Protecting our children from teacher frauds

[London54321]

I have not found a good place to post this request for help, so I started this new thread:

What should I do? I know an 18 year old British tourist of questionable moral character (drinks and pot), who has never attended any university, never earned a decent score in any English course in grade school or high school, has no Thai license to work here, certainly not as a teacher. He is in Thailand on a tourist visa only but is now leading Thai kids in English and other studies at a northern school.

He brags about his limited background and what he does and has even posted his picture on Face Book where he is shown at the school leading Thai kids. I told him what he does is wrong, that the law prohibits his doing this, and asked him to stop, but he flaunts his desires for having “fun” at teaching above the safety and well-being of our children.

If my wife or I report him we can be sued for defamation where truth is NOT a defense. My Thai wife is too scared to file a report but says as I too am a British citizen, I must report him or I am putting the lives of Thai kids in jeopardy.

I have copies from the Face Book page of this man at the school with the kids, but if I post them here, that publication is the essence of Thai style defamation!

Can I send a report (to whom and where?) to have this investigated and NOT expose my family to expected abuse from only trying to protect our children from such miscreants? What should I do?

[rwdrwdrwd]

Nobody likes a grass.

Edited September 16, 2015 by rwdrwdrwd

[richard_smith237]

What alternatives would these children have for learning English ?

The reason I ask this: In some poor or underprivileged areas any exposure to English would be better than none.

---

That said, if you really believe this guy to be harmful to the wellbeing of the children, reporting him is a valid option.

It's a common misconception that Thailand deformation laws are so daft - I have no links for you, but the deformation laws are not hollow as comments on ThaiVisa lead us to believe

i.e. if making a deformation charge against you, he would have to show you intended to defame him, rather than show your intent to protect the children.

[richard_smith237]

Nobody likes a grass.

"All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing." (Edmund Burke)

[rwdrwdrwd]

Hardly evil is it - he's not a pedophile.

OP bases his reason for intending to report the individual is based upon two factors - the OPs perception that the individual is 'immoral', and lack of teaching paperwork. Immoral because he drinks and has smoked pot.. if so that would be along with 156 million others around the world - I assume he is not actually holding booze and ganja parties for the students?

Teaching with lack of licence is hardly anything new in Thailand.

I'd question the morality of curtain twitching grasses more than someone who drinks and smokes pot.

Edited September 16, 2015 by rwdrwdrwd

[cornishcarlos]

If he is illegally teaching at the school your children attend and you are not happy for them to be exposed to someone of questionable character, then report him to the labor office.

Never mind what people on here say about grasses, if anything happens to any of the kids at the school, how would you feel ?

[MrBrilliant]

What should I do? I know an 18 year old British tourist of questionable moral character (drinks and pot), who has never attended any university, never earned a decent score in any English course in grade school or high school, has no Thai license to work here, certainly not as a teacher. He is in Thailand on a tourist visa only but is now leading Thai kids in English and other studies at a northern school.

I don't see the problem. Is he, do you have evidence he is a 'bad teacher' or is somehow a 'threat' to the kids? Have you ever sat in on one of his classes and assessed it? If so, using what criteria or professional knowledge or experience? There is nothing worse than some self appointed 'superhero' sticking their nose in where it is neither needed, asked for, nor wanted. Wind your neck in unless you have proof that he is a threat to the well being of the kids, and liking a drink and a smoke, isn't proof only your overblown opinion.

You don't seem too sure about your own claims about his licensing yourself, so your other claims can only be dismissed as 'spurious'. Has your wife taken a shine to him or something?

[Sviss Geez]

Nobody likes a grass.

And no-one likes an unqualified teenager teaching their children one of the most important subjects.

[Sviss Geez]

What should I do? I know an 18 year old British tourist of questionable moral character (drinks and pot), who has never attended any university, never earned a decent score in any English course in grade school or high school, has no Thai license to work here, certainly not as a teacher. He is in Thailand on a tourist visa only but is now leading Thai kids in English and other studies at a northern school.

I don't see the problem. Is he, do you have evidence he is a 'bad teacher' or is somehow a 'threat' to the kids? Have you ever sat in on one of his classes and assessed it? If so, using what criteria or professional knowledge or experience? There is nothing worse than some self appointed 'superhero' sticking their nose in where it is neither needed, asked for, nor wanted. Wind your neck in unless you have proof that he is a threat to the well being of the kids, and liking a drink and a smoke, isn't proof only your overblown opinion.

