Hannah Thompson

Did they give any reasons for their 'definitive' decision? Forgive me if I am wrong, but I thought that dismissals had to be backed up with some sort of explicit reason/gross misconduct?? At the very least an excuse??? Even after all this time, I'm still really angry about the whole thing.....the silence from the school and its 'supporters'/'people who are close to the school and could do something but are not doing'... or however I should call them, is infuriating...... Wish I could say something concrete to help.

Well, they can't postpone the court case again - the school is going to have to face the music at some point. This tactic of delaying things, hoping that people will forget about it all, is going to run out.........Even I can see that.

Are there any specific reasons that anyone knows about for this decision?

Hello Does anyone know when the court case is going ahead? It is so disheartening to see the forum so quiet like this. I didn't have anything more useful to say so I haven't been saying anything, but when NOBODY has anything to say....it's quite worrying, that's all. I wonder when the court case is and if it will shed any light on how this situation is going to be resolved?

I agree with Adrian. What you're saying makes perfect sense, Henri, and the point that the other teachers are competent and that the students will probably, if they work hard, get good results anyway is valid. But I really hope that the students find a way to show the school that, even if it is subtle, they have not forgotten the way that their voices and opinions were so callously dismissed. Which they were. No, ok, it's not as important as world peace, third world hunger or the threat of nuclear war. But it is important -important in the day to day lives of teachers and students, and ultimately instrumental in the type of school that the IST becomes. Or not, as the case may be. What happened to the student meetings? Try the t-shirt thing again. It isn't over until Mr Albiston stands up for himself anyway. There's still the court case at the end of this month, too remember, which could throw up some more issues and possibly shed some much-needed light on the issue. Please try to figure out a way to show what you so ardently believed just a few short weeks ago.

How can you gauge whether he has been successful or not? I haven't heard any new developments from the IST in a while; is it this silence that you are referring to? Hannah

Tanya I have to say I agree. Although as you so rightly point out, that seems wholly irrelevant. The 'businessmen' not listening- as elitist and pompous as it is, does not surprise me. What is disconcerting is how they see themselves as businessmen - are we to conclude that money and power is the same thing as children's education and the lives of many? Evidently. What surprises me and, whether logical or not, actually hurts me, is the distinct lack of action or words from any of the secondary school teachers. That, I would not have expected and that I find unsettling. Of course they want to keep their jobs and pay their bills. Nobody is suggesting otherwise. Has it crossed their minds that Mr Jones wanted that too? If there is far more to the incidents, then I suggest they stop hiding and come out with it. Not everyone is involved in the court case, and the excuse that absolutely everyone involved is restricted by 'French Law' is becoming old. In my French school, I had a teacher who found it acceptable to throw my personal possessions around the class and onto the floor from a great height in front of the rest of the pupils. Who thought it was ok to spend fifteen minutes of class time instructing a child to use a bin as a toilet when they asked to be excused from class. Who threw a child out of the classroom by their ear when they tried to answer a question without putting their hand up. Who mocked me when I made a language mistake in class after being in France for 4 months. Who shouted, shrieked and made a huge scene in public because a child hadn't put their coat on when walking back to school after using the library. That teacher was not sacked. I was told at the time that in France, this behaviour is part of the normal disciplining system of French schools and that I should stuff my soft English ideas because I was in France now, and what was more, French Law restricts the sacking of teachers (and any other employee for that matter.) And under this same French Law, one of the best teachers many of us have ever known has been sacked for photocopying a dismissal letter. Please, do not talk to me about French Law. Something doesn't add up. And yes, I care about my old school. As the photo supplied by Mr Simkin (and Adrian) shows, I was at that school longer than most of current teachers. I was there before they were and I have seen the school grow from a wasteland field to what it is now. I was there for my entire secondary education and my whole future has been changed because of the doors it opened for me. The potential of any other students to feel the same as I once did is now being put in serious jeopardy. I am absolutely fuming mad at the mismanagement, disloyalty and disrespect that this absolute debacle has brought to light - and will not stop posting on here until something is done to resolve it.

