Tips to prevent/stop education abuse

Created on Wednesday, 27 October 2010 10:17 Last Updated on Monday, 03 December 2012 19:23 Published on Wednesday, 27 October 2010 10:17 Written by Courier Newsroom Hits: 843

•Students, from the elementary to the university levels, should report ALL cases of abuse of power. It is never OK for an instructor or administrator to harass, humiliate, intimidate or discriminate against students. It also is illegal to demand payments and “favors” for grades, materials or anything that should be provided by the school for no charge.

•If your child says a teacher or administrator harassed or intimidated him or her, contact that person. Remain calm and request a parent/teacher conference to discuss the matter; it could be a misunderstanding. If it is not resolved to your satisfaction, contact the school’s principal, who should take all steps to investigate the situation and take appropriate action.

•You can file a report with the main office of your school district if administrators at your child’s school are not cooperative. Illegal actions must also be reported to the police and other authorities.

•If a student or instructor has encountered another faculty member who has committed corruption, they may report the incident to the chair of the department where the offending person works. Reports also may be shared with a dean, chancellor or board.

•In public school districts, parents should attend school board meetings to keep up with new policies and expenditures. Parents and resident taxpayers, who vote for school board members, can call for action to be taken against faulty administrators. They can also voice support for policies that will that ensure resources are used wisely and standards of conduct are enforced.