The Teachers Are Blowing Their Whistles!

Subtitle

How your teaching career - and your life - can be destroyed by false allegations.

Read how a teacher in South Australia had her career destroyed and lost her house because of false allegations made by teachers' aides.

The most trivial complaint can destroy your teaching career.

Maintaining discipline is almost impossible when the most trivial complaint can result in a career-destroying investigation with no consequences to the complainant.

Bill, Reader's Comment, Hardworking teachers don't deserve to be abused by parents, Shane Budden, The Courier-Mail, 1 March 2018

Just an allegation - unproven - malicious - can wreck your employment options.

As a male teacher (now retired), I would not recommend to any male to put teaching down as a career choice.

While pay would be on the "NO" list somewhere, child protection issues come first, second and third.

For the past nine years I did individual and small group tutoring in schools (15-18 year olds) under funded programs.

To protect myself, I had to be in open spaces.

If I tutored a female (70% of my students were female), I always told a female staff member (often the librarian) exactly where I would be.

I never closed a door unless the student did so, and I kept notes on every lesson and interaction I had.

All those notes have been retained.

As others have mentioned, just an allegation (unproven) can wreck a person's employment options.

Most men won't put up with these conditions, and I don't blame them.

Until we can come up with some sensible procedures and less paranoia, most men wouldn't touch a teaching career with a barge pole.

This is a pity because teaching is a wonderful profession which can be very satisfying.

In my last couple of years as a primary school principal (in the late 90's) I had to put out a written edict to staff that male teachers could not be alone in a room with a single student.

Can you imagine the practical difficulties that caused?

Alan Briggs, Reader's Comment, We need to support more men to become primary teachers, Dr Ian Davis, The Conversation, 9 March 2018

Queensland teacher who had a false allegation made against him : "Teaching is a profession that isn't worth the stress and the fear".

I was a teacher at several high schools in Queensland.

I had a false allegation made against me by a student. The result?

* Two years legal battles to not go to jail for indecent treatment of a child, with an automatic r-pe charge thrown in too.

The best part? her allegations didn't make any sense at all. (She claimed that I had told her to have s-x with me, or I would tell the principal that she was having s-x with me.)

* I spent another two years fighting the Queensland College of Teachers about my teacher registration.

In the end I just gave up, I couldn't cope with the pressure any more.

* I have been fighting for a blue card for six years now, and it still goes in a vicious circle of : You had an allegation made against you, you must be a risk to children.

* I owe my parents upwards of $20k in legal fees, despite getting legal aid.

* I developed sever depression and anxiety disorders from the experience.

I have flashbacks and nightmares and can shift from being as happy as Larry to severely depressed in less than 20 minutes.

(The depression is pretty ugly, with constant suicidal ideation and massive migraines to go with the depression.)

The latest mental health assessment had me as borderline PTSD.

* To top it all off, I am scared to tell my fiancee about the mood swings and dreams because she worries about me enough.

I can't deal with the idea that she should be worrying about something from my past.

Where should we start in terms of treating teachers better?

Well, I would tell you (quite bitterly, actually) that teaching is a profession that isn't worth the stress, the hours, the fear, the constant moving of scales in terms of what needs to be reported.

(I mean seriously! If a student mentioned that they had ANY alcohol when I was teaching, I had to write an incident report for the child protection people.) and those are just the things that I remember ...

If you want to make a positive change to the lives of teachers, give them some respect, some ability to defend themselves from false allegations and the possibility of being paid what they are really worth.

Brisbane chemist, Reader's Comment, Teaching must be a tough career. This just makes me cry, 24 May 2015

Students who make false allegations show a total lack of respect for their teachers.

During 2014-15, the Queensland Education Department cyber-safety teams were called in to deal with almost 340 cases of students using social media - usually Facebook and Instagram - to ruin the reputation of schools and staff.

"I often have very distressed teachers ringing me and seeking advice when they have been called p-dophiles online and it's clearly not true," said cyber expert Susan McLean.

