The bullying of children is becoming widely recognised as a problem in schools. There are helplines, coping strategies, videos of good practice and so on. Unfortunately, there is still a long way to go before there is the same duty of care towards teachers.
In October 2005 I had no alternative but to resign as head of faculty because I’d been told that it would be “untenable” for me to continue to work at the school. In the year preceding this decision, the head had taken away one of my areas of responsibility, he had accused me of trying to undermine his authority and had threatened me with professional misconduct.
I felt as though my self-worth and value were being constantly undermined and I felt isolated and alone.
What happened to me sadly happens to many people. I am one of the fortunate ones: through the support of my family and friends, I am still here and back in teaching. The situation has affected my career, my life and the lives of those closest to me. All I would ask is why, in a profession that prides itself on caring and helping pupils achieve their potential, is it so poor at managing itself?
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