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Teacher bullying

17 replies

1000mph · 17/01/2023 15:50

I have teens in year 10 and year 8 who have been regularly bullied by the same two teachers. It began with my year 10 child when she was year 8, they seemed to take a dislike to her and would blame her for many things she didn’t do and punishing her with daily detentions. I first thought she was being difficult in school and sympathised with the teachers to then hear the full story from my child a year later when she began to feel depressed by it. My year 8 child was then picked on by the same two teachers from day 1 just for being their sibling. It is now at the point they both have daily detentions and miss their lunchtimes because these two teachers make untrue claims about them both, which is confirmed by their friends and other teachers to be incorrect. I have refused to send them to detentions as I know it is bullying and not because they have earned a detention through poor behaviour. They are both polite and well behaved, concentrate on their school work and have never been an issue to any ne else in the school but these two teachers supposedly. They are support staff and do not have direct links to be around my children but go out of their way to bump into them and make comments. I have applied to other local schools to pull them out as they are both deeply unhappy there, but I know it can take months or longer. I am just so upset that adults would think this is acceptable especially as teens are sensitive and it can affect their confidence. I have had a meeting in the school and they insist my children are the issue as they are disruptive but there is no proof of this. The teachers have both been rude to me too when they have spoken to me on the phone they were very abrupt and didn’t even have the courtesy to say hello or goodbye. Has anyone been through something similar and can advise me on what to do next or how to build proof? Anything would really help as I’m at a loss and feel really worried about sending them to that school not knowing what happens when they’re alone.

OP posts:
Georgeskitchen · 17/01/2023 16:58

Put everything in writing to the school governors including witness statements. They have to take action.

KatMcBundleFace · 17/01/2023 17:01

How would other teachers know what happens in a separate class?

Regardless of that, have you spoken to heads of year /departments or other senior leaders about your concerns?

PAFMO · 17/01/2023 17:02

Two teachers both making up things about two students because they are siblings?
Obviously, it could happen. I presume that given the older child was having daily detention two years ago you were contacted about her supposed behaviour? How did those meetings go? Was any plan out in place to manage behaviour?
How have you heard that other teachers also believe the 2 teachers are making things up?

noblegiraffe · 17/01/2023 17:03

Are they teachers or support staff? It seems odd that they don't teach your child but have them in daily detention. What are the detentions for?

Schools tend to have CCTV which could back up or disprove any claims.

PAFMO · 17/01/2023 17:08

Oops. Missed the bit that they were support staff.
Still odd.

TugboatAnnie · 17/01/2023 17:09

Daily detentions for two years? Surely this would be flagged up by senior management and you would have had some sort of communication after a few weeks! Also the support staff would have been flagged up as well for repeated detentions. All this sort of stuff is logged and can be seen at a glance.

Alighttouchonthetiller · 17/01/2023 17:09

This sounds very odd. Are they teachers or support staff? I'm amazed that anyone in education has time for this sort of orchestrated persecution of two innocent angelic children who never do anything wrong. I assume you set up meetings with school immediately it all started (which must have been during the last lockdown for your older child). What do the school say?

1000mph · 17/01/2023 17:26

I had no communications about my year 10 when the detentions started I queried the behaviour issues and they didn’t know what to say. They accuse them of being rude to staff, disrupting lessons and doing illegal things such a graffiti in the toilets (which was proven to be other children but they were still punished) and smashing a window (again proven to be a child with SEN but they didn’t apologise for accusing them wrongly). They have different roles in the school but are mainly support staff. Their actual teachers have never reported concerns and they always have fantastic feedback on parent evenings. To report it and hold a meeting about them being treated unfairly it is those two specific teachers that need to be contacted. When I asked one of the teachers to explain what behaviour is rude she hung up on me. They obviously have a personal issue but I don’t know what or why. I just think they are bullies and enjoy upsetting children as there is no other reason to lie.

