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Safe Teaching Policies

Danceforfun

By Danceforfun
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Danceforfun

Danceforfun

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I am wondering if anyone both teachers and also parents is as concerned as I am with regards to the lack of understanding of safe teaching practise within the dance sector. I am horrified with the continual postings of several schools who not only train in a very extreme manner including excessive and unsafe stretching and body conditioning which is way beyond what young bodies should be doing. I fear although these young dancers are able to do some of these tricks what impact it will have on their bodies in the long term.

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Danceforfun

Danceforfun

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Hi Sarahw, thank you I have read these posts already absolutely shocking. What astounds me if that other teachers and parents actually embrace this kind of behavior, therefore making it acceptable. Did anyone ever actually register a formal complaint with either the RAD or the ISTD?

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Nicola H

Nicola H

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Hello Danceforfun and welcome to the Forum.

 

This should be a clickable link for the Saferchildrensdance website:

 

http://saferchildrensdance.co.uk

 

 

While we encourage open discussions on this forum it should be noted that details should not be given that could lead to the identification of children.

and if identifying schools / studios  and adults  the laws of defamation may come into play , nd in worse case scenarios  it could damage the integrity of  evidence  against someone under suspicion of offences  under  either children protection elgislation or plain simple offences against the person ... ( as  alluded to in previous discussions about  bullying  and 'over enthusiastic correction'  -  

 

save the the over enthusiatic correction for  risk aware and consenting adults ...  ;-)

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Jan McNulty

Jan McNulty

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and if identifying schools / studios  and adults  the laws of defamation may come into play , nd in worse case scenarios  it could damage the integrity of  evidence  against someone under suspicion of offences  under  either children protection elgislation or plain simple offences against the person ... ( as  alluded to in previous discussions about  bullying  and 'over enthusiastic correction'  -  

 

save the the over enthusiatic correction for  risk aware and consenting adults ...  ;-)

 

 

 

Could you please explain that in English?

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drdance

drdance

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Janet - Basically it means that if schools or individual teachers are identifiable by details discussed, and unfavourable statements are made, then there could be legal implications in terms of defamation (or slander, libel etc). 

 

Furthermore, online speculation can damage how well evidence might stand up in court (in the event of any issue being investigated through legal systems)

Edited by drdance
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bangorballetboy

bangorballetboy

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Janet - Basically it means that if schools or individual teachers are identifiable by details discussed, and unfavourable statements are made, then there could be legal implications in terms of defamation (or slander, libel etc). 

 

Furthermore, online speculation can damage how well evidence might stand up in court (in the event of any issue being investigated through legal systems)

 

Which is why we have a (pretty well policed) AUP.

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Nicola H

Nicola H

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Janet - Basically it means that if schools or individual teachers are identifiable by details discussed, and unfavourable statements are made, then there could be legal implications in terms of defamation (or slander, libel etc). 

 

Furthermore, online speculation can damage how well evidence might stand up in court (in the event of any issue being investigated through legal systems)

Exactly and fundamentally  the point  I was making. 

 

Online sources unlike the press  aren't necessarily bound by the conventions and legal reporting restrictions  ( the arguments over whether they are adequately strict  while reserving  the public interest  is a whole different  kettle of worms )

 

This  BBC  news article from a few years ago talks about media  reporting  and it's impact on Jury trials http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8519995.stm

 

Edited by mph
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Jan McNulty

Jan McNulty

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Exactly and fundamentally  the point  I was making. 

 

Online sources unlike the press  aren't necessarily bound by the conventions and legal reporting restrictions  ( the arguments over whether they are adequately strict  while reserving  the public interest  is a whole different  kettle of worms )

 

This  BBC  news article from a few years ago talks about media  reporting  and it's impact on Jury trials http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8519995.stm

 

 

 

Thank you for clarifying.

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taxi4ballet

taxi4ballet

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Also, I understood that you can put opinion on social media without it being used in court...or am I just being naive????

I have heard of people getting a visit from the police because of comments they've made on social media, due to them not realising that they shouldn't have mentioned certain things. It is a minefield (so my lawyer relative tells me).

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bangorballetboy

bangorballetboy

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I have heard of people getting a visit from the police because of comments they've made on social media, due to them not realising that they shouldn't have mentioned certain things. It is a minefield (so my lawyer relative tells me).

 

It is a minefield so take care (the law is quite nuanced and too detailed to go into on a web-forum).  Our AUP is very clear on this and the moderators will act in accordance with a conservative interpretation of their legal obligations.

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Jan McNulty

Jan McNulty

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I am not an expert in any way but I would think there is a difference between people using social media to harm other people's reputations or business and parents sharing information with other parents to prevent children from coming to harm...isn't there? As a parent I would want to know.

 

 

Also, I understood that you can put opinion on social media without it being used in court...or am I just being naive????

 

 

I agree cornishprincess - I know you have been a 'victim' of the AUP. I'm not blaming the forum moderators because they have a job to do but as a parent I want to know!!

