Teacher sacked for wearing trainers!!

[West_Ham_Wham]

A teacher who was sacked for wearing trainers and tracksuit bottoms to school says it may lead to a strike.

Special needs teacher Adrian Swain, 56, was fired from St Paul's Way Community School in Bow, east London, for refusing to follow its dress code.

Mr Swain said teachers at the secondary school were calling for a ballot on industrial action in protest.

Tower Hamlets Council said a teacher was fired for failing to comply with "a reasonable management instruction".

'Singled out'

Mr Swain, from Stratford, east London, said he wore tracksuit bottoms and trainers to school throughout his 30-year teaching career without any complaints.

He was fired earlier this month for refusing to follow a "bizarre" dress code imposed by an acting head teacher, Mr Swain said.

"I was singled out and fired while other staff have regularly worn banned items," he added.

continued here...........

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/7803118.stm

Download petition from here:

http://www.permanentrevolution.net/entry/2385

More info here (and it's in loads of national newspapers):

http://www.permanentrevolution.net/entry/2486

http://www.workersliberty.org/story/2008/11/04/defend-adrian-swain

 

[bluestreak]

Is that you, West Ham Wham?

 

[Badgers]

Shock, awe, horror and discussion

 

[brixtonvilla]

Fuck him, scruffy git. Dress like a professional.

/NUT rep

 

[Spion]

The teachers need to get this spread to pupils and get them involved in issues over school uniform too

 

[Badgers]

Depends on the quality of the architecture of the school building I suppose.
If that is a bit tatty then I see no reason why trainers are not acceptable.
If the building and grounds are immaculate then the sacking is correct.
I have wasted my life on the internet.
Bye

 

[Fullyplumped]

I see he insists on being called "Mr Swain". For such a chilled-out socialist, surely he should insist on being called "swainey-babes" or something.

Seriously, though, a school should have a dress code and a head teacher should be able to count on the support of all staff in maintaining it. Teachers who can't see that need to move into less important work. I understand that part of the grievance is that staff weren't consulted, but suppose they had been and the heidie had gone ahead anyway? Teachers shouldn't get a veto on what goes on in the school - it should be all about creating a calm, ordered and disciplined community in which children learn and have the time and space to achieve what they can.

How much does a nice tweed jacket with elbow patches, shirt and tie, smart trousers and shiny leather shoes cost anyway? I'm sure Burtons could do him proud for under £200.

 

[Fictionist]

If he was a Physical Education Teacher I would have more sympathy. Maybe he should just grow up a bit.

 

[West_Ham_Wham]

No I'm not Adrian Swain!

So you think that all teachers should have to dress like corporate clones. My school had teachers dressing in all different ways and it how they dressed didn't make them any better or worse teachers and didn't get them any more respect. What next all primary school teachers have to wear a suit and tie as well?

The dress code was introduced without any consultation with staff or the trade union. You can't just say "suppose they were anyway", because they weren't!

 

[Fullyplumped]

The teachers need to get this spread to pupils and get them involved in issues over school uniform too

No, the teachers need to teach children. Getting them "involved in issues over school uniform" is fine once they can all read, write, do sums, and have a proper appreciation of all the other subjects in the curriculum.

But getting them "involved in issues over" staff terms and condition, and professional standards and the staff dress code is ridiculous.

 

[Fullyplumped]

What next all primary school teachers have to wear a suit and tie as well?

The boy ones, certainly!

 

[West_Ham_Wham]

If he was a Physical Education Teacher I would have more sympathy. Maybe he should just grow up a bit.

So head teachers should just be able to impose any old dress code without any consultation?

Sacking a very good teacher for wearing trainers is a disgrace. Who gives a shit if teachers wear trainers or not. It's the head teacher who should grow up and not be so pathetic and vindictive about this, it's obviously victimisation.

Apparently she also goes around smoking and smells of cigarettes in front of the children, some people might say that's setting a worse example for children. Maybe she should have sacked herself for that?

Ironically she is also a goth and wears a facial piercing................

 

[West_Ham_Wham]

The boy ones, certainly!

You'd want male teachers in primary schools to all wear suits?! Yeah that would be a nice environment...........

 

[West_Ham_Wham]

Fuck him, scruffy git. Dress like a professional.

/NUT rep

With that kinda solidarity maybe you should think about stepping down in your role as an NUT rep.

 

[subversplat]

Well I think it's a bit shit that an acting head has turned up, started throwing his weight around and sacked someone for doing what they always did previously.

Sounds like some sort of corporate hell Professional Manager has been employed.

 

[West_Ham_Wham]

Well I think it's a bit shit that an acting head has turned up, started throwing his weight around and sacked someone for doing what they always did previously.

Sounds like some sort of corporate hell Professional Manager has been employed.

And she left the school a day after he got sacked!!

Never mind that he helped children with special needs and he had 35 years experience and is respected by teachers and pupils alike, lets sack the bastard for wearing trainers

 

[West_Ham_Wham]

A teacher who was sacked for wearing trainers and tracksuit bottoms to school says it may lead to a strike.

Special needs teacher Adrian Swain, 56, was fired from St Paul's Way Community School in Bow, east London, for refusing to follow its dress code.

Mr Swain said teachers at the secondary school were calling for a ballot on industrial action in protest.

Tower Hamlets Council said a teacher was fired for failing to comply with "a reasonable management instruction".

'Singled out'

Mr Swain, from Stratford, east London, said he wore tracksuit bottoms and trainers to school throughout his 30-year teaching career without any complaints.

