IB 'Feedback and Complaints' and 'Whistleblowing Policy'

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SenseiMamma
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Joined: Fri Nov 29, 2019 10:56 am

IB 'Feedback and Complaints' and 'Whistleblowing Policy'

Post by SenseiMamma »

I noticed months ago a post inquiring if anyone had had any problems with the IB. I just discovered the IB has a page at their website titled 'Feedback and Complaints' (see link below). The page offers courses of action including an "IB complaints procedure" if you have "concerns relating to practices occurring within the IB or an IB World School" or "concerns relating to a product or service accessed directly from the IB (examples include professional development workshops, transcripts ordered via the IB website or products purchased through Follett)", or "concerns about assessment decisions".
But what was surprising is that the IB actually has an 'IB Whistleblowing Policy'. It is downloadable from the link below. Is it a bad indication and particularly disturbing that an educational organization would have the need for a whistleblowing policy? This makes me think they may have had and continue to have numerous dissatisfied employees and customers.

https://www.ibo.org/contact-the-ib/feed ... omplaints/
shadowjack
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Joined: Sat Oct 06, 2012 9:49 am

Re: IB 'Feedback and Complaints' and 'Whistleblowing Policy'

Post by shadowjack »

No. It has a whistleblowing policy because some dodgy schools manage to gain IB authorization and then ignore it until the year before the next authorization...
vandsmith
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Joined: Sat Oct 25, 2014 12:16 am

Re: IB 'Feedback and Complaints' and 'Whistleblowing Policy'

Post by vandsmith »

agree with SJ. a forward thinking company will have this kind of policy and to be quite honest, one of my previous schools only got the IB to be able to put the sticker on the window. 3 years later and thankfully they've been booted from the organization. an organization that touts reflection and process and feedback/feedforward NOT having this type of policy would be a bit strange, wouldn't it?

v.
DomeVet
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Joined: Thu Mar 15, 2018 12:16 am

Re: IB 'Feedback and Complaints' and 'Whistleblowing Policy'

Post by DomeVet »

I read their whistleblowing policy. It states "This policy applies to disclosures relating to improper practices occurring within the IB or an IB World School". I guess there may have been problems in the IB itself. And the complaints procedure is stated to be used for IB courses and other products. But who knows.
PsyGuy
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Location: Northern Europe

Response

Post by PsyGuy »

The IB has had an inspectorate as part of the QAF for a long time. You should understand that its whistle blowers policy is more idealistic and aspirational than anything else. The IB cant force an IS to do very much outside of authorization, it cant make an IS retain an IT or anything else. At most the IB can do is withdraw authorization. To that end an IS can almost always justify dismissal or other disciplinary action for just about any reason that isnt whistle blowing. An IT is going to have more recourse using the regional/local labor and arbitration system than relying on the IB.
sid
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Joined: Sat Dec 02, 2006 11:44 am

Re: IB 'Feedback and Complaints' and 'Whistleblowing Policy'

Post by sid »

I see no reason to suspect that the existence of whistleblower policy means there must be problems.
My school has a grievance procedure. Pretty common for schools to have one. Ours hasn't been used even once, not ever. When the school was set up, it was advised to implement a grievance procedure. So they did. Its existence means nothing more than that we're ready for a grievance if we ever need to be.
Most good schools these days also have Child Protection Policies and Child Protection Officers. Their existence does not mean that the schools are full of criminals. Just that we're ready and have our eyes wide open.
PsyGuy
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Joined: Wed Oct 12, 2011 9:51 am
Location: Northern Europe

Disscussion

Post by PsyGuy »

I do, most decisions, actions and policies of IE and edu in general are reactionary.
TeacherGal
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Re: IB 'Feedback and Complaints' and 'Whistleblowing Policy'

Post by TeacherGal »

