Replies to 'Workplace Bullies'

Quote From: onthefarm

Principals can be the worst of workplace bullies because often no one knows what they are doing other than the people they are doing it to--who have to go through a grievance committee and follow the chain of command and otherwise put themselves way out there to voice any disention....then end up being black-balled and not able to get a job teaching anywhere. My building principal is new and not sure of himself, so he makes his way easier by trying to shut down every older, more experienced person on the staff. He writes us up for crazy things like "negative attitude" when we question some new thing he wants to do, and turns the newer staff members against us by telling them that we have old-fashioned, stagnant ideas. The superintendent isn't about to NOT defend his principal, the other teachers aren't going to risk their jobs to stand behind you, and the school board's only input will come from the superintendent...so basically you're screwed. If you're old, you earn too much for any other district to want to hire you, so you're pretty much stuck where you are for as long as you can stand being treated like a useless, brainless, hasbeen. I've been in the education business nearly 4 times as long as this principal has been, and all of my years were in elementary--while only this past year as principal has he been in an elementary school. He doesn't understand the psychology of the elementary school child, the curriculum necessities and demands. He wants to run it like a secondary school---and anything said to the contrary about how it might have a negative effect on the students--is worthy of a massive put-down and the old teacher is lableled as "having taught too many years from her laminated lesson plans"...ARGHGHGHGH! I wish there was a way that older teachers could be respected and that new principals would have to have served in the classroom for at least a few years at the level the principal is overseeing. OK I vented. Feel better. But why is it that we allow our older, more knowledgeable, more experienced people so little respect in favor of a young one who just finished 3 years undergrad and 2 years graduate school and served 2 years as a SR high coach? THis happens over and over and over....and it was just not ever right....and now it's happening to me, too!