Two teaching staff stood in court last week, in different parts of Britain, each charged with assault after attempting to remove a troublemaking student from the classroom.
Two
teaching
staff
stood
in
court
last
week
,
in
different
parts
of
Britain
,
each
charged
with
assault
after
attempting
to
remove
a
troublemaking
student
from
the
classroom
.
In both cases the men had been suspended from their schools and each had spent almost a year waiting for their cases to come to court.
In
both
cases
the
men
had
been
suspended
from
their
schools
and
each
had
spent
almost
a
year
waiting
for
their
cases
to
come
to
court
.
One man, Mark Ellwood, was cleared.
One
man
,
Mark
Ellwood
,
was
cleared
.
The other was found guilty.
The
other
was
found
guilty
.
Both cases show the almost impossible position teachers are now in as they try to keep order in schools.
Both
cases
show
the
almost
impossible
position
teachers
are
now
in
as
they
try
to
keep
order
in
schools
.
They have the responsibility for what goes on in classrooms, but it's naughty pupils who have the power.
They
have
the
responsibility
for
what
goes
on
in
classrooms
,
but
it
's
naughty
pupils
who
have
the
power
.
Ellwood was the comparatively lucky one.
Ellwood
was
the
comparatively
lucky
one
.
He was brought in to work with children with behavioral difficulties.
He
was
brought
in
to
work
with
children
with
behavioral
difficulties
.
When he asked a boy to take off his jacket and put away his phone, the pupil threatened to stab him.
When
he
asked
a
boy
to
take
off
his
jacket
and
put
away
his
phone
,
the
pupil
threatened
to
stab
him
.
Ellwood removed the boy from the class, and when the boy started kicking him, Ellwood swept his feet from under him and lowered him to the ground.
Ellwood
removed
the
boy
from
the
class
,
and
when
the
boy
started
kicking
him
,
Ellwood
swept
his
feet
from
under
him
and
lowered
him
to
the
ground
.
Weeks later he was charged with assault.
Weeks
later
he
was
charged
with
assault
.
Social services decided that the charge made him a potential risk to any child, so he was ordered to leave his wife and teenage daughters and move out of his home.
Social
services
decided
that
the
charge
made
him
a
potential
risk
to
any
child
,
so
he
was
ordered
to
leave
his
wife
and
teenage
daughters
and
move
out
of
his
home
.
The judges told him that they hoped he would now forget his nightmare and restart his life.
The
judges
told
him
that
they
hoped
he
would
now
forget
his
nightmare
and
restart
his
life
.
Sixty-two-year-old Michael Becker is the man who lost his case and will now lose his job.
Sixty-two-year-old
Michael
Becker
is
the
man
who
lost
his
case
and
will
now
lose
his
job
.
He taught in a special school.
He
taught
in
a
special
school
.
On the day of the incident, they were making pinhole cameras when the 15-year-old pupil arrived late.
On
the
day
of
the
incident
,
they
were
making
pinhole
cameras
when
the
15-year-old
pupil
arrived
late
.
He refused to sit down, and instead walked around the classroom, telling jokes.
He
refused
to
sit
down
,
and
instead
walked
around
the
classroom
,
telling
jokes
.
He ignored several requests to start work and refused to leave the classroom when asked.
He
ignored
several
requests
to
start
work
and
refused
to
leave
the
classroom
when
asked
.
Eventually Becker seized the boy by his belt and sweatshirt and removed him to a nearby storeroom, with the boy falling down as he struggled to break away.
Eventually
Becker
seized
the
boy
by
his
belt
and
sweatshirt
and
removed
him
to
a
nearby
storeroom
,
with
the
boy
falling
down
as
he
struggled
to
break
away
.
A teaching assistant, sent to check on him a few minutes later, found him sitting in the corridor, clearly unharmed.
A
teaching
assistant
,
sent
to
check
on
him
a
few
minutes
later
,
found
him
sitting
in
the
corridor
,
clearly
unharmed
.
Becker considered the incident over, but the next day he was suspended as the subject of a police investigation.
Becker
considered
the
incident
over
,
but
the
next
day
he
was
suspended
as
the
subject
of
a
police
investigation
.
Two teaching staff stood in court last week, in different parts of Britain, each charged with assault after attempting to remove a troublemaking student from the classroom. In both cases the men had been suspended from their schools and each had spent almost a year waiting for their cases to come to court. One man, Mark Ellwood, was cleared. The other was found guilty. Both cases show the almost impossible position teachers are now in as they try to keep order in schools. They have the responsibility for what goes on in classrooms, but it's naughty pupils who have the power.  Ellwood was the comparatively lucky one. He was brought in to work with children with behavioral difficulties. When he asked a boy to take off his jacket and put away his phone, the pupil threatened to stab him. Ellwood removed the boy from the class, and when the boy started kicking him, Ellwood swept his feet from under him and lowered him to the ground. Weeks later he was charged with assault. Social services decided that the charge made him a potential risk to any child, so he was ordered to leave his wife and teenage daughters and move out of his home. The judges told him that they hoped he would now forget his nightmare and restart his life.  Sixty-two-year-old Michael Becker is the man who lost his case and will now lose his job. He taught in a special school. On the day of the incident, they were making pinhole cameras when the 15-year-old pupil arrived late. He refused to sit down, and instead walked around the classroom, telling jokes. He ignored several requests to start work and refused to leave the classroom when asked.  Eventually Becker seized the boy by his belt and sweatshirt and removed him to a nearby storeroom, with the boy falling down as he struggled to break away. A teaching assistant, sent to check on him a few minutes later, found him sitting in the corridor, clearly unharmed. Becker considered the incident over, but the next day he was suspended as the subject of a police investigation.