No drunkenness for teachers in Britian

A new teacher code in Britian could give teachers disciplinary action for being drunk and disorderly on their own time.

A new code of conduct, published in draft form yesterday, says teachers could face sanctions if they damage "public trust and confidence" in their profession.

Keith Bartley, chief executive of the General Teaching Council for England (GTC), the profession's watchdog, said teachers needed to "consider their place in society", and act as role models.

When asked what the watchdog would do if teachers were drunk and rowdy at the weekend, Bartley said the GTC would look at the individual circumstances before deciding if they should face disciplinary tribunals.

Teachers didn't have to be exemplary citizens every second, Bartley said. Nevertheless, their behaviour could be "lawful but not acceptable".

This is just absurd. I'm all for encouraging teachers to act nicely but what does it matter if there are no students around? No teacher should lose their job because of somthing they did legally on the weekend away from kids. Teachers have as much right to get drunk as everyone else.

The code also insists that teachers report suspected abuse and from using school computers for non-school interests.