You don't seem too sure about your own claims about his licensing yourself, so your other claims can only be dismissed as 'spurious'. Has your wife taken a shine to him or something?

You really don't see the problem of an semi-educated, unqualified and unlicenced youth fraudulently teaching children?

[MrBrilliant]

You really don't see the problem of an semi-educated, unqualified and unlicenced youth fraudulently teaching children?

The OP doesn't even know that he is "semi-educated, unqualified and unlicenced [sic]". If he is good at his job, his employers and students are happy with his work is all that counts; not the un-informed opinion of the OP or yourself....

I have known bad teachers with all the qualifications in the world but that doesn't make them 'good teachers'.

Rather an enthusiastic 'semi-educated youth' who can get something through to the kids than some dry, inflated. egotistical bully with a Phd who can't get a thing through to the kids.

Edited September 16, 2015 by MrBrilliant

[Sviss Geez]

Hardly evil is it - he's not a pedophile.

OP bases his reason for intending to report the individual is based upon two factors - the OPs perception that the individual is 'immoral', and lack of teaching paperwork. Immoral because he drinks and has smoked pot.. if so that would be along with 156 million others around the world - I assume he is not actually holding booze and ganja parties for the students?

Teaching with lack of licence is hardly anything new in Thailand.

I'd question the morality of curtain twitching grasses more than someone who drinks and smokes pot.

What you're missing is that the rest of your claimed 156 million pot-heads are not unqualified teenagers trying to teach our children.

Most rational, normal people would actually question the morality of those who question the morality of those trying to do the right thing, curtain twitchers or not.

[MrBrilliant]

What you're missing is that.....

It seems like you are the one who is 'missing' the point here insofar as there is zero evidence to suggest that this person is somehow 'unfit' to be a teacher or a 'bad teacher' other than through your own prejudice and ignorance. Maybe best if you leave this one well alone until you know more facts.....

[doremifasol]

Just curious........ how do you know he smokes pot?

[Scott]

If you wish to report him, then that is your prerogative. I am not sure if you should go to the police or to the labor office, but do be aware that you might be held accountable as the one that reported him. I doubt that much will happen if it is entirely anonymous.

There are probably a lot of teachers in a similar position, the only difference is they aren't 18 and you may not know about their usage of alcohol and other substances. Depending on where you live, you may find yourself being quite unpopular.

A significant percent of teachers do not have work permits.

Best of luck with whatever you decide to do.

[saakura]

What should I do? I know an 18 year old British tourist of questionable moral character (drinks and pot), who has never attended any university, never earned a decent score in any English course in grade school or high school, has no Thai license to work here, certainly not as a teacher. He is in Thailand on a tourist visa only but is now leading Thai kids in English and other studies at a northern school.

I don't see the problem. Is he, do you have evidence he is a 'bad teacher' or is somehow a 'threat' to the kids? Have you ever sat in on one of his classes and assessed it? If so, using what criteria or professional knowledge or experience? There is nothing worse than some self appointed 'superhero' sticking their nose in where it is neither needed, asked for, nor wanted. Wind your neck in unless you have proof that he is a threat to the well being of the kids, and liking a drink and a smoke, isn't proof only your overblown opinion.

You don't seem too sure about your own claims about his licensing yourself, so your other claims can only be dismissed as 'spurious'. Has your wife taken a shine to him or something?

Yet if he had been a fully qualified english teacher from Africa or Philippines, you would have been slagging him off. All is ok because he is a farang from england.

[MrBrilliant]

Yet if he had been a fully qualified english teacher from Africa or Philippines, you would have been slagging him off. All is ok because he is a farang from england.

How do you deduce that from my post? I've not written a single word about nationality. All I would ask is that they be good at their job but nice effort at trying to slant my argument with non existent words...in fact it was a p*ss poor effort....

[stubuzz]

The Immigration police are the people to talk to.

[rwdrwdrwd]

Hardly evil is it - he's not a pedophile.

OP bases his reason for intending to report the individual is based upon two factors - the OPs perception that the individual is 'immoral', and lack of teaching paperwork. Immoral because he drinks and has smoked pot.. if so that would be along with 156 million others around the world - I assume he is not actually holding booze and ganja parties for the students?

Teaching with lack of licence is hardly anything new in Thailand.

I'd question the morality of curtain twitching grasses more than someone who drinks and smokes pot.

What you're missing is that the rest of your claimed 156 million pot-heads are not unqualified teenagers trying to teach our children.