"It comes down to that total lack of respect that seems to be permeating society now."

Teachers' pests hit the internet, Brittany Vonow, P.13 , The Courier-Mail, 3 October 2015

Casual teacher in the Logan area : students lied about me to the principal.

I don't care to have my name published but I relate to every one of the stories on this website.

I have been through the system by doing contracts and supply.

I give 100% respect and positive attitude to each class I go to from Prep to Year 12 - but I can tell you that at some schools in the Logan and outer lying areas, a supply teacher is treated as a sub-human creature and a contract teacher is treated the same for the first few weeks.

I have Principal's letters and commendations, even good parents requesting that I teach their children, so the way teachers are treated has nothing, absolutely nothing to do with their ability to teach.

I came into teaching in 2000 as a mature age student having had much life experience, run my own businesses, travelled much, raised children etc., and then I completed an education degree.

I have always put a lot of emphasis on communication and encouraging students to believe in themselves and reach for their dreams.

I fear for the future of the Australian culture.

I recently went to a school where a grade 6 class completely controlled the entire school with their shocking behaviour, demands, uncontrollable outbursts.

The few very well behaved students in the class suffered due to the fact that I, as their classroom teacher, had to spend time checking the students with bad behaviour, taking the right School Behaviour Management Program steps etc. in monitoring their behaviour.

In a class of over 28 a teacher needs the full lesson time to move children forward in their subject learning and to help those who find the subject difficult or are behind.

I find the entire system is totally denigrating the role of a teacher.

In my over 15 year experience in Queensland and Coastal schools I find the pattern is exactly the same in many of the schools.

In general, there is no support.

Shocking language is hurled at the teachers.

In a school that I worked at recently, the children swore, one even hurled fruit at me, wrote on her desk, carved into furniture with scissors and hurled abuse at me.

I, as always, tried to instil the steps - time out etc.

I called the Principal.

He had a meeting with the primary school students - who apparently accused me of swearing.

In 15 years, and having raised my own children alone, I have never sworn at them.

As an English teacher and with a life philosophy of thinking from the heart, I would never denigrate children by swearing at them.

I felt that all their terrible behaviour, including one girl who constantly threw herself at the wall, and others who raced out of the classroom when they wished, their yelling over the top of me, throwing things at me, foul and highly inappropriate language, etc. were not taken into account at all.

There is something terribly wrong when students with such shocking behaviour are allowed to get away with it and their lies are believed by the Principal.

There is a reason why this class had several teachers in several weeks.

I have always behaved in a professional manner.

I attempted to diffuse bad behaviour with the right steps/school behaviour management rules.

I am very approachable.

I believe in treating children with love and respect at all times while reminding them of the school rules.

I think it is a frightening fact that this lack of respect and support for teachers is across the board as I have been to so many schools.

The problem is really bad within the Logan area.

Teachers are turning away from the system because of this situation.

Bring the education minister into a classroom in the Logan area at random, without handpicking the class and 'schooling' the children on their behaviour beforehand.

Truth needs to be seen here.

Australia's education system was one of the best in the world.

It is now dropping at a fast rate and I can see a future of illiteracy.

I have taught a lot of Year 10 students, supposedly average students, who can't string a sentence together without many grammatical errors.

Do we have to have a whole country of impoverished, illiterate young people before some steps are taken to correct this?

Bring back the respect that teachers so rightly deserve.

I defy anyone to tell me that I have not acted in a highly professional manner, going over and above what is expected in preparing material for each subject.

Thank you.

A contract and supply teacher (emailed directly to the editor of this website in August 2015).

WorkCover may compensate Queensland teachers who are the subject of false allegations.

WorkCover Queensland has awarded $66,041.52 to one Queensland teacher who was the subject of false allegations made by students.

Teacher stress costs millions, Tanya Chilcott, Page 6, The Courier-Mail, 15 July, 2013

Schools excel in mental anguish, Tanya Chilcott, Page 9, The Courier-Mail, 16 July 2013.

