year-old student make coffee and tea?Yes, provided the kitchen is safe and there is adequate supervision and instruction. If the student is about sixteen, you can expect that he can also make coffee without supervision.
Provide information
Do I have to have separate 10-minute conversations with divorced parents if one does not want to meet up with the other under any circumstances?Yes, at least the school is legally obliged to inform both parents. For many divorced parents, the school can reduce the number of contact moments.
Reporting obligation
When am I required to report suspected domestic violence or child abuse?Your school board should have a reporting code for signs of domestic violence or child abuse. This contains a step-by-step plan.
Physical contact
Can I push or pull a student if he refuses to leave the classroom?No, but the situation changes when the student becomes a danger to himself or his environment. Then, for example, it is allowed to grab the student by the wrists.
Pieter Huisman, professor of education law at Erasmus School of Law wrote along with AObemployees Frans Brekelmans and Marianne van Es this reference work. Knowing your rights and obligations protects both the teacher and the school from harm. Damage can then be: loss of money and time, but also loss of the reputation of the school or of your integrity as a professional, according to the authors.
Knowing your rights and obligations can prevent damage
The brochure will be presented this afternoon at 15 p.m. in the Education Café. The pdf is here download.
* The answers to the examples have been shortened and simplified. For the full text, check Rights and obligations of parents, students and teachers in the school.
