Bully Targets Need Upstanders!
Much has been written on the subject of workplace bullying, with a lot of it intended to offer advice to those who have been targeted by an abusive colleague or supervisor. This is because many targets are not aware of what workplace bullying is, who the perpetrators might be, and how to deal with it when it happens. So, thankfully, bully targets can find information to help them understand what is happening to them.
And targets do need help. A survey done by American Federation of Teachers and the Badass Teachers Association in 2017 found that teachers report poor mental health at twice the rate of the general workforce. They also experience workplace bullying three times more often than other workers. Yet help for these victims of out-of-control colleagues is difficult to find. Is anyone trying to put a stop to this abusive practice
In the teaching profession the most obvious places to look for help are to the teacher unions. These enormous organizations possess the resources and manpower to fight for any teacher whose rights to a secure and satisfying career are being threatened by power-hungry administrators. Yet, as the wheels of government turned and new legislation appeared, the system that is supposed to protect teacher rights somehow became the adversary. Many jurisdictions have made themselves havens for administrators by crafting legislation that created “right to work” states. Those of us who work in these areas are denied the protections normally available to workers who are free to unionize and stand up to bully employers. As a result, legal protections from bullying are limited.
The lack of protection from bully administrators results in the abuse of due process itself. Teachers are buried in letters of reprimand, they are required to produce copious highly detailed lesson plans, and they will likely be required to attend workshops for improvement, usually at their own expense. And all of this paperwork creates a trail that can ultimately lead to CONTINUE READING: Badass Teachers Association Blog: Bully Targets Need Upstanders!