Male teacher warns about false allegations - he thought that it could not happen to him.

False allegations ended my dedicated 15-year career as an early years teacher.

Male teachers are few and far between in this area of education as they've heard the stories and they don't want the same thing to happen to them.

Don't be like me and wrongly believe it won't happen.

Career over and lost faith in justice ... unless you have hundreds of thousands of dollars to have the truth known, which is very difficult on a teacher's wage.

Troy, Reader's Comment, Primary school teachers stretched to the max as classes overflow, The Courier-Mail, 1 August 2015.

One more job for classroom teachers : if you use the internet in class, keep a diary of any inappropriate pop-ups. The diary will help you to defend yourself against false allegations.

In a lecture to student teachers at the Queensland University of Technology, Mr Greg Gebhart, the Children's e-Safety Commission chief cyber trainer, warned that a Year 3 teacher had been using the internet to show students images from museums, when an ad popped up for an online dating site.

The teacher closed the pop-up immediately, but within days parents of a Year 5 student had complained to the principal about "rumours of a teacher showing porn in the classroom".

Mr Gebhart said teachers should keep a journal to record any inappropriate pop-up ads to avoid and defend allegations of inpropriety.

Students spying on teachers' online lives, Natasha Bita, P. 5, The Weekend Australian, 18-19 July 2015

Commissioner Tim Carmody : People "trying to create evidence for some other purpose" make false allegations of child abuse.

False complaints about child abuse are tying up valuable Queensland government resources.

Linda Alpelt, former director general of the Department of Communities, said there was an entire department inside Communities tasked with investigating complaints.

Mr Apelt agreed with suggestions from Commissioner Tim Carmody that unfounded complaints were a problem.

"Less than half of notifications end up being substantiated,'' Ms Apelt said.

"There is no doubt there will be people who use the child protection system for vindictive means."

Mr Carmody suggested there had to be ways of stopping the waste of time and resources by people "trying to create evidence for some other purpose.''

False complaints of child abuse tie up government resources, Child Protection Inquiry hears , Michael Madigan, The Courier-Mail, 20 August 2012 : http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/false-complaints-of-child-abuse-tie-up-government-resources-child-protection-inquiry-hears/story-e6freoof-1226454035547

Kepnock High : male supply teacher's career 'ruined' by false allegations.

John Valuch, a Bundaberg teacher, claims his career has been ruined after a group of female Kepnock High students falsely alleged he had engaged in inappropriate and s-xual behaviour.

Mr Valuch was a supply teacher at Kepnock High in 2007 when a group of girls made three separate allegations against him.

Mr Valuch said police investigated the incidents and brought no charges against him.

Mr Valuch said one student's allegation was found by the police as having no case to answer, as the student admitted her signed statutory declaration was false.

But despite police not taking the matter further, the Education Queensland Ethical Standards Unit investigated and said two allegations had been substantiated.

"The ESU has not been able to present any evidence to back the student's claims," he said.

"In hindsight, the only mistakes I have made in this matter was naively underestimating the depths of the nastiness of students and putting my faith in Education Queensland to conduct a fair and proper investigation.

"I was not afforded the presumption of innocence and they all just assumed I was guilty."

Mr Valuch said he had ejected one of the girls from class for bad behaviour and believed that if he had not done that, the allegations may never have been made.

"I think these girls have colluded," he said.

"I've lost my career, three years' pay, my good reputation and gone through a great deal of stress."

The allegations sparked a three-year ordeal for Mr Valuch who, after being suspended, is still unable to get full-time work.

Mr Valuch said Education Queensland first said because of the incident he could only work as a relief teacher, but after months of communications, said he would be eligible to work full-time.

"They said I could apply for all positions now on merit, but I've been out of work three years because of this, so what merit do I have?" he said.

"There's no way they'll give me a job."

Education Queensland refused to comment on the situation, saying only that "any matters between the department and potential employees are confidential".