Thanks Adrian. Amazing, I know....

Mr Simkin, I cannot seem to open the above file. Is there an expected reason for this? Hannah

I was indeed in Scouts. Many happy memories of making things (bridges or indeed pasta....), putting washing up liquid on the OUTSIDE of pots and pans, and running around with water balloons - many not-so-happy memories of always being the last on a hike, or of not having a shower for 2-3 days on a camp.

I hope that some teachers come and post on this forum. That way, we will be able to see both sides of the story. At the moment, the problem is only exacerbated by never getting to see what teachers actually think. Reading this forum, teachers' input is greatly needed to provide an alternative point of view about the situation these actions have caused. I can't believe that some people are still hanging onto the claim that this isn't an important issue and that they can just ignore it and it will go away. Even if Mr. Albiston 'wins' in his vendetta...the issue won't go away as it will always have happened.... Thus far, I agree with Mr Simkin. But I am willing, as I am sure he is, to hear evidence to the contrary if indeed teachers have been remaining silent for better reasons than simply that they are afraid of reprimand or because, (if they're honest....), they don't particularly care... I apologise if I am offending anyone. I am not trying to. I just want to urge teachers to say something rather than continue in this insufferable vein of submission. I was at IST for so long, I felt I came to know many of the teachers in the context of the classroom - I can't imagine that any of them are without opinions on this issue. Please, say something, anything! I'm not the only person to have asked for some sort of comment.

Does this mean something insulting was said? It is a shame that there is no longer a forum for students to discuss ideas on, but I assume there must be a very good reason for taking it down indefinitely. I haven't heard any news from IST recently - possibly the situation is calming down? We will probably need to wait until the upcoming court hearing before anything else happens.

Mr Simkin, Your post above is admirable! I just wanted to know if there was any chance of the Student Forum thread being put back up again? Thanks, Hannah

Well said, Robin, I completely agree. Thanks.

Mr Simkin, That's really strange. You obviously know more than me about how these search engines work and how they list their results - will Google be censoring the page because of the number of hits, or something like that? Or have the pages actually been manually taken down by people who don't want them there? It is disconcerting to think that Google could censor things in this way! I'm intrigued. Have you heard anything more from Mr Albiston or the school about how the case is going and what they think their future actions will be? Maybe we will all have to wait until the court case in February before knowing what else we (as the community who support Mr Jones) can do. Your help on this subject has been truly amazing! Hannah