I agree with Psyguy. I think think they would have these policies because they have had problems in the past. I think they also foresee problems arising in the future. I know staff who have worked in the IB and IB schools who say the IB does sell a lot of junk: posters, tie pins, etc. and that some schools buy loads of it and the IB just loves that. But they won't say that publicly (the IB or the staff). The IB is a bit of a money mill. Think of all the courses they offer too. I bet it's a similar business model the Church of Scientology has for their courses. I've paid for a few IB courses and thought they were pretty junky. And the IB itself says the policies are for problems with the IB itself, not just IB schools.
DustyBoots
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Joined: Wed Dec 11, 2019 8:50 pm

Re: IB 'Feedback and Complaints' and 'Whistleblowing Policy'

Post by DustyBoots »

I agree with Psyguy. I think think they would have these policies because they have had problems in the past. I think they also foresee problems arising in the future. I know staff who have worked in the IB and IB schools who say the IB sells lots of junk: posters, tie clips, hoodies, coffee mugs, etc. and that the IB could have a few landfills named after it. Some schools buy loads of this crap and the IB just loves it. But IB staff won't speak publicly about this. The IB is a money mill. Think of all the courses they offer to solve any and all school ills. I bet the IB's course offerings business model is similar to that of the Church of Scientology. I've paid for a few IB courses and thought they were pretty junky. Anyway, the IB itself says the policies apply to problems with the IB and not just IB schools.
vandsmith
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Joined: Sat Oct 25, 2014 12:16 am

Re: IB 'Feedback and Complaints' and 'Whistleblowing Policy'

Post by vandsmith »

DustyBoots wrote:
> I agree with Psyguy. I think think they would have these policies because
> they have had problems in the past. I think they also foresee problems
> arising in the future. I know staff who have worked in the IB and IB
> schools who say the IB sells lots of junk: posters, tie clips, hoodies,
> coffee mugs, etc. and that the IB could have a few landfills named after
> it. Some schools buy loads of this crap and the IB just loves it. But IB
> staff won't speak publicly about this. The IB is a money mill. Think of all
> the courses they offer to solve any and all school ills. I bet the IB's
> course offerings business model is similar to that of the Church of
> Scientology. I've paid for a few IB courses and thought they were pretty
> junky. Anyway, the IB itself says the policies apply to problems with the
> IB and not just IB schools.

i think the first mistake is paying for any of the courses yourself.
and if schools buy loads of junk, that's their problem.
further, if the ib sells a bunch of stuff that produces a large amount of waste, won't it look great when an ib student starts looking at sustainability and then asks them why they sell of this crap?
i'm not sure about the CoS connection, though i agree that in some ways the ib of yore was/is cultish (though not necessarily in a bad way).
anyways.
v.
shadowjack
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Joined: Sat Oct 06, 2012 9:49 am

Re: IB 'Feedback and Complaints' and 'Whistleblowing Policy'

Post by shadowjack »

Gotta agree with vandsmith - if you are paying for your courses, you are not at a good school. If your school is buying a lot of IB trinkets, you are not at a good IB school. If you think the IB is just a money mill, you are not at a good school.

But hey, one day you might be!
GoingMyWay
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Joined: Sat Dec 14, 2019 10:30 am

Re: IB 'Feedback and Complaints' and 'Whistleblowing Policy'

Post by GoingMyWay »

I am a teacher and completed an online IB workshop this past year and do not think I was treated fairly. The problem was purely related to the business/profit side of the IB. I was pretty shocked at what they did considering the Learner Profile attributes, attitudes, etc. which the IB espouses. I lodged a concern with the IB but they were not sympathetic. I followed up with two polite emails; the last one they never even bothered replying to. I've been thinking of lodging a complaint with the Better Business Bureau. I'm going to try again through their 'Feedback and Complaints' page. If successfully resolved I'll move on but if not if anyone is interested I'll post here what the problem was. Maybe someone will have suggestions for further action.
PsyGuy
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Joined: Wed Oct 12, 2011 9:51 am
Location: Northern Europe

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Post by PsyGuy »

How does having someone else paying for junk courses make them less junk?

@GoingMyWay

They didnt reply because they werent going to give you what you wanted.
The Better Business Bureau (BBB) is worth nothing. You only get and keep negative reviews/complaint when you dont join the BBB, and when they do join, they just send an email and as long as the business replies your complaint then goes away.
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