Start the conversation with something like, “I want to speak to you about something that is upsetting me. ” Remember to stay calm. Practice what you want to say ahead of time. A simple conversation isn’t always going to be an option. Sometimes the misconduct is too severe to approach the teacher with. If you feel uncomfortable or afraid to speak with the teacher, don’t do it. Ensure that you are not holding the teacher to a double standard. Do not speak loudly during class, use profanity, or make demeaning commentary if you would consider it inappropriate for the teacher to do the same. Do not do anything that could give the teacher the impression that he or she is nicer than you are. It is not always natural to think of it that way, but this again reinforces the concept that you should avoid double standards at all costs. There could be a lot of other ways of getting a teacher fired, there could be inappropriate ways to get her/him fired.
“Substantial noncompliance with school laws” means that the teacher frequently breaks the school districts rules. Examples: not allowing a student to practice their religion and not treating all students equally. “Immoral conduct” is any form of sexual contact or abuse to the students, indecent exposure, stalking a student, extreme obscenity, having a weapon on school grounds, having an explosive device, having drug paraphernalia, and/or selling drugs to minors. [2] X Research source “Incompetence” is when a teacher is extremely ineffective at teaching. “Neglect of duty” is when a teacher fails to teach at all. Both have the same end result – the students don’t learn anything. If you do decide to make the complaint, report only the facts. Never do anything that could leave you open to charges of slander or libel.
Remember it is very rare for teachers to get fired due to the financial cost of dismissal. In a detailed study made in 2016, the study showed: “Across the country, most districts and states continue to confer lifetime tenure on teachers, weak teachers still take years to dismiss if they achieve tenured status, and any attempt to dismiss an ineffective veteran teacher remains vulnerable to costly challenges at every stage in the process—from evaluation, to remediation, to the dismissal decision, and beyond. Consequently, in most districts and schools, dismissing an ineffective veteran teacher remains far harder than is healthy for children, schools, taxpayers—and the teaching profession itself. " Write down the events truthfully.
However, your proof will definitely get the attention of your school officials, and they can begin monitoring the teacher. Firing a teacher can be a long and difficult process, so the sooner school officials can begin their investigation, the sooner that teacher will be out of the classroom.
Make sure you give the principal copies of your evidence, whether it’s video, audio or photographs. You should keep the originals, just in case. Keep this evidence private. Report only the facts.
If the teacher is fairly new at your school (usually if they’ve been there less than 3 years), it’s possible that the teacher might be dismissed immediately. [4] X Research source Request that your report remain anonymous whenever possible. While the school board carries out their investigation, ask to be placed into another class with a different teacher. You shouldn’t have to endure any more of the misconduct.
If the initial complaint came from a student and has not been backed up by any other adult, have the student sign a statement that attests, under penalty of perjury, that what they are saying is true. Disciplinary action could possibly be taken against the student for false or misleading complaints. Talk individually to both parties and then offer to mediate a group session between the two parties if appropriate. If one party expresses willingness to do this but the other does not want to, this is usually a red flag that one side is not being entirely truthful. If the teacher is still within their probationary period (usually their first three years as employees) and haven’t attained tenure, it’s possible that they can be dismissed outright. [5] X Research source If the teacher has tenure, terminating them becomes a lot more difficult. Unless they’ve done something lewd, immoral or criminal, they have a right to a warning and a chance to improve the bad behavior.
Keep a copy of these documents in the teacher’s file so that you can access them. It’s highly likely you’ll be asked to prove that you provided resources and specific suggestions. It is also a good idea to communicate with the teacher, to explain how they’re not meeting certain standards and to try to see if there is a root cause for why they’re not meeting them.
In addition, the teacher must also be provided with written copies of very detailed plans for improvement. Investigate your school’s criteria and follow it accordingly.
The file should include every piece of relevant information or evidence that’s been collected. To terminate a teacher, usually one of the following must be proven: immoral conduct, incompetence, neglect of duty, substantial noncompliance with school laws, conviction of a crime, insubordination, fraud or misrepresentation. [6] X Research source
The employer is also expected to explain the evidence and why it is grounds for dismissal.
In some cases, the teacher will still be dismissed. Often, dismissing a tenured teacher is a very expensive process for the school district; many districts will choose other methods (such as a warning or a reprimand) instead of dismissal. The amount of money and evidence needed to fire a tenured teacher makes it very rare occurrence.
