Teachers face rocketing false abuse claims

More than 2,000 teachers have faced police interrogation as a result of unsubstantiated or false allegations of abuse by pupils in the past decade, it was revealed yesterday.

More than 2,000 teachers have faced police interrogation as a result of unsubstantiated or false allegations of abuse by pupils in the past decade, it was revealed yesterday.

Figures from teachers unions show the number of accusations of physical or sexual abuse has risen sharply in the past few years.

Almost all those accused have had their careers blighted as a result even if they are completely exonerated afterwards, say teachers leaders.

The report drawn up by the National Association of Schoolmasters and Union of Women Teachers reveals a total of 1,289 complaints against its members alone. Yet only 52 resulted in a court conviction even though police were called in to investigate every one.

The two biggest teachers unions will be debating the rise in complaints at their Easter conferences. The NASUWT is demanding teachers should not be suspended unless there is supporting evidence for a child's accusation. It will also urge the Government to introduce guidelines making it clear to pupils they will be expelled from school if they make a false claim. The National Union of Teachers is considering strike action if staff at a school feel a teacher has been unjustly suspended. Schools Minister Estelle Morris is expected to announce new measures to cut down on delays in dealing with complaints when she addresses the NASUWT conference next week.

One idea being floated is setting up a network of regional offices to give instant attention to allegations and cut down the time teachers spend in limbo.

The NASUWT report shows the number of allegations has shot up from 42 in 1991 to 159 last year.

The NUT has dealt with 160 cases where a solicitor has had to accompany a teacher to a police station last year compared with 90 a year in the three preceding years.

Gareth James, of the National Association of Head Teachers, added: "An allegation weighs very heavily and the teacher will often need counselling. The damage is done even when they are found not guilty.

"They feel they've been in no man's land and treated like a pariah. I was speaking to one such person this week who said he felt it had coloured his attitude to working in schools and he no longer wanted to work with children.''