 

 

I have heard of people getting a visit from the police because of comments they've made on social media, due to them not realising that they shouldn't have mentioned certain things. It is a minefield (so my lawyer relative tells me).

 

 

Drdance and mph have exactly hit the nail on the head.  Social media postings can be used.   There has been a recent case where a plastic surgeon got a court ruling that a forum had to give full details of people who had made certain postings including private messages and hidden threads.

 

You have only got to look back on the Not Dance forum to discover that a member who retweeted something had a visit from the police.

 

Yes people have a "right to know" where there are concerns but putting something on the internet is different from having a face to face or telephone conversation.  IIRC there have been cases where text messages and emails have been used as evidence.

 

This bit is off-topic:  You only have to look at the likes of TripAdvisor too to realise that people can put opinions in the public domain that can actually be false (either over- or under-egging the pudding).  Some years ago I had to stay in a hotel (as the two friends I could usually have stayed with both had the nerve to be on holiday!).  I stayed in a hotel that I had stayed in many times previously.  It had changed hands and been refurbished.  Or at least the bedrooms had but not the bathrooms.  I was there for 3 nights... On the day after my arrival I noticed that the water was not clearing the shower tray and I reported it.  When I got back later there was a note on the door asking me to contact the manager.  It turns out there was a serious problem with the plumbing and I was asked to move room.  The following day I could not get any hot water in the new room's bathroom so I was asked to use the bathroom in the room next door.  At least the shower worked OK but the lights didn't and I had to leave the door open not to be in total darkness.  I had been asked to pay on arrival so on departure I asked if I could have a reduction in the price I had paid.  If I am honest I would have accepted £5 as a gesture of goodwill.  I ended up having a thoroughly unpleasant conversation with the manager because of my temerity.  I said I would write a review on TripAdvisor.  I did, and was truthful about my experience including the fact that the bedrooms had been beautifully refurbished.  I did however point out that 3 out of 15 bathrooms had not been refurbished and did not function correctly.  Within a week three "reviews" had gone on TripAdvisor specifically commenting on how wonderful the bathrooms were!  

 

I would stress again that the internet is a powerful tool for both good and bad but that what goes on the internet stays on the internet and can be used in legal issues.  It is why we have an AUP we do actively check postings. 

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Canary

Canary

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When it comes to safeguarding children I agree with C Princess

 

I'm a little confused about some comments above, is there a suggestion that information about teachers that pose a risk to children is removed or banned from the forum or has been before?

 

Surely we all have a duty to safeguard children, if not legally then morally , don't we?

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FLOSS

FLOSS

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Both slander and libel involve making false statements  which damage a person's reputation.Slander occurs if that sort of statement is passed on by word of mouth. .Libel occurs when the statement is reduced to writing  and is published.and for this purpose e-mails count as publication. It is not too difficult for someone whose reputation has been impugned to prove the existence of a statement about them which has been recorded in writing.and the identity of its author if it appears on a  website.

 

The real problem is that if the author of the statement is sued he or she has to prove the truth of the assertion. Surprisingly enough you may know lots of people who,with good reason, share your opinion of the person in question and their teaching methods but such people have an unfortunate tendency to disappear like the morning dew when it comes to acting as a witness to support your case. People have an aversion to going to court to give evidence.

 

This may sound very callous but I am trying to be helpful.You can withdraw the child from school. You can use official channels to report your concerns without any legal consequences to yourself.But you can't publish your concerns on a website without the possibility of legal consequences for yourself or the place where the publication has taken place. The legal system is still running to catch up with developments in communication which have taken place during the last twenty plus years but it is getting there.

 

Just remember that no one is indifferent to the state of their professional reputation and no one has more reason to defend their professional reputation tenaciously than an individual whose standing in a relatively small community, which I take the world of dance teaching tin this country to be, is completely dependent on the esteem in which they are held by their professional colleagues and their student's parents. 

Edited by FLOSS
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Nicola H

Nicola H

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Also, I understood that you can put opinion on social media without it being used in court...or am I just being naive????

 

 this is back the the  HIGNFY  use of 'allegedly'   as a 'protection' against  defamation claims ...  or  the good old news of the world exposes ,  once  the  juicy  stuff  began the  crayoner  'made their excuses and left' having got enough to crayon  the story ...   

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Nicola H

Nicola H

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When it comes to safeguarding children I agree with C Princess

 

I'm a little confused about some comments above, is there a suggestion that information about teachers that pose a risk to children is removed or banned from the forum or has been before?

 

Surely we all have a duty to safeguard children, if not legally then morally , don't we?

If you have  information  that someone poses a risk to  children you report it via  the  whistleblowing processes in place   or directly to the police / social services if you are happy to be named if/ when it comes to court etc . 

 

one of those whistleblowing processes  is via the website drdance meantions in their  earlier post  upthread.  If it were a colleague in a work place or  member of staff  then there;s either  internal whistleblowing  processes or you go via the nominated lead person for safeguarding / HR / or the ultimate boss ( of whaever title s/he holds) ... 

 

 

 

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