Knives
 

What do you do if your teacher is carrying a pen knife which is about 4 inches long?

Re: Knifes
 

Get one 5 inches long? :shrug:
Depends what they are carrying it for - but I thought it was now illegal to be carrying any sort of knife in public anyway? I still have my Swiss Army Knife in my handbag though.
I think it seems a bit strange for a teacher to have a knife about them, although the CDT teacher at a school I used to work at seemed to keep a full tool kit in his pockets (including a couple of knives).

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Do as you're fcuking told!

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I would have to agree!

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Personnally I would be dropping the head an anonymous note... ;)

Re: Knifes
 

First of all read this http://www.bushcraftuk.co.uk/articles/knife_law.html

There you will find that "A folding pocket knife is not included, so long as the cutting edge is under three inches."

Also, if there is a 'good reason' to carry such a knife (or even some that might otherwise considered off-limits) then again the law would be unlikely to be enforced.

I don't ordinarily put a knife in my pocket (in fact - I don't think I ever do) but if I'm going into the outdoors I will have an extremely sharp and effective knife with me. And not with any notion of offence or defence, but as a tool. But probably in my backpack/day sack.
Hence I can easily provide 'good reason' and it clearly is not in any way carried as an offensive weapon.

So it is not the knife as such, but the how/why of it being carried that is the issue.

If this teacher has used or displayed the knife for any reason that cannot be justified, then that knife irrespective of its size etc. becomes an offensive weapon under the law.

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Give them a bit of wood and ask them to demonstrate their power to whittle....

Serously - what have they DONE with this knife? Anything dodgy?

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He gets if out is lesson in front of everyone when his pencil is blunt but the worry is if your ever 1 to 1 with him he could turn on you because that is the sort of person he is. It is not as if we are a million miles away from the school where that lad got stabbed at school (well its less than 30 mins away by car and my mate was in his year) so you never know what could happen.

How shall I go about telling someone?
__________________

In reply to post 7 as it was posted whilst i was typing the last reply, he has not done anything bad but like I say he could turn and that is whatI am worried about.

Re: Knifes
 

Report your concerns to the head either anonymously or in person.

Well that's what I'd do if I was worried and in that situation.

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A nice sharp pencil or ballpoint can do a considerable amount of damage.

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I don't think in this day & age it is really necessary to use a knife to sharpen a pencil (but have to admit I have done it on occasion - when it was the only option) and certainly it is insensitive to brandish a knife in a situation where someone would not expect one.

Do you really know this person well enough to think he would actually use the knife offensively against another human being? Just because he's a nasty, cantankerous, loud aggressive b@stard doesn't actually mean he'd use a knife on someone.

Having said that, if you feel threatened, than in law, technically you have been threatened.

Very carefully. You could ruin the life of an innocent man.

Or maybe print out the link I posted earlier and leave a copy for him to read. I suspect he'd soon figure it out.

Can he not be confronted about this in a public way that is 'safe'? If he's in front of the class sharpening his pencil, perhaps someone could offer him a 'proper' pencil sharpener to do the job. Maybe comment that his knife isn't very appropriate to the classroom.

Or maybe print out the link I posted earlier and leave a copy for him to read.

Now that idea may not appeal, in which case I assume your school has someone charged with pupil welfare. Talk to them. Then they can handle the issue and decide if anything more than a quiet word in his ear is required.

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Thanks for that but one problem is that he is also a member of the senior management team (one of the assistant heads). Might try the offering him a sharpner.

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You could just do nothing.

You appear to have no proof that this person has ever done any harm, nor is ever likely to do any - other than your own fears - and you want to cause him trouble because of this ?

Re: Knives
 

Irrespective of the law, a teacher should not be brandishing a knife in front of impressionable students, certainly not when there are cheaper, safer viable alternatives (20p pencil sharpener).

If the blade is 4 inches then that's clearly illegal.

Does the school have a policy that states "no knives" ?
perhaps if it has, then you could bring this up next time he gets it out & say, "sir, if the school has a policy that say no knives, then how come you are allowed to have one, sureely that's against the rules" sort of thing?

That would open the discussion & you could also drop the law into it, then ask if he thinks it's a good thing that he uses one in front of all his students etc?

At the end of the discussion., when he is obviously winning by virtue of him being "sir" & making the rules, offer him this shiney new pencil sharpener that youhave bought if he put's it away. :D


He might then think twice about it, or he may just ignore you.

Our resident teaching expert will advice you about what is & is not allowed in schools regarding the matter....Coggy, where are you?

