According to an article in the Belfast News Letter teachers in Northern Ireland have no protection against false allegations.
The report by Gemma Murray says
Mud sticks for teachers after allegations are made about them by a pupil - even though 97 per cent of cases are later proven to be false.The largest teachers' union in Northern Ireland, the NASUWT with 12,500 members, receives at least one query a week from members facing claims by their pupils. From the moment the allegations are made about a teacher, procedures kick into force very quickly. And the rumour-mill that accompanies the teacher's suspension is devastating.
Seamus Searson, NASUWT organiser in Northern Ireland, said while all allegations must be investigated fully, the teacher is offered no protection. He or she is effectively presumed guilty until proven innocent. He said: "The teacher is suspended and not the child. When a child calls foul the allegation is taken seriously which is right and proper. But a large number of these allegations are not true. There is lots of protection for the child - but none for the teacher.
In a small community where the teacher is suspended from school, the rumour-mill kicks into top speed," he said.
"When these things have gone through the whole process, the teacher is found not guilty, they may still find it very difficult to return to the school.
"The teacher has no opportunity to address the allegations until it gets to the legal stage."
Mr Searson said he had seen untrue allegations against teachers tear careers and home-life apart.
"I have seen cases in England where child protection has even involved the teacher's own family being considered at risk," he said. "The children were then taken away from the teacher because of the allegation.
"It really destroys the lives of teachers and their families. If the teacher leaves the school the allegation travels with them. It would not be easy for them to find another job. "It also goes on their criminal record that there was an investigation - even if there is no substance to it. In most cases it leads to a mental breakdown and the teacher is rarely the same person afterwards."
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