Hello everyone posting on this forum. Mr Simkin, thank you for allowing me to join. As you suggested, here is a copy of what I wrote on the Student Education Forum - it is my original post attesting to Mr Jones-Nerzic's abilities as a teacher. I agree with everything everyone has written on this thread. It has been edited a bit because it had some comments in it (to other students) that are not necessary for this particular forum. -------------------------- Copy of post of 6th January 2007 from the Student Education Forum The whole thing is just plain ridiculous. Mr Jones is the best teacher I have ever had, he was dedicated, worked hard for students who worked hard, helped whenever help was needed, was available over and above when he needed to be, and actually cared about his students and what happened to them. Mr Jones did whatever he could to help students learn, understand and enjoy History, not to mention teach them the critical skills needed to respond to exam questions. He encouraged students to think critically and philosophically, and in my experience the skills Mr Jones taught over a period of time could be used in all subjects and in all aspects of writing, studying and education. He was rightly intolerant of people who saw lessons (particularly close to exam time) as an opportunity to chat, and he always encouraged you to speak up in class, to think through the topic, to encourage discussion and create enthusiasm for History. Mr Jones was critical when he needed to be and gave praise when it was due. To dismiss such a competent teacher is, pure and simply, complete madness. I am almost tempted to say that if the school doesn't want Mr Jones then it is emphatically their loss and another school's gain. (EDIT) I am currently at Cambridge University, and was one of only 9, out of 36 applicants, admitted to the college to read History this year. This is, I say without any hesistation, entirely due to Mr Jones. He was by no means the only person to support and help me get into this competitive University, but he was the driving force behind my knowledge, my determination and my understanding of the subject. Mr Jones' teaching and guidance allowed me to feel reasonably confident in an interview where I had to discuss History with professors who have been studying the subject since before I was born, and the first essay I wrote in my first term was, I say without showing off or boasting, only termed anywhere near 'good', due to what I had learned with Mr Jones. His own determination and obvious passion for the subject showed me that this could be more than just a stuffy academic subject and this enthusiasm spread through my other IB subjects and is still with me now. History is difficult, but Mr Jones helps more than could be expected. He did everything he could, within the evident time restrictions and given the fact that his is obviously and rightly not a 24 hour-a-day job. Mr Jones was available on this forum throughout the time when IGCSE and IB coursework was to be worked on, this is also true regarding Extended Essays - I wrote mine, as did many students, entirely during the summer holidays and Mr Jones was there every time I had a question. I don't know of many teachers who would take the initiative not only to set up such an interactive forum but also to be there at obscure moments to check it. Mr Jones is known for having a strong personality - he is forceful and gets to the point. Mr Jones may not be everyone's best friend, but that is not why he was employed. I have always found Mr Jones fair and perfectly fine to work with, but it is true that he does not take nonsense from people and he does not allow students to mess about or waste his time. Some people may see this as elitism or rudeness. It is absolutely nothing of the sort. It is simply a passion for the subject, a will to cut to the chase and spend all possible moments working constructively. He is a teacher who tries to teach creatively, using technology, video etc. and more often than not this is a useful learning experience, even if it is not directly counted for the final exam grade. Mr Jones is realistic, he marks fairly. He is tough and is a perfectionist - both of which are admirable and necessary qualities in a world where exam grades are so important and standards are high. These are also qualities which are necessary if one wants to pursue further education - in my experience the skills Mr Jones taught me, through his constant striving for higher standards, his desire for the best possible work and for every student who puts the work in to acheive their highest potential, have carried me through to the first steps of where I am now and gave me the best possible academic start to my higher education, and it is with no exaggeration that I say these skills are useful in life aswell. Mr Jones taught me from Year 7 to Year 13 and I can say without any hesitation that he is the best, most inspiring, most hard-working, most caring and most dedicated teacher I have ever had. As a teacher, he set me up for the challenges at University and showed me the satisfaction that hard work can bring. My final years at IST were, so far, among some of the academically toughest and most challenging of my life, especially when I had set myself such high goals, but I can safely say that the reason I set my goals high in the first place is due in part to Mr Jones, and he is the main reason for my academic success. The school will be a poorer place if it continues to steam ahead with this madness - which seems to have no grounding in anything credible. (EDIT) The school must be fairly confident of their reasoning to have pursued the matter this far but its lack of communication is making it look like a pathetic petulant child who refuses to discuss or reason, and only makes those who oppose it seem to own the higher ground. Mr Jones is a good teacher, who gets results. He motivates students and creates enjoyment and passion for his subject. The results he acheives are tangible and credible. (EDIT) I encourage all students of the IST who believe that Mr Jones should not have been dismissed to do everything they can to show the school that the decision they have made is terrible and misguided. (EDIT) Good luck to everyone. ---- You can see the original post at http://studenteducationforum.ipbhost.com/i...p?showtopic=570 , as well as many other students' views. Thank you for reading. Hannah

Does anyone know any details about Mr Jones' court case? I heard it has been adjourned, but I have also heard that some other decisions were made on Monday (the original date of the case.) What should concerned ex-pupils such as myself do now to assist this issue?

My name is Hannah Thompson. I am English and lived in France from the ages of 10 - 18, and am now living in Spain. I attended a French primary school for one year. I attended the International School of Toulouse for the whole of my secondary education and I did both IGCSEs and the IB there. I am now at Cambridge University in England where I am studying History. I am interested in history, art, and languages, and I hope to travel extensively after finishing university.