Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Teachers 'losing respect because of TV shows'

Education Editor,Richard Garner
Friday 03 August 2001 00:00 BST
Comments

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

Television executives were blamed yesterday for causing a decline in school discipline by portraying teachers in dramas as disreputable drunkards who often engaged in illicit affairs.

Delegates at the Professional Association of Teachers' annual conference in Cardiff urged broadcasters to show more responsibility, saying that pupils were showing less respect for their role-models.

Their main concerns were over the Channel 4 soap Teachers, which stars Andrew Lincoln as a newly qualified teacher, and the BBC1 series Hope and Glory, which stars Lenny Henry as a headmaster of a failing inner-city comprehensive.

Maya Chatarjee, a supply teacher from Croydon, south London, told the conference that Teachers portrayed young teachers as "heavy-drinking, lazy, dishonest and irresponsible''. She said: "I haven't met any teachers like that. Young people seeing these programmes will begin to believe everybody sleeps around and will lose respect for their teachers."

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in