OP posts:
TugboatAnnie · 17/01/2023 18:21

Why aren't you going above these staff members? You need to make an appointment with someone senior to discuss what you've said here and ask for specific examples of bad behaviour. It doesn't sound quite right to me. Any level of bad behaviour anywhere near that quantity would not be allowed to carry on for that length of time.

DueyCheatemAndHow · 17/01/2023 18:24

Your kids have been given daily detentions for 2 years and you're only now questioning it?

PictureConsequences · 17/01/2023 18:29

Yes, why haven't you already taken this up with the school?! Make an appointment to see the head or the heads of year.

VincaBlue · 17/01/2023 20:36

1000mph · 17/01/2023 17:26

I had no communications about my year 10 when the detentions started I queried the behaviour issues and they didn’t know what to say. They accuse them of being rude to staff, disrupting lessons and doing illegal things such a graffiti in the toilets (which was proven to be other children but they were still punished) and smashing a window (again proven to be a child with SEN but they didn’t apologise for accusing them wrongly). They have different roles in the school but are mainly support staff. Their actual teachers have never reported concerns and they always have fantastic feedback on parent evenings. To report it and hold a meeting about them being treated unfairly it is those two specific teachers that need to be contacted. When I asked one of the teachers to explain what behaviour is rude she hung up on me. They obviously have a personal issue but I don’t know what or why. I just think they are bullies and enjoy upsetting children as there is no other reason to lie.

If they don't teach your dc how would they accuse them of disrupting lessons? Wouldn't the actual teacher say to the support staff "You weren't in my lesson and they were well behaved?"
What happens when you tell your dc not to attend the detention? They wouldn't get away with not going in my dcs' school

1000mph · 17/01/2023 23:56

They tell me their teacher reported their disruption except the teachers deny it. My year 10 has spoken to a teacher they trust who advised them to confront both support staff which I find odd and asking for trouble. I have encouraged them to stand up for themselves and question incorrect information but again this has made the bullying worse. Regarding the detentions I just get an email stating they did not attend and it will be rebooked for the next day, they extend it by 10 minutes for every further detention they receive. They both spent an entire school day in detention as I refused to send them without good reason. I have seen a post on social media that the head of year group had falsely accused a child of something serious which involved the police, this has made me wary about talking to any staff about this situation as they seem to protect each other and I know it will cause further bullying. Parents have claimed to overhear teachers calling students offensive names. Their ofstead rating has dropped significantly and many parents have pulled their children from the school, now it makes sense. This is why these two staff members are happy to do this as it’s acceptable in this school and fighting it will get me no where.

OP posts:
VincaBlue · 18/01/2023 15:59

You could ask to meet to speak about their behaviour.

Lyrech · 20/01/2023 21:10

I am sorry to hear this is happening to your daughters. I can relate to this in many ways.
My son's headteacher refuses to admit my son is being bullied, by her own son! Since I started to email her about the incidents she has been similarly to what you described, rather unpleasant.
The class teacher then along with the head sat and told me all my son's flaws trying to paint a picture of autism! Since then, the same bunch of teachers have refused to write a reference letter supporting his scholarship application to independent school. I've had to explain to the new school what is happening and it was a huge relief. I've felt crazy and gaslit. But I know deep down from lots of experience working with schools that the teachers are for some reason biased and labelling my son. My son is academic and sporty and very social. Sometimes a chatterbox in class. He shines on the rugby field and I am now thinking they have a problem with him being so able? For now I am doing nothing as it seems to escalate if I question or inform them of anything else I am concerned about. But I will deal with it once my son is out of their horrible school

MrWhippersnapper · 20/01/2023 21:13

This story makes no sense.

QueenMabs · 20/01/2023 22:56

It's hard to follow I agree.

They are not teacher but OP is calling them teachers.

How do the children relate to the support staff who are giving detentions? It's only really teaching staff in lessons and non teaching heads of year who would give a detention.

If it's not teaching staff (subject teachers) giving detentions it must be for behaviour outside of lessons.

All sounds very odd but OP you and children are distressed and there is no resolution I suggest OP move schools.

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