"Mr Valuch is a current applicant for teacher employment with the Department of Education, Training and Employment," a department spokesman added.

Girls' claims 'ruin career', Vanessa Marsh, CQ News, 3 August 2012 : http://www.cqnews.com.au/story/2012/08/03/girls-claims-ruin-career-teacher-sexual-allegation/

False allegations against male teachers : unless you've been through it, you'll never understand.

There are ex-male teachers like myself who had their careers and lives destroyed by false allegations that police believed and went with, distorting the facts further.

Any male adult accused of inappropriate behaviour with children / students faces an impossible task to convince a jury they are innocent because they're already on the back foot with these jury members doing what they think is right for society to remove the animals who do carry out these crimes on children.

Children, like women accused of such crimes, are dealt with in a more lenient way.

I soon learnt that the law is not just.

Unless you've been through it, you never understand.

Wrongly accused of Sunshine Coast, Comment 1 of 8 , Schoolchildren s-xu-lly assaulting each other in Queensland - issue 'ignored', Jane Hansen, The Courier-Mail, 25 July 2010 : http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/schoolchildren-sexually-assaulting-each-other-in-queensland-issue-ignored/comments-e6freoof-1225896438223

After a false allegation is made against you, things are never the same again.

In this politically correct world, one complaint from a female student and a male teacher is put through months of hell and, even if he is proved innocent, things are never the same again.

There is always that doubt.

What happens to the student?

Virtually nothing.

That's right, virtually nothing.

Is that fair?

Albert Gagno, Richlands, Letter to the Editor, Talking Point, P. 26, The Courier-Mail, 28 March 2012.

Men are afraid to become Queensland state school teachers because of the risk of having false allegations made against them.

As of June 17 2011, 18.1 per cent of teachers in Queensland state primary schools were male.

39.5 per cent of Queensland secondary school teachers are male.

Opposition education spokesman Bruce Flegg said fewer men were choosing teaching as a career for fear of having false accusations made against them.

Editor's Note : On the day that this article was published I was told about another male teacher who is trying to defend himself against a false allegation.

Women teachers also have cause to fear false allegations.

Accusation risk keeps men out of classrooms, Felicity Caldwell, The Sunday Mail, 9 October 2011.

Any teacher can face allegations against themselves. It is a horrendous experience.

Be wary.

Any teacher ( mostly male ) can face allegations against themselves and they will be faced with a horrendous time to defend themselves, no matter what.

It's no wonder so many qualified and excellent teachers are leaving the profession.

I was with Cath Ed. and, despite 15 years of good service, they did nothing to support me when allegations were made against me.

If only people knew what teachers can face, they wouldn't be encouraging young people to go into the teaching profession.

I know because I've been there.

Ex-teacher of Ferny Grove, Reader's Comment 7 of 104, Teacher entry scores targeted in bid to lift classroom standards, Tanya Chilcott, The Courier-Mail, 16 October 2010.

Teachers need more support in dealing with false allegations.

Until there is more support for teachers who are the subject of false allegations, no amount of pay will get people interested in putting their name down for teaching.

So many teachers are forced to leave the profession because there is no support when a student or family accuse you of something just for a quick quid.

Teeps, reader's Comment 8 of 104, Teacher entry scores targeted in bid to lift classroom standards, Tanya Chilcott, The Courier-Mail, 16 October 2010.

I would not recommend teaching as a career to anyone. Any complaint by a student is automatically assumed to be valid by the department.

I love teaching and I have 50 years in the profession at all levels from lower primary to tertiary to TAFE to teaching in China.

But I could not recommend teaching as a career to anyone.

The standards of discipline are farcical.

Any complaint by a student is automatically assumed to be valid by the department, so the teacher has an investigatory cloud hanging over his / her head for months.

A percentage of parents automatically assume their 'darling child' is an angel and the teacher is a fair target.

