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Allegations of bullying, No case to answer says the GTC ?

Last post 16/01/11 at 13:35 by curlygirly, 25 replies
Post started by a19pb on 14/01/11 at 18:42

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    Posted by: a19pb 14/01/2011 at 18:42
    Joined on 08/05/2007
    Posts 2,638

    Bullying claims dismissed against Cumbrian headteacher ...

    is the headline.

    'Humiliated' staff too scared to speak out against Cumbrian head accused of bullying

    (or were not asked to give evidence?)

    The reports say that 39 members of staff complained, three unions were involved yet the GTC flung the case out.

    The HT  'left the new academy by mutual agreement before any further action was taken following the completion of Northern Education’s probe.'  and is now a leadership consultant.

    Will the next move be that the HT claims Constructive Dismissal ?

    Who knows what really happened in this case?

     

     

     

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    Posted by: a19pb 15/01/2011 at 22:24
    Joined on 08/05/2007
    Posts 2,638

     It looks to me that there was a problem !

     From the linked reports :-

    Many <teachers>reported feeling “humiliated and undermined” by <the HT> in a variety of situations in front of parents, pupils and staff yet were “too scared to speak out” for fear of losing their jobs.

    The GTC panel was told by the Northern Education consultants that <the HT> was repeatedly heard saying that he would “strip out” poor teachers and they would be “removed and replaced”, comments that left many feeling threatened.

    Incidents happened in classes, assemblies, parents’ evenings and staff meetings, it is alleged. etc.

     

    It seems likely to me that by leaving by 'mutual consent' this HT has been given an easy ride by the GTC. I also think it likely that the education authority put pressure on the teachers in the school not to get involved with the GTC (Who would be brave or stupid enough to act against their employers instructions in a situation like this) -- that might even have been part of the 'mutual agreement' along i imagine with an excellent reference. 

     

    Regardless of where the main fault lies, cases like this exemplify why workplace bullying in schools  remains a problem.

     

    If this HT was at fault, then surely the employer and the GTC should have done better to protect others, conversely, if he was not guilty, they should have dealt with those who were at fault.

     

    More generally - it is well understood that it is easier to get rid of a bully by giving them a good reference to get promotion in another part of the country than trying to use the grievance proceedures. Something needs to change so that this does not happen anywhere near so easily.  Any ideas?

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    Posted by: nomad 15/01/2011 at 22:42
    Joined on 10/05/2002
    Posts 8,618

    Sad muppet if you have to respond to your own OP because nobody else will.

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    Posted by: DM 15/01/2011 at 22:48
    Joined on 12/05/2003
    Posts 5,480

    How strange that this is the school weebecka used to work at ...

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    Posted by: a19pb 15/01/2011 at 22:56
    Joined on 08/05/2007
    Posts 2,638

     Nomad -- it was actually you who replied -- Do you have any relevant comment to make or would you rather that cases like this were not talked about?

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    Posted by: leatherpatches 16/01/2011 at 06:40
    Joined on 09/06/2001
    Posts 4,535
    Honestly? Even the toughest leadership in schools is pretty softly, softly compared to most lines of work. That's why it takes so long to secure change when it's blindingly obviously necessary. Teachers just don't like being told what to do- and long may that continue; but most of it isn't bullying.
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    Posted by: weebecka 16/01/2011 at 10:22
    Joined on 15/09/2010
    Posts 1,032

    This thread is nowt to do with me DM. Actually I barely worked at the school I was off on maternity leave nearly all the time I was employed there so I was not involved in these issues at all.

    I just stand here aghast at the number of inadequate and inadequately supported heads who have been inflicted on schools round here.

    It's interesting that this the third head this staff have had to dispatch in about in what is it?  6 years?  And they get rid of them even though they know that they, the staff, will be punished again with yet another bout of special measures, in order to protect the kids form very damaging management.

    There used to be brilliant heads here.  And there was one at that school who had the full support of all the staff and was dispatched for reasons no-one understood at all.

    Staff are not being appointed on ability or on whether they have the capacity to lead the team of staff already in place.

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    Posted by: weebecka 16/01/2011 at 10:32
    Joined on 15/09/2010
    Posts 1,032

    weebecka:
    Staff Headteachers are not being appointed on ability or on whether they have the capacity to lead the team of staff already in place.
    oops

    The long serving excellent head of this school had the senior schools improvement officer for the county banned from the school on the grounds that he bullied staff and made ignorant judgements.  

    Guess who is still drawing a massive salery after 20 years of raining hell on this county?

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    Posted by: weebecka 16/01/2011 at 10:33
    Joined on 15/09/2010
    Posts 1,032

    weebecka:
    salery
    salary

    I see in my local paper that essential services are being cut again and we are going to have to be charged for on street parking outside the shops (The car parking charges already having been more than doubled this year).

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    Posted by: weebecka 16/01/2011 at 10:43
    Joined on 15/09/2010
    Posts 1,032

    a19pb:
    Will the next move be that the HT claims Constructive Dismissal ?
     

    A previous head who they got rid of went back to the last job in his career where he was really successful, re-established his credibility and has moved on carefully from there.

    Would that not be a sensible outcome here too?

    The obvious thing which should also be pointed out is that this school did have a head who was leading it brilliantly and had the full respect and support of the staff.  No-one round here understands why she was forced out.

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