Teachers and parents occupy a special and unique partnership when it comes to the development of children. They come together during parent teacher interviews during reporting time in order to share information and compare notes about children and their progress.

This association can sometimes lead to the formation and development of socially based friendships between parents and teachers. While it is important to get on well with parents and primary caregivers, I believe it important not to confuse professional obligations with social contacts.

If issues of professional and social contact become entwined that can lead to teachers being less definitive than should be the case when dealing with children. Teachers may tend to excuse or find a reason for poor behaviour. They might determine that circumstances are impacting on student performance. While understanding students, it is important expectations should not be reduced because of intimate knowledge or inside information available to teachers. This may result in teachers being labelled as “unfair” in dealing with children in different ways. It may also lead it to teachers diminishing standards and justifying lowered expectations.

There is a danger in socialisation. On the basis of some case studies teachers getting too socially close to families and children within those families, may bear the brunt of unfortunate allegations and accusations levelled against them in future years. That has happened in the number of cases, with teachers reputations being permanently besmirched by unfair and untrue allegations over inappropriate conduct. A recent “Australian Story” reporting on the jailing of a female teacher for alleged interference with children 30 years earlier – with the woman eventually being exonerative and acquitted – illustrates my point. Had she not been friends with the family, this matter would never have arisen. Cases reported in the media from time to time confirm that allegations brought against teachers are not rare. Even with acquittal, the teacher’s reputation is forever ruined.