Bullying in the workplace

Lots of interesting stuff out there.  I'm busily wading through it and intend to present my findings here.  I wouldn't want anyone else to have to experience the treatment meted out to the senior teacher which I reported in my previous post - Harassment and Bullying: A Teacher's Story, October 2010. Keep checking back here for new posts on this subject.

Harassment and Bullying: A Teacher’s Story

This is a disturbing story of the defeat of a good and successful school teacher and senior manager. It began when a junior member of staff threatened the senior teacher with physical violence when he attempted to discuss with him, his treatment of another member of staff.  The incident was reported to the Headteacher but it was ignored and not dealt with by him. 

For the next 18 months the senior teacher was subjected to a series of harassing and bullying behaviours by his junior, each of which was reported to the Headteacher who took no action to put a stop to what was happening. One incident involved the ignoring of the teacher’s report, when the person who was bullying the teacher was observed by the teacher and a colleague bullying a pupil.  The teacher felt undermined.  His ability to do his job, his relationships with pupils and staff and the opportunities for accreditation he wished to provide for pupils were seriously damaged. 

After 9 months, he discussed what was happening with his union representative who advised him to go back to his Headteacher and request action to be taken.  He did so, but there was no change and further incidents occurred. 

The teacher began a grievance against the member of staff concerned, but suffered a nervous breakdown when the Headteacher’s response to his latest request for action accused the teacher of unfairly putting the Headteacher under pressure.  The teacher began a long term absence from work due to stress.  He began to take medication prescribed by his general practitioner.

During this time, the Headteacher continued to take no action.  In a meeting between the teacher and his Headteacher, the latter asked the teacher’s professional representative for advice for dealing with the bully while, at the same time, claiming that the difficulties experienced by the teacher were the result of a clash of personalities.  The Headteacher admitted that pupil examination chances could have been affected by the difficulties caused by the bully and claimed that he had taken action against the bully but refused to say what it was.

The teacher eventually took his case to the School Governing Body who apologized for the way he had been treated and the way his case had been managed.  They reassured him that such behaviour would not be tolerated in future and he returned to work. 

However, many of the recommendations of the Governing Body were not implemented or followed up and he experienced further unprofessional behaviour when he attempted to fulfill his responsibilities as a senior manager – an incident involving racist comments to a pupil was deliberately overlooked by the Headteacher and another member of staff.  

The teacher’s requests to seek a resolution under the procedures agreed with the Headteacher and the Governing Body were ignored and he suffered another breakdown.  He began a second period of absence during which time there was no attempt by his employers to contact him.  His attempts, and those by his professional association, to resolve the situation and establish contact were met with the removal of his only means of communicating with the school and keeping in touch with school developments. This was described as discriminatory action by his union.  He was then threatened with a disciplinary procedure based on spurious claims.  He was told that if he resigned the disciplinary action would not be followed up.  After all that he had gone through over three and a half years and the subsequent damage to his health he could not face once again having to fight injustice.  He felt completely beaten. 

In order to preserve what was left of his sanity and in the interests of the reputation of the school, he left the job he was good at, enjoyed doing and the children he cared deeply for.  His successful career was brought to a premature end. 

Furthermore, the secrecy surrounding his case and its eventual outcome has considerably shaken his faith in the education system to protect and support him and exacerbated the injustice that he was exposed to over a prolonged and painful period of time.  He is now trying to rebuild his professional life! 

How can such treatment be tolerated and apparently condoned by those in a position to do something about it?