He was fired earlier this month for refusing to follow a "bizarre" dress code imposed by an acting head teacher, Mr Swain said.

"I was singled out and fired while other staff have regularly worn banned items," he added.

continued here...........

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/7803118.stm

Download petition from here:

http://www.permanentrevolution.net/entry/2385

More info here (and it's in loads of national newspapers):

http://www.permanentrevolution.net/entry/2486

http://www.workersliberty.org/story/2008/11/04/defend-adrian-swain

 

[Fullyplumped]

You'd want male teachers in primary schools to all wear suits?! Yeah that would be a nice environment...........

Well they did when I was at primary school and it was a nice environment. As far as I am aware Glasgow teachers are expected to dress professionally, and they generally do so - and the schools where there have been greatest improvements as measured in HMIE reports are the ones where professionalism and leadership is most valued.

I don't think the underlying issue is trackie bottoms and trainers, though, but professional standards. The issue that staff seem to be fighting about isn't skills, discipline or resources but trackie bottoms. That to me is a sign that they've given up on being teachers and see themselves as entertainers or glorified childminders.

What we need is Lenny Henry out of that TV programme from a few years ago going in and sorting them out. As far as I can remember he was always properly turned out.

 

[strung out]

hang on... didnt we have this the other... minute?

 

[cybertect]

Indeed - the OP cross-posted in UK politics, current affairs and news

 

[cybertect]

If he was a Physical Education Teacher I would have more sympathy.

That's what I was thinking.

It seems like he is: Strike threat after PE teacher is sacked for wearing trainers in class

e2a: I think all the PE teachers at my school wore sports clothes, while most or all the others wore suits or a jacket & tie. My school was pretty strict on enforcing uniform and I didn't think any the less of the PE teachers for it - you certainly didn't mess with them.

 

[Homeless Mal]

He looks like a right scruff in the pictures I have seen. It is people like him that need to cleared from the decks so as schools, public service departments etc can move on. This man sounds like a taker and a moaner. He should invest in some decent clothes and get on with it. The fact that he has no shame in being told, as a grown man, that he should smarten up his appearance is quite staggering.

 

[Fullyplumped]

That's what I was thinking. It seems like he is: Strike threat after PE teacher is sacked for wearing trainers in class

Surely if he's a gym teacher he shouldn't be wearing gym shoes outside the gym in case the gym floor gets marked?

 

[butterfly child]

I'm unsure where I stand on this.

What other items have been worn since they have been banned?

IMO, it is not good enough reason to just say "30 years I've worn trainers and jogging bottoms to work"... but sacking him seems a little extreme!

My teachers wore suits, or at least jacket and ties. The only ones who didn't were PE teachers.

On the other hand, I generally wear what I like to work, whatever the dress code.

 

[subversplat]

Christ almighty! What's wrong with teachers having a bit of character? One teacher likes to wear trackies and trainers, some kids probably think he looks a nob and some kids probably think he's a bit of a geezer. It's not really going to change anything is it?

 

[West_Ham_Wham]

No he's mainly a maths teacher, he just does some physical therapy for students with special needs.

That to me is a sign that they've given up on being teachers and see themselves as entertainers or glorified childminders.

Well these comments from students who went to the school seem to say otherwise:

nahhh. i dont believe this MADNESS he motivated me and helped me get a B in maths!, although he did cuss me and so on...nah im not having this, swaine is the future! ...... .... ... .. .

Hulk Hogan. what a legend. the only teacher who knew how to make maths kool.

What do want?
Justice
When do we want it NOW????
Swain ur a legend

WTF! wot dopey headteacher sacked swain. Dat school is f***ed up with these new headteachers.

what an absolute joke, getting rid of someone just because they wesr trainers - are you having a laugh??? forget the fact that he is onw of the best teachers in the school, and liked by everyone, even those he did not teach - BACK SWAIN, DONT LET THOSE MUPPETS WIN

Long live Mr Swain. Publicise this case were with you 100%.

But heh who cares if he's a great teacher, far better to set an example and sack him for wearing trainers.

 

[Homeless Mal]

The guy seems like trouble to me. At the very least I would have expected him to wear a collared shirt over the trakkies. The man seems to lack any sort of sense.

 

[Fedayn]

He looks like a right scruff in the pictures I have seen. It is people like him that need to cleared from the decks so as schools, public service departments etc can move on. This man sounds like a taker and a moaner. He should invest in some decent clothes and get on with it. The fact that he has no shame in being told, as a grown man, that he should smarten up his appearance is quite staggering.

And of course you are saying this after knowing how he is as a teacher and how his pupils have doen after he's taught them? Well? I'll bet you know fuck all about him but have deceided that because you think he looks 'like a right scruff' you've decided that's enough reason not only for him to be sacked but indeed attacked as holding teaching back.....

 

[West_Ham_Wham]

Teachers at my school wore all kinds of clothes and it didn't mean that the ones who worse suits got respected, far from it.

From all the comments I've seen he is respected by teachers and students alike, and he's sacked for wearing trainers!! (on the back of a dress code that was introduced with no consultation by a interim head teacher who left the day after he was sacked)

PS The head teacher was apparently a goth, who smoked (and smelt of smoke in front of the students) and worse and wore a facial piercing. Pots and kettles anyone?

 

[Fullyplumped]

No he's mainly a maths teacher, he just does some physical therapy for students with special needs. Well these comments from students who went to the school seem to say otherwise: But heh who cares if he's a great teacher, far better to set an example and sack him for wearing trainers.

A great teacher, or just a popular one?