WE have an English teacher who has performed poorly in his subject and we would like to move him to teach another, less crucial, subject. He has objected to the suggestion, saying that he is unqualified to teach it. Can we insist?
YOU can try, although this really is a poor solution to the problem, which could have adverse consequences for the school.
A teacher is required to work “under the reasonable direction” of the head. If this teacher feels that what you are asking is unreasonable, he may have recourse to the grievance procedure and he may bring a strong case to the committee of governors who are likely to be called upon to consider it.
If he feels even more strongly, he may just leave, claiming that he has been constructively dismissed because his contract of employment as a teacher of English has been breached and his situation has been made untenable by his employer. An employment tribunal might very well find in his favour.
Even if neither of these things happened, this is an example of poor management. While it may be true that other subjects are less crucial than English, pupils deserve to be well taught in everything and their prospects with this man, unqualified and demotivated as he will surely be, cannot be bright.
What should have happened is that his poor performance in English should have been picked up much earlier. Appropriate support and remedial measures should have been put in place and, if no improvement had taken place, competency procedures should have been initiated. We should not try to create hiding places for failing teachers.
Archimedes
