Originally posted by Andy_Faber
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My own experience saw a great many dogmatic and dictatorial Heads and HoD’s in my early days of teaching in the late ‘70’s and ‘80’s. Things gradually began to improve, not least because my own generation of teachers seemed less inclined to accept such bullying.
Having said that the two best teachers I had as a pupil and the two best I actually worked for commanded respect as a result of a combination of firmness and fairness. No one messed with them but they genuinely earned respect as opposed to fear.
On the other side of the coin I have been involved in ‘whistleblowing’ against an established head who was acting dishonestly and inappropriately and it took a huge and unified effort to make the authorities sit up and take, very reluctant, notice. Establishments and authorities really don’t like being challenged in this way and without the unity I speak of we’d have lost.
Equally, as a Head, I was the subject of Union investigation having disciplined a member of staff who had acted, imo, particularly stupidly and unprofessionally. Fortunately, for me, they found in my favour and I tend to believe that once things reach any sort of investigative stage then eventually the truth will out.


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