common sense

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Home : 2003 : September : 16

common sense
By Cathy-Dee

We always hope everyone has common sense, but so often it's just not there, thus the laws have had to become so specific and yes silly in many ways because of this.

I think as educators we do have to be cautious but not
in fear of these guidelines and laws. I seriously doubt in many cases we'd get into problems with parents over things like praising a child, taking our grade book home to work on report cards, and so on.
Some of the points mentioned in the first post do make sense. Things that happen out of school, away from school grounds shouldn't be discussed unless they pertain directly to a student's

welfare and in that case professionals should be brought in. For example if a child was being abused in any form.

In many cases mentioning you saw a child at a doctor's office wouldn't cause a problem. But let's say that child had a serious medical condition that they did not want public knowledge or if there was a custody battle happening. An innocent comment in the hallway that was overheard by the wrong person could escalate into something huge in a matter of hours.

So what seemed innocent at the time becomes a major problem down the road.

We still have to run our classrooms and our schools effectively. Taking a mark book home to work on report cards seems reasonable - leaving it open on your desk for anyone to see is not. Leaving it open at home where your children can see it probably is not a good idea either.

Putting a child's name on a discipline form should be fine providing the forms are kept away and out of the eyes of other students and parents.

Discussing a child's progress with their parent or guardian makes sense - telling other members of the family does not - and yet I know I have in the past myself because when you live in a small community often grandparents, aunts and uncles are major caregivers as well. But it would be easy to make a mistake and tell the wrong person and then it's trouble again.

The laws are there to protect us as well, even when they seem silly at the time. I think if we use common sense and follow the rules and laws that really do make sense and use caution when we discuss students then we will be safe from making mistakes that could cost us even our careers in the end.