When you’re a student, there’s always that one teacher that gets on your nerves. While some teachers know how to make students love them and their classes, others rely on harshness. In worse situations, teachers even have inappropriate behavior towards some students, and if you’ve ever been on the receiving end of this worker’s harassment, you wish you knew what to do.
It’s hard to get someone fired, especially when you have no real proof that their behavior is inappropriate. It’s possible, though. So, whether you have a teacher who has violated school policy or harassed students, here is everything you need to know about the possibility of getting a teacher fired when you’re a student.
Why Do Teachers Usually Get Fired?
Teachers don’t get fired too easily, but when they do, it’s usually for a serious reason. Most times, a teacher’s employment will be terminated when they have engaged in the following:
- School policy violation
- Inappropriate behavior with students
- Bad job performance
- Fraud
- Crime
It’s also possible for a teacher to be fired for no reason, but these cases are rare.
Is It Easy to Get a Teacher Fired?
No matter what you think, getting a teacher fired when you’re a student is not a piece of cake. Generally speaking, the school must have good reasons to believe that the teacher is either unfit for the position or is a danger to the students. The school must give employees notice and offer them a chance to improve. If the teacher does not correct the inappropriate behavior, the school can proceed with terminating them.
How to Get a Teacher Fired as a Student
Getting a teacher fired is a lengthy process. It will not happen overnight, so if you are hoping for instant success when the teacher doesn’t even have a bad reputation at that moment, you’ll be disappointed. Fortunately, once you learn what to do, you’ll be able to begin the process and slowly see the result.
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Try Talking to the Teacher
This part of the process is something that might not be an option for everyone, either because they’ve already tried with no success or because the teacher would target them following this confrontation.
However, if you’re not afraid of potential consequences or think your teacher will listen to you without attempting to humiliate you afterward, try talking to them. Do this privately after class and let them know that you believe their behavior is inappropriate and tell them why. Then, give the teacher a chance to talk and apologize or defend themselves, or try to fix their behavior.
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Gather Evidence
Keep in mind that firing a teacher involves making sure they have done something wrong. This could be a possible crime, fraud, neglect of duty, immoral conduct, insubordination, misrepresentation, school policy violation, or incompetence.
If talking to the teacher was unsuccessful, then keep a record of any incidents. Collect any evidence that you can, such as voice recordings and information from colleagues who have witnessed the behavior.
Taking photographs or videos of the event may be difficult, especially in class. But if you think you can do it safely, don’t hesitate to record. This will boost your chances of being successful in firing the teacher when filing the complaint.
However, check the laws in your state before doing this. In some states, it is illegal to record another individual without their agreement or knowledge.
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Report to the Principal
The next step is going to the school’s principal and letting them know about the situation. Ideally, this should be done while you’re assisted by a parent, friend, or guardian. Tell the principal everything that happened, mention the dates of the incidents and talk about how it affected you and other students.
Have an organized list of incidents and bring your evidence with you. Give it to the principal. While explaining what happened, make sure to stay calm.
Is It Possible to Get a First-Year Teacher Fired?
Any teacher can be fired, but firing someone who has been teaching for a year is typically more difficult. In serious cases, it can be done, so if a first-year teacher is fired, then they must’ve done something serious.
Final Thoughts
While it’s great to take the initiative to get a bad teacher fired, make sure you don’t attempt to fire a teacher just because they gave you a bad grade when you didn’t study for a test. They could file a wrongful termination complaint, and in California, they have two years to do this. If they hire Los Angeles employment attorneys as well, their chances of winning the case increase significantly.