Add to this the unreasonable demands of some principals who only consider their promotion chances and never the well-being of their staff.

I have been fortunate to work with some wonderful principals in the last 8 years of my career, however my deceased wife was a teacher, and my sister was a teacher, so I can draw on direct experience and not just hearsay.

Spartacus, Reader's Comment 17 of 104, Teacher entry scores targeted in bid to lift classroom standards, Tanya Chilcott, The Courier-Mail, 16 October 2010.

False allegations are a big problem for Queensland teachers.

I am a female teacher.

I so agree that false allegations are a big problem for Queensland teachers.

My cousin-in law ended up having a breakdown and lost his marriage because of a false allegation.

Another friend was accused of raping a girl.

He was exonerated when they found out he was gay, only to be sacked on other excuses.

School's out of SEQ, Reader's Comment 26 of 104, Teacher entry scores targeted in bid to lift classroom standards, Tanya Chilcott, The Courier-Mail, 16 October 2010.

A family's false allegations against me ended my career and destroyed my life.

I will be seeking a massive financial compensation claim if the vexacious false allegations made by a family against me which ended my career and destroyed my life two years ago can be proven false.

Until then I will continue my regular visits to my GP and psychologist.

Teeps, Reader's Comment 1 of 47, Teachers paid millions in compensation for slipping over, being blown over and other injuries, Alison Sandy, The Courier-Mail, 30 August 2010.

Students and their families make false allegations against teachers.

I myself was an early years primary teacher and was suspended after 14 years of service on false allegations.

You are really up against it and so are your family to prove your innocence.

The main reason I joined the Queensland Teachers Union was in case a situation like this arose.

Their help was minimal and I felt let down.

I only hope these teachers (see link below) don't have to deal with what my family and I had to deal with.

There needs to be more support for teachers facing allegations and more punishment for those who make false allegations, otherwise there will be more of these stories and more quality teachers leaving the profession.

Please don't mark teachers guilty straight away - there are many reasons for students /families making false claims.

Left high and dry of the Sunshine Coast, Reader's Comment 4 of 4, Two teachers cut for 'inappropriate behaviour' says Anna Bligh, The Courier-Mail, 10 August 2010 : http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/two-teachers-cut-for-inappropriate-behaviour-says-anna-bligh/comments-e6freoof-1225903445169

It is anticipated that 15,000 'suspected child harm' reports were made in Queensland schools during the financial year July 2009 - June 2010.

Queensland private and state school staff made 12,339 reports of suspected child abuse during the period 1 July 2009 - 31 March 2010.

The final figure for the financial year July 2009 - June 2010 is expected to rise to more than 15,000.

3090 of the 12,339 reports were deemed worthy of investigation by the department.

858 of these 3090 reports were found to be true.

"In every circumstance in a state school where a staff member or non-staff member suspects a student has been harmed or is at risk of harm, they must report it," Acting Education Minister Karen Struthers said.

Ms Struthers said that if a teacher or principal "failed in their duty" (to report possible abuse) they faced disciplinary action, including losing their jobs.

Queensland Council of Parents and Citizens Associations president Margaret Black said teachers reported "even the slightest suspicion".

Editor's Note : Of course Queensland children need to be protected from abuse.

But there is a need for some independent reseach into these reports -

Are classroom teachers 'paid back' for reporting abuse by other teachers?

Are administrators making faux reports to 'pay back' classroom teachers who speak at staff meetings, try to deal with problems at the school, report child abuse by another teacher, etc?

Were the 3090 departmental investigations into these reports of a professional standard - can we trust these findings?

How much time and taxpayer money is being wasted investigating malicious / payback reports?

Danger signs, Tanya Chilcott, Schools Reporter, The Courier-Mail, pp.1-2, The Courier-Mail : 23 July 2010.

The Queensland Education Department Ethical Standards Unit believes students' false accusations.

A former north Queensland teacher is suing the Education Department for a substantial amount because a student threatened her with a knife.

