Briefcase
Bullying and Harassment
The text of Briefcase follows and the whole thing can be found here
http://wsta.org.uk/briefcase2005.doc
Bullying and harassment are often brought to our attention and range from irritating nuisance to downright threatening behaviour.
In every situation there should be someone to whom you can turn especially when the bullies are not employees and this should be clearly stated in the school’s policies on discrimination, bullying and harassment and within staff handbooks.
A skilful bully will know just how to manipulate any situation so that they remain in control. However they are only human…well just…and they do make mistakes…picking the wrong victim - someone who knows just how to turn the tables on them….over-reaching themselves and leaving evidence of their nastiness, involving others who blow the whistle…shouting that is overheard by an unseen witness...
The best way to nail a bully is to do all the things we advise our own pupils to do:
The golden rule being : Don’t suffer alone or in silence – it’s the bully’s problem not yours! So…
Tell someone – The NUT is here to listen and support-ring the helpline for a person outside the school
Write it down and keep it safe.. somewhere off the premises to share with someone you can trust.
Avoid being alone with the bully….take a witness to any meeting
If cornered - walk away to a public place like a corridor or reception area
If you feel you have been badly dealt with, record the incident and keep it dated in a safe place, if there were witnesses write their names in your account, if possible get them to verify your record.
If you receive an apology unprompted from the perpetrator then record that too.
If there are no further incidents within a reasonable period then bullying cannot be alleged.
Harassment or bullying must be demonstrable through a history of incidents where your treatment falls short of professional standards, is significantly different from that of your colleagues, is discriminatory or prejudicial to your professional advancement.
The cases which follow illustrate some of the unpleasant and unbearable situations created by other professionals for some colleagues. There are other sources of bullying including pupils, their parents and in rare cases, governors, but these could not be explored in this single issue on the topic.
In all cases the above advice should be applied. The italicised remarks which follow each real case point up other aspects which would need explanation and would cause embarrassment for the bully. They are there to demonstrate that bullies are not invincible and can be dealt with by using the right supporting evidence and courage from the victim or victims.
Where the bullying is widespread and infects a whole school united action is needed and staff need to stand together to confront and eradicate it from their workplace. The NUT will support you against this malignancy in your professional life if you are prepared to trust them and your colleagues.
September 2005 Issue
I am a part time teacher and increasingly I find that meetings are held when I am not in school.
To avoid paper overload decisions taken or actions needed are recorded on the general staffroom notice board for non-attenders to read and note.
Although I do try, the room is often being used for groups/ team meetings/visiting outside agencies etc or the board has been wiped and used again.
According to my Head it is my responsibility to keep up to date and “my insistence on part-time working following maternity leave must not burden my colleagues with tedious note-taking. No-one else has complained.”
Others have been similarly disadvantaged when out on courses but they will not speak up.
Everyone has the right to vary their hours by mutual agreement. Your reduction has been agreed and is a regular arrangement.
The school must try not to disadvantage you and should avoid regular meetings at times when you are not in school.
My Headteacher has made it clear that for preference I should work elsewhere. It is a shared ambition.
I teach a shortage subject and results are above average. Yet whenever I am short listed for a post I fail to secure it. In three separate debriefs I have been advised to reconsider my choice of referee.
I have never seen my school reference but am happy with the one furnished by my second named person. The Head is always too busy to see me.
When I applied in writing to see the school reference I was told this was impossible as it is “confidential”.
On my return from an unsuccessful interview my Head always manages to find me and say something undermining as he passes in the corridor.
“So sorry…perhaps the job would be too big for you anyway.”
“Ah well better luck next time ….and you will need luck to get another job.”
“What a shame you didn’t make the grade …again…you must be wondering what you have to do…”
“Well we’re saddled with each other for another term then!”
“Don’t lose heart…there must be someone somewhere who wants you.”
These are the only times the Head has sought me out or spoken informally.
You have the right to ask to see a reference but the employer can "reasonably" refuse, although the Union does have means whereby they can obtain this from the recipient.
See your subject adviser re your referees.
The Head has taken to drifting into my classroom unannounced, sitting in a prominent position taking notes very obviously and then leaving without speaking.
This is very unnerving as I am never given any feedback and the pupils are very aware I am being monitored probably as a “failure”. The whole process is so undermining.
No-one else suffers in this way and the Head is never available to speak to me.
There are protocols about staff monitoring and just basic professional courtesies to be observed.
Ask in writing for a copy of the “notes” as you need them for your PM portfolio of evidence.
After all if you are given no guidance about improving performance everything written at the time must be positive!
I feel at a disadvantage in my new school. I have not made a close friend yet and I have been told that I must learn from my colleagues how “to speak more appropriately to the pupils.” This has never been raised in previous schools and the Head would not elaborate.
Liaising with colleagues is already difficult since I have more cover periods, mid-morning break and lunch duties and after school commitments than any other staff.
Why have you more duties than anyone else?
If there is a formal issue about your performance it should not be dealt with in this way. You are entitled to proper and professional support.
