to be upset with my colleague?

[Meluzyna]

I'm a teacher in a Secondary shcool and I don't have my own room..... I move from classroom to classroom all day. Some of the other staff who teach my subject are allocated rooms in which they spend most of the day, but because i work part time I don't merit a room of my own.
These days we use overhead projectors with the computer at the teacher's desk as a matter of course;... and we use USB sticks for our documents.
Knowing that I am likely to forget to remove my USB stick and leave it in "someone else's" classroom all the ones I use at school are clearly labelled with my name.
On Monday I forgot a USB with all my schoolwork on it in someone else's classroom. The school was closed before I realised.
I don't go in on Tuesdays or Wednesdays - part time, as I said.
So today I went in expecting either to find the USB in my pigeonhole - this is what colleagues usualy do with it when they find one whose owner they can identify - or still in the computer where i'd left it.
It wasn't in either place and when I asked the colleague whose room it was she said "oh, yes, I took it out of the machine to put my USB stick in - and left it on the table there". Of course it is nowhere to be found. The pupils wouldn't help themselves to something that was attached to the computer, but anything else that's not glued or screwed down will "walk".
My POV is that she became responsible for the USB stick when she moved it - and should therefore have taken care of it until she could put it in my pigeonhole or give it back to me. I work on a "do as you would be done by" attitude - and regularly go out of my way to make sure that colleagues (and even pupils, on occasion) are reunited with their stuff if I happen upon it when I arrive in a classroom.
AIBU to think that she should either have left it exactly where she found it (i.e. in the computer, even if that meant putting it back there when she removed her own) or have taken care of it by putting it in her own pencil case until such time as she could return it to me?
There was a lot of stuff on that USB - of course I have a back up, but I don't like the thought of pupils going through it all - especially as it has my name on it!

[WonkoTheSane42]

I'm also a teacher and no, you need to remember to remove your stuff from rooms. It's no-one's responsibility but yours to make sure you have your own stuff, especially if the data is sensitive.

[Jessesbitch]

I teach pt too and move around. I upload my work to the school system and just open it in my area. I never use a USB. Is this an option? I constantly leave my pens in other rooms and usually just pick them up next time I'm passing through.

I think you may be slighty unreasonable. You left it there. If this is a FT colleague maybe she has a lot more work/is busier than you. I would probably forget to do it myself as sound as I started teaching the class.

[teacher54321]

Also a teacher. Why didn't you email the teacher and say 'I've left my memory stick behind can you possibly stick it in my pigeonhole please?'

[Jessesbitch]

*as soon

[Duckdeamon]

Sorry you lost you work, but yabu I'm afraid. Your colleague could have been more helpful but it's unreasonable to hold everyone to your standards, particularly when you're all under pressure.

If you feel it's unfair that you don't have allocated space (even shared space) at school because of being PT then raise that with management: it's unfair and not in the spirit of the equal treatment for PT workers EU directive!

[Birdsgottafly]

It would be better if she had of made sure that it got back safely to its owner and it makes for a better working environment.

However, I think even the Head would agree that, she isn't responsible for its loss.

My youngest DD has LDs, but her school and now her college, make it clear that they are responsible for their own stuff/work and if they lose Coursework, then they could fail.

I've worked between Offices and if I lost my USB, I could be facing legal charges, as could my Collegues.

You've got to get into the habit of taking it with you, losing stuff is what gets us into that habit.

[MrsLeighHalfpenny]

You need to be more careful about looking after confidential information. If the USB has pupils' details on it, that is a serious offence.

[swarley]

Maybe she forgot she took it out/left it on the desk. Why is it ok for you to forget about it but not her? If it was left in her computer and she needed to use the usb port... of course she was going to move it, that doesn't make her responsible for it. Do you always try find someone to blame for your own forgetfulness?

[TiggerPiggerPoohBumWee]

My POV is that she became responsible for the USB stick when she moved it

Er, no. Imagine if a child you taught tried that excuse for losing their work, not a chance.
You left your USB behind. You failed to call or email anyone to look for it and keep it for you. You went in days later expecting someone else to look after your work when you hadn't bothered to.
Excuses excuses.

[Pico2]

Is it encrypted? Does it contain anything sensitive? There are lots of industries that ban USB memory sticks because of the risks. I'm surprised that your school is ok with this system. I'd say it's your risk and you need to attach your data stick to something you'll never walk out without, so you don't forget it.

[YourLeftElbow]

YABU. The fact that you put your name on it doesn't mean that you can expect people to arrange for it to get back to you when you're careless. Sorry.

[PuppyMonkey]

You're the one who forgot the stick so carelessly in the first place though, so what is your responsibility in this?

[ApocalypseSlough]

I hate USBs for this very reason. I email everything. Everything. When I get into work on Tuesday half my inbox will be photos, files, letters reminders etc. from me to me to sort through.
though. People being cavalier about my stuff gets my goat. Looking at you HS who chucked out a lovely cardigan when she went into the staff room to mark her territory tidy up one half term.

[Lunar1]

How is she more at fault than you? Maybe she took it out with the intention of returning it and forgot. Just like you did. You need to look after your own things. Is there anything sensitive on there.

My usb is always on my keys, can't lose it then!

[SquinkiesRule]

Your problem as you forgot to remove it.
Get yourself some UBS sticks that are key rings, and attach your car keys, you can't drive home without them.

[sonjadog]

Your usb pen, your responsibilty. The other teacher was busy with her own stuff and probably forgot. Nice if she had remembered to take it with her, but in no way her responsibility.

[BillSykesDog]

YABVU. And to be honest, it sounds like you may do it so often your colleagues are sick of it. Being careless with your stuff then expecting other people to show a standard of care for your belongings that you do not exercise yourself is vvvvu.

[wannabestressfree]

If you taught in my room and left your USB in my computer I would have done the same...

[Narp]

It would be nice if she went out of her way to put it in your pigeonhole
But agree with this really:

"Love how its ok for you to leave it lying around but not for anyone else to do the same"

I'm sure you'd want to inculcate your teenage pupils with a sense of kindness but also responsibility for their own possessions

[RortyCrankle]

YABVU. Your USB stick - your responsibility. Your colleague is in no way to blame and you are ridiculous to suggest that she is.

Maybe this will teach you to be responsible for your own items in future although assuming you are an adult its a lesson you should already have learned.

[LagunaBubbles]

YABU, why is it always someone else's responsibility for some people?

[oldlaundbooth]

You need DropBox.

[almostthirty]

Yabu. I'm in a similar situation so have my USB attached to my lanyard which has my door access fob attached. I can't leave it behind because I wouldn't be able to move around the school.

[Falling270]

Sorry but YABU. If I saw something of my colleagues lying around that they had forgotten (how often do you forget these?) I wouldn't assume responsibility for whatever it is they'd lost.