It's a pity every teacher whose career, marriage or life has been ruined by vindictive students' false accusations and claims of s_xual abuse cannot sue the Education Department.

The Ethical Standards Unit of Education Queensland believes students' false accusations above teachers' protestations of innocence.

When the claims are proved false or the student admits to lying, the teacher is still ostracised and in many cases cannot get employment as a teacher again.

Not many want to work as a teacher again considering the treatment they receive.

The teacher cannot sue the student, even when the student has committed perjury in court, if the student is under 16.

B. Wilkinson, Malanda, Letter to the Editor, Talking Point, p.79, The Courier-Mail, 26-27 June 2010.

Queensland teachers need to be protected from false allegations that ruin their health and their professional reputation.

How many Queensland teachers have their health and their careers destroyed by students who make false / joke "allegations" against their teachers?

Or by malicious school principals who claim that "confidential" allegations have been made against teachers?

How many classroom teachers who disclose child abuse by another teacher are later "paidback" by having false allegations made against them?

What action has been taken by the Queensland Department of Education, the Queensland Teachers' Union and the Queensland College of Teachers to deal with students and principals who make false allegations about classroom teachers?

Children need to be protected from abuse.

But Queensland teachers also need to be protected from the lies of naughty children, aggressive parents and malicious school principals.

Many innocent teachers suffer depression and stress because of vexacious allegations.

My wife was accused of "inappropriate touching" by a female student at her Brisbane high school.

My wife went through hell involving police before it was established that the student was a habitual liar, seeking revenge for having been given detention.

Yes, there are s_xual molesters in schools, but many allegations are just being made by students who are trying to get back at teachers.

I hope that the genuine cases are weeded out and sacked but many innocent people suffer from vexacious claims.

This is why many teachers suffer from depression and stress.

Skip of Brissy, Reader's comment 37 of 29, S-xual misconduct by Queensland teachers exposed, Alison Sandy and Tanya Chilcott, The Courier-Mail : 23 March 2010.

How long do Queensland teachers have to wait for the outcomes of investigations into allegations concerning them?

Queensland teachers sometimes have to wait for the outcomes of investigations into allegations concerning them for more than two years.

The process is very stressful.

Suspending Queensland teachers, principals and education officials - many of whom may be the subject of "joke", malicious or "payback" allegations made by students, parents, other teachers or principals - is costing taxpayers more than $1 million a year.

"The department conducts all investigations in a professional and timely manner," Education Queensland assistant director-general, human resources, Craig Allen said.

"However the length of time taken to conduct external investigations, such as those by police, is outside the control of the department.

As is any matter which may be proceeding through the courts."

Then there are the faux CMC / Ethical Standards Unit "investigations" that seem to be deliberately delayed for several years - so that the principals being "investigated" can claim to have forgotten what they did and why they did it.

Opposition education spokesman Bruce Flegg said there was "something very wrong" with a system that left suspended staff on full pay for more than two years.
He said it wasn't fair to staff or to students and was "certainly not fair to taxpayers".
School staff suspended on full pay cost taxpayers over $1m a year , Tanya Chilcott, The Courier-Mail, 12 March 2010 : http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/school-staff-suspended-on-full-pay-cost-taxpayers-over-1m-a-year/story-e6freoof-1225840251823

Children tell lies. Most teachers who are the subject of "allegations" are innocent.

The real fact is that most teachers who are the subject of "allegations" are innocent.

We leap to the defence of "abused" children - but we forget that children tell lies.

I know that for a fact.

Fifteen years ago, I drove a school bus and I tried to be friendly with the kids.

One eleven-year-old girl didn't have a father and in a small way I tried to be one to her while we were on the bus, looking at her work and being interested in what had happened at school.

Another boy whom I had reprimanded numerous times for bad behaviour told the teacher the girl was in love with me.

It was bad enough that I was interviewed, but the police went to her home and interrogated her in front of her parents.

I still feel bad at the embarrassment and damage this must have caused to her young mind.

