Filing Written Complaints On Teachers Is Vital

Last Updated on July 28, 2022 by Michelle Ball

By Michelle Ball, Sacramento California Expulsion, Special Education, sports/CIF, College, Education and School Attorney/Lawyer for Students since 1995

I frequently hear about school personnel issues, such as teacher misconduct, bad treatment from school administrators, school personnel targeting a student and other problems involving school employees.  To get the problem solved, parents can: file a written personnel complaint on the teacher or other staff member with the school or school district.

Many Teacher Issues Are Solved With No Records Created

If there is a bad teacher in a school, many people may be aware of it.  However, the issue is that the people who know about it are other school staff (who may protect their fellow staff) or minor students (who don’t say anything). 

As such, resolving one student’s problems at a time via e.g. a parent conference, is important to solve that student’s concerns.  However, satisfying one parent or student may not move the needle enough to get a truly BAD teacher or school staff member handled adequately.

This is because school administrators may feel they don’t need to take further action against a terrible teacher once a parent is satisfied with a student resolution. The school administrator may also be intimidated by teachers unions or may not actually know there is more to the teacher’s bad deeds. 

If a Parent Did Not Complain, Did It Really Happen?  

Remember the old saying “If a tree falls in the woods did it make a sound if no one heard it?”  When there are teacher issues, the parallel is: “If no parents filed written complaints, did the school really know about it?”  

If a teacher’s file is bare- with no complaints- a school district or administrator can say “I got no complaints on this teacher- you are the first parent with an issue.”  This may or may not be technically accurate as the administrator may have “heard things” or met with parents about a teacher in their office, but there may be no records of these verbal interactions.   

If the teacher’s file has no formal complaints how can anyone prove there were 30 other verbal complaints?  It is tough.  The solution is for parents to file complaints on teachers in writing via the school district personnel complaint process, when warranted.

A Verbal Complaint is NOT Enough

Often parents make verbal complaints to people about school staff who create problems.  Yet, even if a parent discusses something with school staff, unless the school writes it down, there is no record. So, once concluded, the issue is soon forgotten. 

To remedy this, parents should file teacher complaints in writing.  This will ensure school abuse or other issues are documented and put into the appropriate school personnel files.

What Can Happen if No Formal Teacher Complaints Filed?

To illustrate, say Teacher A has abused or bullied dozens of students for 25 years, but only 3 families came forward with written complaints during that time, and no staff reported him.  Perhaps 15 other students made verbal complaints, but there is no record of the 15 verbal complaints. As a result, Teacher A continues in his job year after year, bullying and harassing a new student each year and causing devastating impacts to his child victims. 

Because of the lack of formal complaints, the teacher may remain protected and undetected by the school or district, as there are only 3 formal complaints in over two decades.  Had even half of the students targeted by Teacher A filed written complaints, perhaps Teacher A would now be in another profession like dog catching.

Request the Policies and the Complaint Form

It is usually very simple to file a teacher or school staff complaint.  The parent can contact the school or the school district and ask for the policies and complaint form to complete for teacher or school staff complaints.

Often the complaint process and forms are on the school and/or school district website as well.  Once found, the parent simply completes the personnel complaint form with factual information, proof of student abuse, and submits it per the policy.  

Meeting May Be Required in Complaint Process

If the protocol for the school complaint process is such that the complaint cannot be filed until the parent meets with the school staff or teacher involved, then the parent would have to do so.   

The parent steps taken can be documented by sending confirmatory letters or email about the meetings and what occurred at the meetings between the parents, principal, teacher, or other staff present.

Districts WANT Complaints on Bad Employees

I have actually been called by an attorney who represents districts asking whether I had any potential complaints on a teacher that the school district was looking to terminate.  As the school district did not have enough WRITTEN complaints, there was not enough to fire the teacher.  This shows the importance of written complaints against terrible teachers.

If more parents filed written complaints, bad teachers might get thrown out.  

Be Accurate and Factual

One word of caution- whomever files a complaint should be sure it is factually accurate.  It would be inappropriate to file complaints on conjecture, or student rumor.  Facts must be provided as well as any evidence gathered.  Parents should stick with what is known and can be proven involving the teacher and student.

It cannot be stressed enough how important it is for parents to follow through with written complaints when a problem with school personnel arises.  Written complaints can give a school district the power to investigate and weed out abusive teachers and staff once and for all.  If enough parents complain, perhaps the bad school personnel will be terminated, demoted, transferred, or will change their bad behavior.

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Student lawyer Michelle Ball can assist parents file complaints on teachers and school personnel. As a Sacramento attorney, Michelle Ball may help throughout California, including in Oakland, Hollywood, Clovis, Mendocino, Roseville, Sacramento, Folsom, Natomas, San Francisco, Stockton, Santa Rosa, and many other areas.