Most rational, normal people would actually question the morality of those who question the morality of those trying to do the right thing, curtain twitchers or not.

What your missing is that the OP is conflating the two, and intimating that because the individual in question may drink and have smoked pot, that it somehow exacerbates the situation.

I'm not questioning doing 'the right thing', I'm questioning the logic upon which the OP has determined to be 'the right thing' which appears to be primarily based upon an archaic and unrealistic concept of morality.

Edited September 16, 2015 by rwdrwdrwd

[lostoday]

Do you know his Thai Visa nickname?

[NOC]

Do you know his Thai Visa nickname?

What's swimming in that head of yours this time....?

[lostinisaan]

Dear Op,

Clinton and Obama smoke(d) pot, plus a few hundred million others. never heard of a THC overdose, have you?

Is it possible that this guy's attracted to your wife, or girl friend, or vice versa?

I'm volunteering for the tourist police, but hell no, I'd never ever report somebody, because "somebody might think" that somebody else smokes pot?

That's very sick and sounds like a personal issue you might have with this guy.

Your headline makes it look like that the guy's teaching your kids, but I doubt it. You're only using "our kids" to find more people who agree with you?

There're plenty of foreign teachers without a tertiary education, plenty of people who work on a tourist, or no visa. And of course a lot who really harm kids, foreigners and Thais.

That you even went so far to check on his facebook page is insane. You should understand that all people should have a sort of a freedom.

But something is really very fishy here. How do you know that the guy smokes pot? Did he try to sell you some? Or only had a fat one with him?

Did you see him having drug and alcohol parties with his students? Or are you a member of a group of people on the photo?

Mind your own business, Sir. Your "facts" do not proof anything and most people i know drink alcohol. So what's your problem again?

[angsta]

Chill Winston.

Snitches get stiches.

?

[KunMatt]

If he is taking the job away from a better qualified expat or a fluent Thai teacher then I understand your concern. If he is a suspected paedophile then I understand your concern. If your concern is that he doesn't have the correct paperwork but he is still willing to teach Thai kids English then my opinion is that the kids will be better off with an illegal teacher instead of no teacher.

A side note, in Ubon we lived next door to the teacher who taught my wife English at school and in 3 years he never once spoke to me in English, and it wasn't because my Thai is so good that he wanted to chat in Thai every time he saw me.

[brewsterbudgen]

How on earth is this any of your business? If parents have a problem with their kid's teacher they can speak with his employers. I strongly recommend you mind your own business.

[manarak]

how would a teacher of English "put the lives of Thai kids in jeopardy" ???

are we being a bit over-dramatic ?

if he's working without a work permit, he's breaking the law. report him to immigration.

defamation laws can't be used to protect people who are breaking the law.

although be careful that you are not making a false accusation.

[Scott]

Troll post and replies removed.

[masuk]

Nobody likes a grass.

Why not wait a while and see if the children are improving their English.

If he leaves his pot and beer for after hours, I'm sure exposure to English will help them.

Don't be too moralistic. It might help him to follow this career when he gets home.

[SheungWan]

The problem is not so much the teacher, useless or otherwise, it is the school which is happy to employ him.

[MrBrilliant]

I wonder if the OP also vets the Thai teacher's personal habits and listens to everything they say and makes equally ill informed judgements about their teaching abilities in his mission to 'save the kids; from poor teachers?

I see he hasn't been back so maybe the pot smoking, beer swilling lad is also a hard nut, saw this post, and popped round to the OP's house and smashed his grassing face in, then gave his wife 'something to hang the towels on'....or maybe he was expecting praise instead of the contempt he deserved.....

[Sviss Geez]

What you're missing is that.....

It seems like you are the one who is 'missing' the point here insofar as there is zero evidence to suggest that this person is somehow 'unfit' to be a teacher or a 'bad teacher' other than through your own prejudice and ignorance. Maybe best if you leave this one well alone until you know more facts.....

No, it doesn't seem as though I'm missing the point. The point is that an unqualified teenage tourist has a job trying to teach Thai children and there is not much more that would be unfit than that.

You are right, I am very prejudiced against the unqualified being put in teaching positions as should everyone else but that prejudice is not based on ignorance it is based on knowledge and experience with real educators.

As far as knowing facts is concerned I don't imagine you know any more than the OP mentioned so perhaps you should refrain from deciding who should be permitted to post on this thread and leave this one alone also.