Stone Cold

One of the very worst incidents in a long supply teaching career is the most recent, which has me banned from working in one County.

     I was doing a day in a school I had been in several times before. It was last period on a Friday taking year 9 for English.

     A lesson plan and worksheets had been left for a lesson on Robert Swindells' novel, Stone Cold. The book is very dark, with themes of abuse, homelessness, mental illness and murder, but seems a popular choice in many schools. The worksheet examined responses to an abusive relationship and I had no reason to suspect that there was anything untoward about it. The language was a bit sleazy, but nothing that a year 9 student would be unaware of.

     Last period is often lively and as part of the lesson I read out the worksheet. The students immediately started laughing and jeering and the TA, who was supporting a student, took the student and ran from the room. She reported that the worksheet was “disgusting” and made her feel sick.

     Once they settled back down, the students did as much work as might be expected.

     The first I knew about a problem was from my agency who had suspended me. I was accused of taking in and using a “disgusting and disgraceful” worksheet and using it instead of the lesson I had been left. It emerged that the TA had complained, parents had complained, a report had been made to the police. As a result, the LA had also been informed and I was banned from working in any County schools. A referral was also made to the GTCE and I am awaiting the outcome of that.

     Like any organised supply teacher, I have prepared lessons which I carry with me. What I don't do, unless on a long term cover, is to prepare lessons on topics which will be on the school's Scheme of Work. You cannot second guess another teacher's approach. I have, though, read all the books I am likely to meet in an English lesson because it makes it easier to answer questions and suggest possible meanings.

     The “disgusting” worksheet raises a number of questions. To have created such a worksheet would suggest that I knew that I would be teaching Stone Cold in a particular lesson and was willing to disrupt someone else's Scheme of Work. Why should I do this, given that it would be a disciplinary offence? I have been unable to obtain a copy of the lesson I was supposed to have delivered.

     There are two consequences of this situation. Firstly, my name is blackened by a malicious libel. Secondly, there was no similar disciplinary action against the real author of the worksheet who remains in post.

     Either the Headteacher has accepted the absent English teacher's claim to have no knowledge of the worksheet or has decided to use me as a scapegoat to protect a colleague. Neither is acceptable.

     You want to see the worksheet? Here it is:

Set: A cut-away house is shown on stage, containing two rooms: the

living room and a teenage boy’s bedroom. The lounge is filled with

cigarette smoke, and the sports news blares out from the TV.

A fat, middle aged man is slumped on the sofa. He is surrounded by

crushed beer cans and he is currently asleep.

The boy speaks first. He is talking to himself and staring in the mirror.

LINK: My life is fascinating. (Snorts in derision). Bloody fascinating.

Not.

He freezes whilst the man on the sofa comes to life.

VINCE: (Belches loudly). God, I must’ve been asleep. (rubs head,

disorientated) What the….(Smiles proudly at a memory). I told her, I did!

She can’t expect to walk around my house, the little tart, without getting

‘attention’….(sniggers)….eh up lass…..give us a feel of those!!! (Laughs

like a drain)…..come on….don’t be shy…come and give your old step

dad a cuddle…..I expect she will be back for more….they always are!

Just like her mum! (Rolls over and sleeps again)

CAROLE enters, her face streaked with tears and with her arms wrapped

defensively around herself.

CAROLE: (To the sleeping Vince) I said no! wait till Mum finds out!

You slob! You dirty slob! You will be the one leaving, not me! You make

me feel sick! Sick! (She aims a pathetic slap at his face but he is dead to

the world).

Exit Carole to Link’s bedroom

They embrace, each looking away. How does the conversation go from

here?