Education Letter: Living on the edge

REGARDING THE Education article "Innocent teachers put at risk": your article was both timely and informative. Teachers and parents need protection, at a time when the public are very sensitive to allegations of abuse.

The solution is simple: every male teacher must work alongside a female classroom assistant, who is there to tend to the physical needs of the children, and monitor the behaviour of the male teacher. Alongside this, video cameras should be placed in corridors and other areas of the school. This may be costly, but it would allow male teachers to concentrate on their jobs and improve the delivery of education and standards.

This is an urgent problem and must be given top priority. To expect male teachers to live on a constant "knife edge" is unreasonable, unless the Government is prepared to pay huge compensation fees for the distress caused, and the careers ruined, of those accused teachers found innocent.

MR D B G WILLIAM

Exmouth

Please send your letters to Wendy Berliner, Editor, Education, `The Independent', 1 Canada Square, Canary Wharf, London, E14 5DL. Include a daytime telephone number. Fax letters to Education on 0171 293 2451; e-mail: educ@independent.co.uk

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