III. Sum up the article. Point out its main aspects.

IV. Say whether you agree with the ideas expressed by Raisa Minaeva. Do you also think that most school problems could be solved if teacher’s salary were raised?

TEACHERS: ARE THEY TOO VULNERABLE

TO FALSE ACCUSATIONS?

It has taken 18 months for Welsh head teacher Marjorie Evans finally to be cleared of all the allegations of mistreating pupils at her primary school.

She was convicted by magistrates, then cleared on appeal - then she faced fresh claims. Governors of the school have now decided there is "no credible evidence" of wrongdoing.

But teachers' unions say many teachers routinely have their lives turned upside down by similar allegations - almost all of which are subsequently proved to be unfounded.

Some say laws designed to protect children may have swung the balance too far.

Are people who work with children too vulnerable to false accusations? Has child protection legislation gone too far?

All kids are well capable of telling lies that cause trouble for adults. If it's grassing up Mum to Granny for not handing over enough pocket money, we all laugh. The problem is that such antics can land people such as teachers in really hot water. If on the other hand we discount all complaints by children, we place the genuinely vulnerable in potentially mortal peril. How can we separate fact from fiction? How about video cameras in classrooms? It sounds a bit extreme, but it all comes down to how seriously society decides to treat this issue.

Rodger Edwards, UK

Raising your voice can be very useful when attempting to gain control of a situation which has got out of hand. Often it is the only way teachers can make students pay attention! Surely preventing it will only lead to an increased number of frustrated teachers and excluded pupils as teachers will find it even more difficult to control a difficult class through no fault of their own?

Michael T. Farnworth, Isle of Man

A head teacher gets hauled through the courts due to false allegations from a pupil. There is something seriously wrong going on here. Personally I never did see the point of banning corporal punishment in schools. The ban is a fine demonstration of how much damage political correctness can cause. An entire generation has never been taught responsibility for their actions, and that's a real shame.

Mark B, UK

Rob is correct, children have been taught their rights but not their responsibilities. The trendy education methods have over the years removed any semblance of respect for teachers and adults generally. We have a generation of yobs that have been produced by a generation of yobs. No wonder nobody wants to be a teacher.

Дата добавления: 2015-11-16