Protect Yourself

Five ways to guard against accusations of sexual misconduct
By La Rae G. Munk

The news of teachers and sexual misconduct continues to grab headlines across the country. While there are clearly problems with teacher is conduct, it is also becoming clear that some students have learned to use false allegations of sexual misconduct as a weapon of revenge against teachers. All too frequently, administrators are accepting the student’s version of events. In too many situations, administrators are not even bothering to properly investigate an allegation before issuing a reprimand or placing a teacher on suspension. This is true whether the allegation is sexual misconduct, physical abuse, or even just using a word that a student does not appreciate. The result is that teachers are experiencing unnecessary discipline and damage to their reputation under a theory of “guilty before proven innocent.” How should you protect yourself from false accusations? Here are five practical steps you can take to limit the opportunities for false accusations of sexual misconduct.

1. Never be alone in a private area with a student. If a student comes into the classroom and you happen to be alone, immediately step into a public area such as the hallway. When a student wants to speak about a confidential matter, you can do this while in a public area by speaking in a quiet voice.

2. Do not give students your home phone number. Should it be necessary for you to call a student at home, insist that a parent be on the phone during the conversation.

3. If it becomes necessary to give a student a ride in your vehicle, you should do this only if you have another adult to accompany you, and you have notified the parent or an administrator that you are doing so.

4. Keep detailed notes of daily activities in class. This is particularly important for those comments by students that might be open to different interpretations. For example, a student’s question about human anatomy in a science class should be documented. Teachers have faced situations where those “innocent” questions and the subsequent answers resulted in a reprimand because of the different interpretations that were passed along to others.

5. Teachers have learned the hard way that they must keep a professional perspective and style in talking with students. You shouldn’t talk with students in the same manner as a parent. Should you have any concern regarding your conduct towards students, remember the old adage, “When in doubt, don’t.” Act with caution and seek guidance and approval from administrators before taking unilateral action that might be open to unintended interpretations.