Dealing with toxic school leadership

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Worldismyoyster
Posts: 1
Joined: Fri Dec 15, 2023 3:45 pm

Dealing with toxic school leadership

Post by Worldismyoyster »

What would you do if you worked in a school and the new Head promised the earth to parents and then made it teachers fault when they can’t deliver? When the SLT join forces to bully anyone who does not instantly fall in line? When individuals are targetted and thrown under the bus in public meetings? When “everyone deserves equal respect”, but some are respected more than others? When they shout at people like they do the children to “sit down and listen to me when I’m talking to you” and instruct staff to respect their elders saying they know more about education simply because they are older, and therefore should not be questioned. When staff and students are encouraged to share their feedback and concerns, then belittled, undermined or threatened with being asked to leave for doing so? When nobody dares say anything the Head then says everyone is happy.

Would you stay and play the game of keeping your head lower than your colleagues’ and take comfort knowing that majority of staff and students feel the same way you do - dread at coming to school and fear of what might happen next?

Would you leave after one term and pretend the nightmare next happened and that you were taking a sabbatical?

Would you finish the academic year then break contract knowing that you could never get a decent reference from anyone on the SLT team?

The school is ok. Staff are hard working, students are disrespect when they are rebellious which they are becoming now, but the ineffective and toxic leadership style originating from the top is permeating through the leadership team and creating a very unhealthy working and studying environment.

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PsyGuy
Posts: 10793
Joined: Wed Oct 12, 2011 9:51 am
Location: Northern Europe

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Post by PsyGuy »

Either do the bobble head or implement your exit strategy. You will not change anything, so either cope or move on.
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