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AIBU?

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Original poster

Vaping at work

84 replies

Supermummy88 · 16/01/2024 19:01

Good evening all,

Not quite a AIBU, but I’m in a really difficult situation at work. I just started a new job back in October at a secondary school(I’m a teacher). It’s a nice department and I feel like I’ve settled in well. One of the other teachers who I get on well with has vaped in my classroom on an occasion. This was when there was also another member of staff in my classroom. Considering I’m new and don’t like to get involved in any work place conflict, I didn’t say anything to anyone but did advise her not to and recommended that she perhaps go outside of the school building.

However, today my line manager has told me that other members of staff have told her that this teacher has vaped in my classroom and that i now need to write up a statement confirming that she has vaped. I had no choice but to write a short statement. I also got told that she already had a verbal warning about vaping on the school premises before I had started.

She is a lovely person and very helpful…shares her resources etc. Should I talk to her and tell her about the situation and that she could perhaps get a written warning about this? And maybe let her know that I had to write a statement, or should I leave it? I’ve never been in any sort of situation like this before. I don’t want my line manager being annoyed with me either as I’ve just started here.

Thank you xxx

OP posts:
Original poster
Supermummy88 · 18/01/2024 09:19

@Tattletwat she has a good relationship with the headteacher so I don’t know what nonsense she’s told him. But he clearly thinks I’m the liar in all of this. I have been really distressed about this and now feel I’m going to be looked at in a different light. Then she came into my classroom this morning and gave me a hug and said don’t be stressed and don’t worry. Her room is opposite mine so it’s difficult for me to ignore her.

She also got a payout from the last school she worked at because she was treated unfairly etc and they caused her to have mental health issues so she took legal action against them and won. She’s now saying that our line manager broke confidentiality rules because she’s not allowed to talk about members of staff to anyone.

OP posts:
Tattletwat · 18/01/2024 09:06

Ignore her she's stirring shit and now she's been caught she's trying to take you down.

I wouldn't even talk to her any more.

She is a pathetic person and isn't worth your time.

Original poster
Supermummy88 · 18/01/2024 09:00

So a quick update…she’s come into my room saying the head teacher has said I’m the one who approached my line manager about her vaping in my room. She’s then said that the headteacher is very disappointed that I’ve lied and made out that I was approached by my line manager and that it seems like I’m playing both sides because I don’t want to look like the bad one in this. Headteacher walked past me and ignored me this morning. Honestly I’m just thinking about leaving here now because if this has happened just within my first I don’t know what else will happen. Apparently head teacher also told her that he wants to interview me about this.

OP posts:
Passingthethyme · 18/01/2024 07:07

Supermummy88 · 17/01/2024 20:08

She’s over 40! The situation has caused me such bad anxiety that I don’t even want to go into work. Before the Xmas holidays she came into my room to vape and closed the door and locked it from inside (we have lock that you can turn in each classroom), and it was just a coincidence that our line manager tried to come in and the room was locked. My manager did talk to me about this and I told her that it wasn’t me that locked the door. Since that day manager has been out to her and find evidence of her vaping

I just read this. She totally deserves it, even locking the door like this, let alone putting you in an awkward situation.

Passingthethyme · 18/01/2024 07:05

I think she deserves whatever she gets if she was dumb enough to vape in a classroom. Don't feel bad OP, but you could give her a heads up if you really wanted to (I'd probably do it after and say you had been requested to do it which is true).

GrammarTeacher · 18/01/2024 06:28

this is genuinely bizarre. It was your classroom. Why didn't you tell her to get out and stop straight away. And report it. Vaping is a huge issue in some schools and that a member of staff thought this was acceptable is beyond comprehension!

Doingmybest12 · 18/01/2024 06:03

Regarding the come back on you for not reporting first, all you can say is 'sorry, my judgement was wrong on this , it won't happen again' presumably you made your own assessment at the time about whether what happened was OK or not something you wanted to draw attention to. Your judgement was wrong, its bitten you on the bum. Own it and move on.

