What do you think of this?Is it bullying?

ethical

A school recently got to a sports final.Head totally ignored the build up to the event,asked the teacher coaching the team,(on the morning of the final!!!) who they were playing,did not wish the team luck (or go to the game,which could be forgiven due to work,mind you the same head went to another final a school team appeared in last year and took four or five 'retired' teachers along!!!).
To cut a long story short,this 'ignored' team won their provincial crown and returned to school in the afternoon with the cup...............the Head appeared within minutes ....and took the cup immediately to place it in the trophy cabinet.The teacher who looked after the team for the year had an awful year when it came to organizing the playing of fixtures,yet other sports teams could and did organize challenge and friendly matches at the drop of a hat.There is something very wrong here.I note from today's media that a premiership team in England has had to suspend a number of coaching staff because of bullying issues. Surely this Head is not doing the job fairly if some staff are seen as 'better-than-others'....oh and lest I forget there are anti-bullying posters up all over the school....some one is not practising what they preach!!! What can this 'bullied' teacher do?What options are open to pursue this sort of carry on? Advice appreciated.tHanks

seavill

Is it bullying? In my opinion not anywhere near.

Most principals I have worked with were from a particular background or the history of the school was towards a particular sport.

I have never had a principal come to a final provincial or national and there have been several.

No offence to the driver or any others but I havnt met a principal that wouldn't jump in the first photo op if a trophy arrived.

No Pants

So the head favours some sports over others? Not bullying, but I'm sure it's not exactly nice to deal with either. All the teacher/coach in question can do is stop participating.

ethical

Thats what is wanted ....to stop participating!!The teacher took over the running from a teacher that retired and there was 'lots of previous' with the other teacher!!!!........still think that the present coach should not be cold shouldered.

seavill

Agreed but that's a completely different thing than bullying. In every school some activities are prioritised over others. It can be one sport over another or a sport over chess or debating or music but certainly not bullying

solerina

No, its certainly not bullying, lack of appreciation and being taken for granted would be my reading of it...sounds totally like what happens about every extra curricular activity in my school, yet the head is the first one to look for a photo op when we achieve something...standard practice in many schools Id imagine.

Mardy Bum

Every school has a sports hierarchy. It depends on the history of the school and then the principal's preferences from my experience. Those at the top will get everything and those at the bottom are at a serious disadvantage regardless of the success of the team or individual.

teacherhead

ethical wrote: »

A school recently got to a sports final.Head totally ignored the build up to the event,asked the teacher coaching the team,(on the morning of the final!!!) who they were playing,did not wish the team luck (or go to the game,which could be forgiven due to work,mind you the same head went to another final a school team appeared in last year and took four or five 'retired' teachers along!!!).
To cut a long story short,this 'ignored' team won their provincial crown and returned to school in the afternoon with the cup...............the Head appeared within minutes ....and took the cup immediately to place it in the trophy cabinet.The teacher who looked after the team for the year had an awful year when it came to organizing the playing of fixtures,yet other sports teams could and did organize challenge and friendly matches at the drop of a hat.There is something very wrong here.I note from today's media that a premiership team in England has had to suspend a number of coaching staff because of bullying issues. Surely this Head is not doing the job fairly if some staff are seen as 'better-than-others'....oh and lest I forget there are anti-bullying posters up all over the school....some one is not practising what they preach!!! What can this 'bullied' teacher do?What options are open to pursue this sort of carry on? Advice appreciated.tHanks

You'd be better off relaxing and enjoying your holidays.

Maphisto

The head may not be the loveliest guy in the county but from what I read, not a bully.

It is unappreciated and taken for granted but try being married

evolving_doors

Essentially for bullying there has to be a repeated act. no doubt the heads behaviour was a bit selfish, generally if we won a cup it is left on display in the staff room for a week or two, also the work of that teacher is acknowledged by a round of applause at break, nobody would dare to steal the thunder.
I think in this case the whole team and staff know who deserves the credit...the cup caretaker itself is a bit 'gollumish' ...let the head have fun polishing and stroking it...

actually what would be really good is if the coach nicked it back from the cabinet then -without the heads knowledge - organise for a team photoshoot with the principal and stuck it onto the school newsletter/website.
.... BURN...

drumswan

GAA man is he?

Nicole.

I think that all extra curricular activities should be appreciated, recently at our school at lunch the principal organised a celebration of all of the achievements of the students and staff in regard to extra curricular activities, no one sport or activity was favored. It was great to be in such a positive and supporting environment. I don't think the situation you described is bullying but it would be nice if all activities were appreciated especially because so much work goes into getting a team organised, motivated, transporting the team etc. The students would also like to be congratulated for their work.

rainbowtrout

Would agree with everyone else, it's not bullying and is what goes on more or less in most schools.

In my school I would say the hierarchy of sport is GAA > Soccer > Basketball > Everything else sports wise. Added to that Boys teams > Girls teams. I used to take a girls team years ago and on one or two occasions was asked to cancel a girls match that I might have organised a couple of weeks prior because one of the boys teams needed to play that day or needed to use the team kit I was going to use. Bullying? No. Girls football not seen as anywhere near as important as boys football?? Definitely.

anfield liv

You are a very passive lot! What you put up with would not be tolerated in any other place of work.
I would have to agree with the initial poster that what goes on in his/her place is bullying.Many years ago I worked in a secondary school where as some of you have suggested there is a hierarchy but I did feel bullied and my Union advised me to take a case.I looked after a team and always had a problem trying to tie down the Boss for a date to fulfil fixtures yet the DP who also looked after a team always appeared to get what he wanted,there was all sort of movements of games,even exams shifted around the place to let him get what he wanted.The Principal only appeared for photo opportunities when there was the odd trophy won.I remember talking to other coaches then when arranging,rearranging games and I was in awe of how they were so well treated yet I had to put up with the sh*t in my place.Some staff lived in fear of the bully.Getting out was the best thing ever.I know that it did not sort the problem for everyone.Rumour has it that there will be some attention given to 'marginalisation' in the upcoming teachers conferences this Easter.

evolving_doors

anfield liv wrote: »

You are a very passive lot! What you put up with would not be tolerated in any other place of work.
I would have to agree with the initial poster that what goes on in his/her place is bullying.Many years ago I worked in a secondary school where as some of you have suggested there is a hierarchy but I did feel bullied and my Union advised me to take a case.I looked after a team and always had a problem trying to tie down the Boss for a date to fulfil fixtures yet the DP who also looked after a team always appeared to get what he wanted,there was all sort of movements of games,even exams shifted around the place to let him get what he wanted.The Principal only appeared for photo opportunities when there was the odd trophy won.I remember talking to other coaches then when arranging,rearranging games and I was in awe of how they were so well treated yet I had to put up with the sh*t in my place.Some staff lived in fear of the bully.Getting out was the best thing ever.I know that it did not sort the problem for everyone.Rumour has it that there will be some attention given to 'marginalisation' in the upcoming teachers conferences this Easter.

Its human nature though so I dont think it can be said that it wouldn't be tolerated in any other work place...
You can't avoid these folk, especially in Ireland where you could wind up giving out about someone and then find out the person is related.
Could you imagine if extra curricular was tied to pay and performance?

teacherhead

I don't know. In our place you book your match first you play it first and at that if things are looking ok a second game might get out on a particular day.

The problem once again is that we have a half story that is very much biased from one point of view. Unfair it may be, bad management - likely, bullying definitely not.