Re: Principal Issue

I empathize with you. I was in a very similar situation. I
worked for a principal who was manipulative and lacked any
kind of integrity. He had a few teachers in on his
conspiracy, most of whom were in my department.

Bullies count on people staying quiet. The only way to fight
a bully is to band together against him/her. Unfortunately,
that takes a whole lot of courage and integrity, and I've
found that when push comes to shove, most teachers are
afraid of losing their jobs and refrain from standing up for
those who are being bullied. I don't know what the answer
is, but the public needs to be educated about what is
happening to our best teachers.

I believe this is the main reason students in the U.S. are
struggling. It's too bad that parents and students are often
misinformed and sucked into the conspiracies against good
teachers. We really need some bullying/harrassment
legislation put in effect along with mass education to fight
this. I think parents and students should be outraged. After
all, they have be hoodwinked and shortchanged of the best
possible education available.

Remember this is Satan's dirty work being done. Keep praying
for justice, because there's really only one who can deliver
that in the end.

On 8/25/05, Anon wrote:
> I have an issue, and I was hoping you would be able to
give
> me some feedback or advice.
>
> Our principal is a bully. He is rude and demeaning, and
> the whole staff knows it but everyone is afraid to speak
> up. Unfortunately for me, I am not one to keep my mouth
> shut. I tend to be a caregiver kind of person, someone who
> advocates for respect for all.
>
> First of all, let me give you a clear view of this person,
> and if he's on this board, hopefully this will be eye-
> opening to him although, in my experience, these sorts of
> people are not just unknowingly unprofessional.
>
> I know of at least four times that he has commented to
> female teachers about their weight, saying they should not
> take the elevator but better opt for the stairs. Now, I
> know there might not be a certain rule set in stone about
> this kind of comment, but it is offensive. These women,
> however, said nothing. (If it would have been me, I would
> blown and been written up for insubordination.)
>
> On quite a few other occasions, he has involved himself in
> conversing with teachers about a certain other two
teachers
> who he thinks are bad teachers. He says things
> like, "Well, there's a reason why so-and-so has 75&37; of
her
> kids failing," or "You'll be a good partner for her.
> You'll be exactly what she needs to see the light," or
> after hearing a presenter talk about poor teaching
> strategies/styles, "Gee, that sounds like so-and-so."
>
> In team meetings, he asks for feedback but very obviously
> ignores what people say.
>
> I don't know what to do. I am starting to keep a "paper
> trail" on his unprofessional behavior, and I know the
staff
> is starting to band together, but being teachers
> yourselves, how would YOU think one should go about it to
> be effective? Having this principal on staff really brings
> down morale for so many people. Two awesome, and I mean
> awesome, teachers left us because he is so mean. Another
> teacher went home mid-afternoon quite a few times because
> of things he said to her; she was actually physically
> getting sick. It kills me to see so many people being
> treated this way, and I am not even involved in any of the
> situations. They are just things I have observed, heard
> him say, or that other people have told me. Whatever the
> case, it really needs to stop.
>
> Thanks for "listening"...