Re: Knives
 

Has non of the teachers EVER seen this or are they not interested??

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ROFLMAO

On one hand you have got a thread about unrully behaviour in secondary schools and in another we have a group of secondary school kids that are too fearfull to misbehave as their teacher sharpens his pencil with a 4 inch knive.

I think this guy knows exactly what he is doing and has a lotta class (no pun intended) :)

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How about just tell your parents?

Let them see the head about it & take the flak.

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We're gonna drop an anonaomus (if you spell it that way) hint to certain people and see what is done.

I was just seeing what your replies were before we did anything.

By the way hes the most boringist teacher you could have and can talk for England.

Re: Knives
 

The trouble with your bog standard pencil sharpener is that the lead is always snapping off in the sharpener (well, it does for me). And then you need, er, well, a sharp knife to pry the broken lead out. :)

Re: Knives
 

He's not an english teacher is he ? ;):D

Re: Knives
 

If you can ascertain which hand is holding it, approach from the back.

Keeping low and quiet, get as close as possible to the target without arousing their suspicion. Pick your moment carefully and make sure you're aware of the position of the knife-holding hand.

As quickly as you can , pounce on the target's back, with your corresponding hand grab the wrist of the hand which is holding the weapon and the other arm should be tightly around their neck, with the bend of your arm being around their throat. Quickly pull backwards and down to lose their balance and at ALL times ensure your grip on their wrist is not broken.

Once you've brought them to the ground remove your arm from their neck and grab their shoulder. Whichever hand is holding the knife you should slip your own hand on to it and twist it in the opposite direction of where it should be able to go.

This should in turn raise their shoulder off the ground slightly as they contort to release the pressure. This is then an ideal opportunity to twist them over on to their front and apply an arm-bar armlock. Simply remove the weapon from their hand and sit smugly on their back.

Next?

Re: Knives
 

No teacher has any need to carry a penknife in school or college at all, let alone show it off. Raise the issue with form teacher, head of year and if necessary the head of school or college. Certainly, if ever I saw a colleague with one I would firmly tell him not to bring it to school or college, that displaying such an item sends the wrong message. Someone needs to have a friendly word in his ear and a strong one at that.



:)

Re: Knives
 

I agree that 'waving' a knife around unneccessarily is wrong.
But I think the knife phobia that has us fearing the worst from the humble pen-knife is way OTT.

When I was younger it was very cool to have one, and I don't recall ever considering it as a weapon - it was just the kind of useful thing to have in your pocket, like the piece of string, the metal washer or whatever other item of treasure.

O good pen-knife has a good array of tools other than the knife blade, and can be of proper use.

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Remind me not to go to a restaurant with you...!! :Yikes: :D

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At least it is only a knife.

He could have been carrying a pencil case!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/m...er/4336017.stm

Re: Knives
 

Hi!

I use a small penknife/craft knife to sharpen my pencils.I use it because I can get a much better sharpened point than I can ever get with a poxy ordinary sharpener.Mind I am an art teacher so I can claim that it is part of the tools of my trade.I NEVER let students use it and I never leave it laying around and I NEVER threaten anyone with it and I never use it anywhere but over a bin.As soon as I've finished it gets put away in my personal art pencil case in my bag.

Anyone goes in my personal bag they get put up in front of their head of year and the head.

I think someone is over reacting here.If you have NEVER been threatened by him why are you so worried??

You sure it is 4 inches long?I thought today's modern youth were measuring in metric.. :confused:

You really shouldn't judge staff by the standards that maybe you do for any of your school friends.We can be trusted and I refuse to be treated like a little child by those who are children..... :rolleyes:

It's so like that perennial suggestion that goes like this. " I think that if I have to wear a uniform in school so should the teachers" Wrong! I spent 14 years in a school uniform(including sixth form) and I don't see why I should as an adult.

Anyway as far as I know I AM AN ADULT and as long as I threaten no one I can carry a penknife as a tool.I very much doubt of the head teacher will do anything but give you a pained look....I also suspect that the police will also give you a funny look....Plus your suggestion of an anonymous letter shows you already know the reaction you will get.

Of course IF HE HAS THREATENED ANYONE then you must act by talking to your parents and getting them to sort it out.... That would be the only way to approach it...

Re: Knives
 

Way back in my smoking days, I used the abrasive strip on the side of my matchbox to get that perfectly sharpened point after I'd hacked it roughly into shape with a knife. Presumably arts teachers don't need such wimpish aids in their quest for the perfect point. A few quick cuts with the penknife and Bob's your uncle. :)