The Strange Scotsman (Part the Last)

The whole sorry saga of the Strange Scotsman is winding down.


After the revelations from my contacts in the Army and in Scotland, it was pretty obvious that JV was not a bloke to be trusted, and especially not to be trusted around children.

There was a couple of closing paragraphs of the outcome and recommendations from the GTC hearing.

The Panel found that the Respondent’s conduct is fundamentally incompatible with being a registered teacher and the Panel directed in terms of Rule 3.11.1 that the Respondent’s name shall be removed from the Register. Once the Respondent has been removed from the Register, the Respondent remains so removed unless and until an application for re-registration is made by him and a Fitness to Teach Panel directs that the application be granted. The Panel directed that the Respondent should be prohibited from making an application for re-registration for a period of 2 years from the date of removal.

Protection of Vulnerable Groups (Scotland) Act 2007
 The Panel decided to exercise its discretion to make a referral under Section 8 of the Protection of Vulnerable Groups (Scotland) Act 2007 in order that Scottish Ministers may consider whether or not the Respondent should be barred from working with children and protected adults. The Panel decided to do so because it considered that a referral ground set out in section 2 of that Act is met. The conduct which the Panel found proved demonstrated that children had been harmed and placed at risk of harm.

The last bit is unusual, and is only added if the investigating panel has some serious concerns for children's safety.  It's one step down from going onto the sex-offenders register.

 

But some do...so remain scared.

But one thing worried me.

Actually I lie.

Many things worry me.

I've got a list:

1. Global Warming
2. Global Cooling
3. Global I don't know what the f*ck is happening
4. My Beloved's daytime activities when I don't know what she's doing
5. My Beloved's evening activities when I know what she's doing and it's telling me what to do NOW.(Normally some sort of activity closely allied to cleaning)
6. 10DK
7. Constipation
8. Prostrate
9. Is it Prostate or Prostrate?
10. Swimming in a Public Pool
11. My Beloved in (supposedly) charge of a motorised vehicle
12. My Beloved in (supposedly) charge of a Tricycle
13. Flying (it's illogical, why does it work)
14. Atheism (it's logical, why don't more people appreciate the truth)
15. God-Botherers
16. Novopay (The organisation devoted to screwing up teachers' pay in general, and truly obsessed with screwing up my pay.  It's been 8 bloody months guys, how can you still be getting it wrong?)

Anyway, my immediate worry (apart from 4) was how in all the Hells of the Disembowelled Pseudogods from Lovecraft's Demented Imagination did JV acquire NZTC Registration?

 I had a Professional duty to inform them of my discoveries, and an even greater keenness to cover my posterior, in case anything untoward was discovered about JV's behaviour whilst he was under our employ.

So I phoned the NZTC.  The following conversation is paraphrased, and names have been changed to protect the devious.

I'm a Professional... we're here to protect you

Me: "Hello, this is TSB from  Nuova Lazio High School", "Is that the New Zealand Teaching Council?" "

NZTC: "Probably", "What do you want?"

Me: "I've got a bit of a problem with a registered teacher who I suspect of being a bit dodgy"

NZTC: "Are you talking about yourself?"

Me: "NO!!"

NZTC: "Is it Richard of RBB?" "Or anyone else in the Drama/Art department?"


Me: "No, nothing like that" ... "Why do you ask about them?"
NZTC: "Let's just say that NLHS has a certain reputation, especially in the Art faculty"

Me: "No, it's a relief teacher I'm using." "He's got NZTC registration" "I've seen his registration card and checked on your website, and he seems legit"

NZTC: "So what's the problem?"

Me: "I think he's been in trouble in the UK, and I want to check he's OK to use before I have him back in school again"

NZTC: "Well you can give me his registration number and I'll check", "but we do really exhaustive checks before issuing registration you know?"

Me: "I know, I've been through it 11 years ago when I arrived in NZ, but this bloke seems dodgy"

NZTC: "It will take me a couple of minutes to check, please hold"...

While I was waiting for their response I dealt with the few issues that had cropped up whilst I was on the phone.

SEE  Lack of ties can destroy civilization as we know it.

Gave an excuse note to a pupil who had forgotten her tie. (first time)
Told a recidivist tie-dodger to go home and get his bloody tie (23 previous incidents)
Told an irritating teacher to f*ck off, I was busy (No, I made that part up...I asked them to come back in 10 minutes.  I hate being rude.)

NZTC: "Hello, TSB, are you still there?"

Me: "Yes thanks" "Do you have any more information on JV?"
NZTC: "Yes, we know about JV's history, he's explained all his little problems to us, and he's OK to teach in NZ"

Little Problems?

Me: *long silence*............ "Little problems?"

NZTC: "Yes, there's no real issue" "Is that all?"

Me: (In very restrained but slightly squeaky with indignation and incredulity voice) "You do know he's been struck off the Teaching Register in Scotland for 11 counts of professional misconduct?", "Including grabbing a boy between his legs and hoisting him over his shoulder?"

NZTC: *long silence*............ "What?

What?

Me: "I believe that JV has been struck off the Scottish Teaching register, and I've got the on-line report of the disciplinary committee if you want to see it?"

NZTC: *long silence*............ "That would be good" "Please send it to ****** and we'll open an investigation.

Me: "Thanks " *Thinks* this is why we pay $280 for teacher Registration.

I also phoned all the other Deputy Principals in the area to make them aware of JV's history, and I've never heard from JV since.

I do notice that he's still got NZTC registration according to their website, and that their investigation is "on-going"

Still it's nice to know that they are so inefficient.

My goodness, what do you think they'd do if they saw this blog?

What to do? What to do?