Cower and the World Cowers With You; Stand Up and You Stand Alone
The blog post you are about to read may be painful to digest, but carries some hard truths.
Teachers in public schools have been under siege since the 1983 President Reagan Report,
“A Nation At Risk.” This report heralded in an era of privatization of public entities, and planted the seed to privatize public education.
A few decades later Corporate policies have nearly obliterated America’s Public Schools; a former Public Social Institution is now run as a business and Principal teachers have been replaced with CEOs.
There have been many casualties as a result of this Corporate Reform run approach to public schools. Experienced older teachers were summarily eliminated while their colleagues stood by, and younger less experienced teachers were hired who came through the ranks of Corporate-sponsored “Education” programs with Teach for America being the most well-known.
What may not be apparent about this culling of teachers is that many of them were victims of Workplace Bullying. While most teachers acknowledge there are Administrators who engage in bullying behaviors, what is not usually acknowledged is the accompanying bullying by fellow colleagues.
Nurses, social workers, and teachers are the most likely to participate in bullying their colleagues, the so-called “Caring Professions.” (1) Surprised to learn this? Most people are. Perhaps that is why it catches so many people off-guard because they see teachers as part of a caring and nurturing profession.
Nurses, social workers, and teachers are the most likely to participate in bullying their colleagues, the so-called “Caring Professions.” (1) Surprised to learn this? Most people are. Perhaps that is why it catches so many people off-guard because they see teachers as part of a caring and nurturing profession.
This bullying by colleagues can take several forms. The most common being active participants or by being passive bystanders. Passive bystanders? How on Earth can they be responsible for workplace bullying of their colleagues?
According to the Alberta Bullying Research, Resources and Recovery Centre this bullying by bystanders often manifests itself as “moral disengagement.” People develop standards that guide their moral behavior; what they will or will not do according to their own personal CONTINUE READING: Badass Teachers Association Blog: Cower and the World Cowers With You; Stand Up and You Stand Alone
