To report this? What would happen?

I wouldn't report it but I would tell her what I overheard instead. Most likely she will be mortified and that will be lesson enough.

not i wouldnt report, bit sanctimonious

Stop listening to other people’s convos. What would your report say? I overheard a private conversation and there was swearing involved.

Secondary school teacher here 🙋‍♀️

I think it’s well established at this point in the thread that it’s highly unlikely the kids heard - if they had, there’s no way this would still be a secret. It’d be everywhere. They’d have all been singing it at them as they left to get on their buses. So I don’t think you need to worry about the safeguarding aspect of the impact on the students.

So what you’re really deciding here is whether you want to report them for the impact it has had on you as a colleague in your workplace. Only you can decide that. Personally I probably wouldn’t, but I have certainly known people to be reported for less.

In terms of what will happen: probably very little. She is not going to lose her job. Whoever you report it to will speak to her line manager, who will raise it with her and tell her to be careful about what she says at work. I can almost guarantee that that will be it.

So it’s up to you.

edited to correct typo

You say you don’t think children heard.

It sounds like they had a private disagreement in a different room.

Also be careful what you thought you heard might not be the reality.

I once heard shouted ‘sit on the fucking chair’ in a school. I would have sworn it under oath - however when I intervened in fact what was said was ‘sit on the…… chair’ the ‘fucking’ had come from a group of boys walking outside that had drifted through

ask first of everything is ok ? Big pause and if no reply expand with that you heard aggressive language ? And again wait. No reply then report to head. Talk fist

You are being ridiculous.

Did you ask her if she was ok?

No I wouldn't report her, she could have stuff going on. How would reporting her help the situation?

By asking her how she is, she may ask why do you ask and you say 'i heard you swearing' - hopefully the penny will drop that she needs to use her inside voice

Christ. Imagine you've just found out your husband is having an affair, you hold it together all day, have a row in what you think is a private room after the kids' home time, and then find out your colleague has reported you for it.

Assuming that this isn't usual behaviour and that she didn't pick a place she knew children were around, just leave it.

If they are waiting on buses then they are not five year olds and you are fairly certain they didn't get hear

If it becomes a pattern then that's something else.

If they didn't hear then mind your business

I guess you could be a snitch. You know when you report a conversation a colleague had with her husband that you overheard that you weren't meant to. A conversation which children are unlikely to have overheard and when school was out for the term. I mean your desperately upset colleague could be even more upset but don't let that worry you. I mean say she did something foolish like hurting herself it wouldn't really be your fault, would it? In fact, I would describe somebody acting like this with another word rhyming with snitch. If you really wanted to be helpful you could keep your mouth firmly shut. After all, management aren't likely to thank you for landing them with the issue of who said what when. In a sense you were an eavesdropper and should have removed yourself when you became aware you were listening to what was meant to be a private conversation.

It was the last day of term and no kids heard. Let it go.

YABU
it did not affect their ability to do their job. No children heard
it was after teaching hours.
you have absolutely no context as to why she was saying this eg finding out horrific news.
this isn’t constructive, it’s going to damage her job and life. Jeez if I made a mistake I’d hope a colleague would check on me/ support me.

a human response would have been to knock on and ‘say everything ok? Heard a bit of noise out here and don’t want the kids to be worried.’ Or ‘sorry to interrupt- are you ok? You probably don’t realise but we can hear you outside and don’t want the kids to hear this’.

Personally I wouldn't report two adults having a verbal row in a room by themselves. But I would tell them that they could be overheard. They almost certainly didn't realise from what you've said.

Speak directly to her. Don’t tell tales on her

@Thecastle1

my bet is shagging the HT over her desk.

In hindsight, I would have gone into the room and said “Is everything okay, we can hear shouting/raised voices” just to make them aware they could be heard.

I think it’s majorly unprofessional to use that language at work, never mind in a school where children/teens are present.

It’s hard to advise what to do. Me, personally I wouldn’t report as there is no evidence that any students did hear them. I’d just keep an eye on them and if the same thing happens again then I’d probably inform the Head.

because really it’s your word against theirs

The OP would be believed over two people denying they were swearing at each other. She’s hardly going to make it up. She can pinpoint the classroom and the time. Presumably one of them was supposed to be in the classroom for whatever reason. It will be presumed they either deny or apologise.
If they lie, the OP can also lie and say that the children must have heard it. One or more of them possibly did.

I’ll probably tell your colleague that they can be heard from another room but otherwise, what’s the point of reporting. It was a private conversation that no child heard and also, they can both easily say that wasn’t what was said and you’ll now look like the busy body in front of the whole school because really it’s your word against theirs

So was it in earshot of the children or not? Asking as you say they didn’t hear and I am sure if it had been within ear shot you would have done something to distract the kids/ minimise the noise/ alert the couple that they were being heard as clearly from this post you are a vet concerned and proactive lady.
is the husband okay, OP?

Yes report it.

It’s a workplace. If they can’t be professional at their workplace, it needs to be addressed. I can’t think of an office where a couple swearing at each other would ever be acceptable for their adult colleagues let alone schoolchildren.

There are a lot of teachers in MN who will automatically tell you it isn’t your business but it is your workplace too.

You need to calm down and mind your own business, no kids heard so I'm not sure what the problem is or why you'd want to cause a problem reporting it

To be fair, if I had to work with my DH I'd probably call him that every day!😏

You don't think the kids heard, i'd ignore it, sounds like a one off.

I hardly doubt they're regularly having fights in empty classrooms and calling each other fucking cunts.

If it happens again then perhaps have a word with either one of them.

I'm more interested to know what he did to deserve being called that 😄

‘I was shocked, horrified’
🙄
God have a day off and mind your business.

Definitely don’t report. It was a one off argument at the end of the school day. It Wasn’t in front of a class of kids. Even if anyone did hear I’m sure they’ve heard worse, it isn’t really that shocking!