What happened to the boy?

Nothing.

I'd had enough and I left.

I have never worked with children again, and I never will.

Anyone who does in this paranoid society is looking for trouble.

( John of Cairns - details below )

Editor's Comment : I had a similar experience.

I had arranged an excursion for three classes.

The bus company made a mistake and sent a bus that was too small.

I had to drive three Grade 7 boys to town in my car.

The boy who sat in the front seat next to me talked the whole way to town.

He told me that he had been kept down a year.

His dad was in the navy.

So his mother was on her own.

He told me what his dad thought about him being kept down.

He did not stop talking.

On the drive back to school that afternoon, he told me that the other two boys had been teasing him about the way that he had talked to me non-stop.

I took a quiet interest in this boy from then on - I gave him a part in an Indonesian play that I was producing.

I thought that a boy like him would have few good memories of school, and I thought that the play would be a happy memory for him.

He was not a brilliant student, but the part suited him really well and he did a good job.

We performed the play for the public in City Place.

After watching the play, his mother confronted me very aggressively.

You would think that this mother would be grateful that I had given her son a part in the play, but no.

Some months later she confronted me again.

This time she was angry because she thought that I had put her son on detention.

It had not happened.

But the mother continued to rage at me and refused to listen.

I wondered if her son had been talking about me at home and if she had become jealous.

To the best of my knowledge, this was the only parent at the school who ever complained about me.

But her complaints concerning me were the end of my career.

When you take an interest in a child who has problems, it is risky.

A problem child may have problem parents.

And you may be attacked.

But if you don't take an interest in the child you feel that you are not doing the "right thing" by the child.

John of Cairns, Reader's comment 33 of 39, S-xual misconduct by Queensland teachers exposed, Alison Sandy and Tanya Chilcott, The Courier-Mail, 23 March 2010.

Vexacious complaints can ruin a teacher's career. The people making these vexacious complaints are not held responsible.

Vexacious complaints against Queensland teachers are rife, yet the person /s making the complaints are never held responsible despite ruining a teacher's career.

A good friend of mine who taught at a small country school was reported by a person who had no children at the school, but who took the opportunity as the neighbour to settle a fencing dispute.

My friend was stood down and investigated, with the claim being dismissed within a day.

The problem is the Chinese whispers that have ruined my friend's chance of employment in a small town where her husband and she had a home and lived.

No compensation, no redress on the perpetrator of this vexacious claim.

Andi of Aussie Aussie Aussie, Reader's comment 32 of 39, S-xual misconduct by Queensland teachers exposed, Alison Sandy and Tanya Chilcott, The Courier-Mail, 23 March 2010.

The Queensland Department of Education treats teachers who are the subject of false allegations very, very poorly. Parents would not allow their children to be treated so poorly.

In 2008 a student's father sent a letter to a Queensland government school, falsely accusing a female teacher of having an inappropriate relationship with a classmate of his child.

The teacher was escorted out of the school.

She was told nothing - nothing about the letter, nothing about the allegations.

She was simply told that she was suspended.

And the teacher was forbidden to contact -

* any person who worked for the Department of Education and Training,

* anybody with any link to a DET school,

* any student

* and any parent of a student.

So the teacher became a virtual prisoner in her home.

You can imagine the effect that this isolation had on her mental health.

After four months, the classroom teacher was called in for an interview with the DET Ethical Standards Unit.

She was officially told the parent's allegations for the first time.

The classroom teacher was concerned about the behaviour of the investigators - they "just listened to what they wanted to listen to".

After another two months the matter was transferred to workforce relations.

And after another eight months the allegations were declared "unsubstantiated".

The allegations were not found to be untrue, you notice, just unsubstantiated - so the suggestion is still on this teachers' official record that the allegations may be true.

The classroom teacher points out that Queensland students are not suspended before -

* they have been given an opportunity to respond to the allegations against them

* and they know why they are being suspended.

Because their parents would protest if their children were treated in such an unjust manner.

