“You are PATHETIC!!!!!” yelled to a student by a member of senior management

[mechanicalpencil]

The student was singled out in assembly and this was part of a rant directed at him in morning assembly in front of the whole school (small, international school, 100 students) by a member of senior management. Followed by “if you don’t know what that means, look it up in a dictionary!” The manager completely lost it: red face, shouting etc I was present as I was attending to afternoon registration.

The student in question had been swearing at lunchtime and a member of staff had overheard and reported it to the senior member of management.

This is typical behaviour of the manager in question.

Should I report it?
or is this what you would expect if your child had been swearing?

That's very poor behaviour by the manager.

Not ideal by the student either though. I don't think I would report it.

When you say student you mean under 18? If so I'd be wavering.

Yes, the boy is 14/15.

… and this is a typical example of the manager in question’s style.

I think it's unacceptable actually. The manager is humiliating and belittling the student. Not acceptable.

Why doesn't he like the swearing? Does it show poor control, bad etiquette and is disrespectful to others?? Hmm.

If you have the right relationship I'd go direct and stare at him until he squirms at his own absurdity. From the sound of him, he wouldn't get it so I would be more likely to report him.

I often apologise to my toddler when I get frustrated or over react, it's part of being a grown up and setting a good example. He needs to do the same.

Completely unacceptable. Student should be disciplined for swearing, but not in front of whole school. As a parent I would be furious,

thanks very much for all the votes/comments so far. It's really helpful to hear objective opinions!

Be respectful to be respected. Model the behaviour you want to see in the student.
That is not appropriate behaviour by the staff member.

This is awful from the manager, completely unacceptable in a workplace and the school have a duty of care to those children. Even if the boy has been behaving badly he's a child and adults in his life shouldn't be modelling abusive, aggressive behaviour like this. If I spoke to someone like this in any workplace I would expect to lose my job. And I've worked in front line life or death situations, there's no excuse for acting this unprofessional and bullying a young teenager.

Thanks for your messages and honest opinions everyone.

At the time, I was extremely uncomfortable seeing an adult and supposed role model loosing control and humiliating a student in front of the whole school. I didn't do anything about it as I wondered whether or not I was overacting.

However, it has been on my mind and (I didn't want to mention this too much in the poll), there have been multiple instances of unprofessional behaviour since and when you connect the dots I think this is definitely something that needs to be taken further.

I think the student needed to be taken aside and spoken to in a calm and professional manner and the issue addressed that way.

This wouldn't be acceptable in a workplace (done to a colleague), so it's not acceptable in a school.

I think it's actually appalling that a person in a position of trust and authority would speak to a child like that in front of the whole school. If I thought my child was being treated that way I'd complain and Id expect other adults witnessing it to raise it. You feel uncomfortable because it isn't right and your gut knows it

I'm finding it hard to see what a child could do that would warrant that and it's not an effective discipline method anyway. Surely it's just causing shame?!

Also if it helps that sounds like an adult that is not ok and youd presumably be getting help for them too.

I know it's hard but you have to report it