As an NQT the Head has given me a line manager/mentor who I discovered has been discredited in the eyes of colleagues because she tried to stand up for my predecessor who left with a breakdown.
As a result she was put on a competency procedure for failing to support the NQT appropriately!! Everyone knows of her situation.
I am sorry for her but she is constantly requesting more paperwork from me to prove she is doing her job properly and is always asking me if I am satisfied, happy or need anything …it is really oppressive.
Your colleague is being bullied. In turn, her anxiety is the cause of your inadvertent harassment.
There should be proper mentoring meetings and arrangements for your induction. Ask her to stick to these.
Reassure your colleague that if you have concerns you will be quick to raise them with her.
The support then becomes mutual -she will feel less pressured and you will be able to relax...
In Sept 2002 I was given an entirely reasonable 2 year target for a cross-curriculum development. I was also told of the budget available for the whole project.
I had already done some preliminary work with colleagues and had a clear plan of how to proceed. I submitted an action plan to the new Deputy Head with responsibility for curriculum co-ordination expenditure.
She said she wanted to be involved but all attempts to get commitment or decisions from her met with “The Head is not sure of the direction you want to take. We are still talking”
My colleagues became frustrated and lost interest. By September 2003, my first PM review, very little had been achieved from the plan. This was recorded despite my protests that developments had been delayed by Senior Management inefficiency. I had no evidence that the SMT interference had happened.
I was exhorted to try to recover lost ground but informed that the finance had been halved because it had been diverted to “more dynamic” staff. I struggled on, diminished in the eyes of my colleagues who were privy to the decision.
In 2004 I was refused Threshold 2 because of my poor 2003 PM and my failure to implement the plans in full.
PM decisions and targets are supposed to be confidential How did your colleagues know?
The financial actions of the SMT are open to question even if their inaction before is not fully documented. Hopefully you will have a note of when you submitted action plans, orders for approval, etc …
My Head says other staff members have concerns about me “nothing specific” which “cannot be disclosed because they aren’t a formal stage yet.” But I must “try harder to be part of the team, work for common goals, follow colleagues’ example”.
From what I can see they are terrified of the Head, frightened of their own shadows and sadly their own colleagues. My line manager passes it all off as “just the Head’s way of keeping us all pulling together without needing procedures, tedious paperwork and SIS involvement.”
One young teacher is moving out of the district to escape and start a new life. Another teacher who has recently retired told me not to reveal my Union membership as it would be “a red rag to a bull.” No other staff claim any affiliation.
Just his way? So it happens often then?
You have every right to know what has been cited as a concern otherwise how can you rectify the fault.
As for avoiding procedures they are there for your protection -the SMT would have to justify their use. Perhaps this is why they are reluctant to engage?
Most meetings in school are closely minuted but some, when the Head chooses, are not. These are usually with individual staff that are told to come alone and tell no-one of their appointment since the issue is confidential and the Head would hate other staff to get wind of what might be under discussion.
When staff have confided in a colleague the Head has known and been very much more abusive and aggressive. This has increased colleagues mistrust of each other. One person who took notes found their departmental budget cut by 80% the next year
Come alone? Even the most stout hearted would be disconcerted by this…
You can choose to have a friend or representative with you at any meeting that purports to be about your career.
It is your choice whether you impart knowledge of a meeting with the Head or anyone else to another colleague. The content may be confidential but the arrangements need not be.
Are Governors aware of the financial penalties of note taking? Technically they must approve all budgets…
A spoof picture of the Head which ridiculed one of his school initiatives circulated at an out-of-school gathering of staff, parent helpers and governors. It was computer generated using a commercial software package used in school and in many homes.
Those who saw it agreed that it was unwise, should not be circulated more widely and the Head must be protected from knowing of it.
Sadly the Head heard of it and weeks of inquisitions have followed causing much distress and wild accusation.
Access to all school computers for staff use is monitored, technicians do spot checks on computer logs and no-one can use a school laptop at home. This will continue until the identity of the author is known.
If this personal matter is causing disruption to the school, adding to workloads and disadvantaging staff members needing a laptop for work at home…then the matter should be raised formally with the Chair of Governors in writing by the Teacher Governors.
They have a duty to pass such information just as parent Governors should keep the Chair informed of playground reactions to events or issues.
My Head wrote a short note asking my to explain fully a remark I made at a departmental meeting.
I asked to see him and was offered a three week wait.
Although I was heavily committed writing reports I spent an hour giving chapter and verse and sent it in the next morning.
By lunch I received another note asking me now to explain my wording of three phrases I had used in my response ….they were basically irrelevant to the issue under discussion but I did my best…again I received notice of further clarifications of my use of language and underlying thinking …the original issue was not even mentioned.
I asked to see the Head and was told the wait time now was four weeks…the last day of term.
This is harassment of a particularly petty variety but bullying is bullying!
Clearly there is no real issue at all….there are more ways to skin a cat……
Write back saying you need to consider carefully the issues raised and will reply when you have all the detail requested.
Do not hurry! The correspondence will die!
Helpline Number
01342 410805
Labels: advice