So why are Queensland classroom teachers exposed to this sort of workplace abuse?

The teacher contrasts her own dedication to her work with the Queensland Department of Education and Training's lack of concern for her welfare.

Investigations : guilty until proven innocent? P. 19, Queensland Teachers' Journal, Volume 33 number 2 : 12 March 2010.

The QTU should publish the numbers of false allegations that are made against Queensland teachers.

No figures on how many false accusations were made against Queensland teachers then, Ryan?

I didn't think so, you ...

Oldfellah of Coral Coast, Reader's comment, More Queensland teachers banned for preying on students, Tanya Chilcott, The Courier-Mail, 17 January 2010.

Teachers pay their union dues - but the QTU run the other way when allegations are made.

Despite the amount of money that teachers spend on union fees, the union run the other way if allegations are made against you.

People with issues can misinterpret when reporting innocent actions ...

Then you're damned!!!

Teachers again, Reader's comment, More Queensland teachers banned for preying on students, Tanya Chilcott, The Courier-Mail, 17 January 2010.

False allegations cost me the job I loved.

I was sacked from my teaching job because false allegations were levelled at me.

I had worked as a teacher for 15 years in early childhood, a boarding school supervisor for seven years and outside school hours care for 11 years, all with high commendation.

None of this came into it, when these allegations were made by one individual.

My family, friends and I feel deeply let down by the biased legal system, the union ( for which I was a rep. at my school) and the education system for their lack of support.

Both the complainant and I know the truth and this never came out.

Teachers beware, I'd heard stories, but never thought it would happen to me.

This family cost me the job I loved.

Innocent of The Sunshine Coast, Readers Comments, S*x-accused teachers slip through, Alison Sandy, The Courier-Mail, 26 October, 2009

Queensland teachers who try to separate fighting children may find themselves accused of 'inappropriate touching'. And this allegation will stay on the teacher's professional record for the rest of their career.

"The Current guidelines are very unfair for teachers," says Queensland Teachers Union West Moreton organiser Barry Welch.
Barry Welch says that teachers have been brought before Queensland's Education Department just for separating two students who were fighting.

"There have been teachers in Ipswich who have simply pressed on a student's chest to move them away from another kid - and the student will complain about inappropriate touching."

"The teacher then has a mark on their record - even though all other evidence showed they did nothing wrong."

Calls for self defence training for teachers, Chris Garry, The Queensland Times, 2 September, 2009.

Children make up stories about their teachers and, under Queensland law, it is near impossible to stop the speeding train of prosecution.

I am the wife of a man who was falsely accused and prosecuted for child sexual abuse.

The allegations against my husband were thrown out of court as the "child's" lies were discovered.

The "child" was 16 years old by the time that the truth came out.

Yes, we do need to go after real child abusers.

But it is easy for children to make up stories for their own agendas, and under Queensland law, it is near impossible to stop the speeding train of prosecution.

After four years of hell, we are just thankful we made it through to the other end with our family and our marriage intact.

I finished high school 25 years ago, but I can still remember some of the teenage girls swooning and flirting with all of the young male teachers.

I felt so sorry for the teachers being put in that position.

Mel, Readers' Comments:Predatory teachers wreck lives, Sarah Vogler and Paula Doneman, The Sunday Mail, 16 August, 2009.

When false allegations are made against Queensland classroom teachers, the stress of the long "investigation process" often seems to destroy their mental health.

A male teacher in Queensland had more than 20 years of experience.

He was well-liked.

But then, in 2001, two former students accused him of s-xual abuse.

The teacher spent months going through an emotionally and financially trying "adjudication process".

He was shunned by many of his colleagues and friends.

He was eventually acquitted and cleared of any wrongdoing.

But the incident left an indelible mark on his reputation.

He was too afraid to return to teaching.

So he became a tree-lopper.

Teachers fear abuse with-hunt, Dylan Welch, The Australian, 17 November 2003.