Theatrefan12 · 17/01/2024 23:18

You sound very inexperienced for someone who has been teaching for 15 years. From the tone of your posts I thought you were going to say this was your first role after qualifying

If someone came into my classroom and started vaping I would be asking them what the hell they were doing and to get out. If they want to do that then they can do it in their own room

I also wouldn’t have had an issue reporting them or giving my statement because what responsible teacher vapes in a school of all places

stomachameleon · 17/01/2024 23:09

@deeprealisation I wish someone would tell our kids that at school...

whiteboardking · 17/01/2024 23:03

She knows the rules.
Vaping in schools and other workplaces is a total no

Original poster
Supermummy88 · 17/01/2024 22:31

Yes this is the thing….it looks like I covered for her because I never reported it, but other staff member did! So this teacher put me in a situation where my line manager has had to talk to me about it and say I know she’s been vaping in your room, can you please write this up in a statement. Horrible situation to be in

OP posts:
stomachameleon · 17/01/2024 22:16

I suppose it's her last line of defence!

Tattletwat · 17/01/2024 21:52

Supermummy88 · 17/01/2024 21:27

Yes you’re absolutely right @Doingmybest12 I’m just going to keep my head down. The way she went straight to our line manager saying she was being targeted and that there’s no trust within staff members and that she’s resigning . I got told that she’s threatened to resign many times in the past and that this is an ongoing issue since last year

I hate this she is being targeted no you ain't it's because you keep breaking rules.

All this her fault she needs to stop being victim.

hurlyburlygirly · 17/01/2024 21:45

I'm in hr and see depressingly often that when people are cornered, they quickly start chucking other people under buses.

Always stay factual, professional and keep your distance. It's horrible being dragged into a mess not of your making. I do sympathise.

Original poster
Supermummy88 · 17/01/2024 21:36

@MrsHamlet yes I’ve never experienced anything like it in my 15 years of teaching! I very rarely post of here, but felt the need to as I needed some advise about this situation. There is such a shortage of teachers that they are holding onto anyone at the moment regardless of their behaviour.

OP posts:
MrsHamlet · 17/01/2024 21:32

Your school sounds wildly unprofessional, frankly.

Original poster
Supermummy88 · 17/01/2024 21:30

But I just feel like I shouldn’t have told her I was approached by line manager. But I told her because I was paranoid she would come into my classroom and vape again. I thought if I told her that people have complained she would be a lot more careful and go out of the school building to do so. I did it out of good intentions, but seemed to backfire on me

OP posts:
Original poster
Supermummy88 · 17/01/2024 21:27

Yes you’re absolutely right @Doingmybest12 I’m just going to keep my head down. The way she went straight to our line manager saying she was being targeted and that there’s no trust within staff members and that she’s resigning . I got told that she’s threatened to resign many times in the past and that this is an ongoing issue since last year

OP posts:
TheSlantedOwl · 17/01/2024 21:24

You've done nothing wrong. She fucked up, repeatedly, knowing it wasn’t ok. She deserves to be reprimanded and if she can’t handle that she can resign.

Stay neutral and professional. You’ve got nothing to feel bad about.

Doingmybest12 · 17/01/2024 21:20

You only just met this person, she was warned about her behaviour, she decided to do it again and pulled you into the situation too. Why are you worrying about her, set your professional standards a bit higher and learn and move on.

stomachameleon · 17/01/2024 21:19

Listen sorry I am not getting at you.
Both have lied now though and it's put you in a difficult position.
I would just keep your head down.
I know school can be tough.

stomachameleon · 17/01/2024 21:14

@Supermummy88 I do agree with @Tattletwat but I Don't know why you would then tell her? What do you think would happen?

Original poster
Supermummy88 · 17/01/2024 21:03

No I wasn’t asked ‘if’ she was vaping. I was told that I was present whilst she was vaping in my room and that another staff member was there…I couldn’t just shrug my shoulders! I had to admit it, otherwise it would have been my word against the other staff member

OP posts:
stomachameleon · 17/01/2024 20:34

@Supermummy88 you weren't pulled up on it. You were asked. You made a decision about what you would say. You could have shrugged your shoulders and get on with your day.
I would suggest her card is probably marked though.
I just wouldn't have told her. There's your error.

Tattletwat · 17/01/2024 20:23

Try not to get stressed, she knows to follow the rules and she still behaved like a ass.

She could easily complied but she made choices not too her situation is all her own doing.