I just need someone to give me a yes or no here please

[ThePerkyCoralPoet]

I have two weeks of my employment remaining. I handed my notice in a few weeks ago and I’m in my notice period. I work in education and I had an incident happen on Thursday I was teaching and a heavy object came in my direction forcefully and hit me. It’s claimed that this wasn’t supposed to happen and was meant to hit another student. Once the lesson ended I burst into tears and lots of pupils saw it while walking past. It’s embarrassing and I felt let down by the school response.

I spend the day talking to friends and discussing options. I really wanted to tell my students I was going to be leaving but I never had the chance and was leaving it until this Monday. Due to the nature of the incident. I’m not feeling up to returning and I and feeling really undecided about what I should do.

I considered taking time off this week and maybe returning next week to let them know I’m leaving. Or just taking the rest of the time off. Part of me feels to embarrassed to return (this has never happened to any other staff member) I also don’t want to hear the insincere apologises yet either.

Do I go back for the sake of telling the students I’m going (some of them I’ve had for 4 years) or is it just time to focus on myself and not go back in.

Didn’t you post this yesterday? Personally I wouldn’t expect payback work out my notice period but if you are really struggling then maybe the GP will sign you off on MH grounds?

your question doesn’t really lend itself to just a yes or no answer.

i would go in and tell your kids you’re leaving, but then if you’re unsatisfied by the school’s handling of the situation, or if you feel vulnerable, get signed off for the rest of the term. You might need closure.

Haven't you posted about this before?
I wouldn't go back

I think you will feel far better about it in the long term if you go in. Otherwise it will always be hanging over you whenever you think back to this employment.

I think your over reacting to this incident, their kids accidents happen and so what if they see you upset. As for working your notice it's really up to you are you retiring or may you need a reference in the future. Do you want to say a proper goodbye to your colleagues and the students. If you don't like the place you work and aren't interested in goodbyes and won't need them in the the future then yeah just leave and enjoy Christmas

Personally, I would go back tomorrow. Delay announcing the leaving until next Monday.

This.

What age are the children?

So it wasn’t meant to hit you. It was meant to hit another student?! Had it have hit the ‘correct’ person, would it be ok for them never to return to school?

The issue is I was hurt and there was no student in that area I was stood in. So that stands to reason as to whether or not that was actually true.

Hello lovely

You asked this yesterday.
Ring in sick tomorrow.

Self-certify for 5 days.
Lots of bugs going round at the moment.

Return for the last five(?) days of term and say your goodbyes then, head held high. Last week you can have Xmas lessons in any case.

I don’t feel like I am over reacting as there have been multiple incidents that have happened over the few weeks within the school that just left me frustrated and annoyed.

Depends a bit. Do you think it was intended to hit you and aimed at another student was a lie? What age kids? What exactly hit you? What has happened to the child who threw the object?

If you think you assaulted on purpose and the school are going to completely ignore this then I can see why you wouldn’t want to go back.

If you think it was an accident and the child is being dealt with appropriately I wouldn’t worry about the kids seeing you upset.

I hope you weren’t badly hurt.

If you don’t go back surely the little shit kid who threw the object will be boasting to everyone that they made you leave? I would definitely work my remaining notice if I were you.

If you were assaulted at work, I assume that you have taken union advice.

Honestly, I wouldn't go back. You're clearly very upset. If you are friendly with another teacher who teaches your classes, ask her/him to pass on a message to wish them all luck in the future. (They will need it if that students stays in the school.)

This.

No one can make this decision for you. Only you know the full picture.

But, when I was incredibly stressed I struggled to make any decision so it could well be this that is affecting you, in which case, take a few days and see if your mind becomes clearer.

Sounds like you have an SLT problem.

Should have been logged as dangerous behaviour and student spoken with/placed in isolation if you are sure it was deliberate.

I've been hit with a projectile before - rubber one time, a pen another - I'm teflon usually but did go bezerk. Irrespective of who it was meant for, it's disrespectful and dangerous and they shouldn't be doing it.

If you want permission to just run - you have it - it will only be an issue if you have no job to go to and need a reference. Blacklisting/blocking can happen if heads know each other but if you are leaving education, it won't matter.

Is it professional? No. Is it fair on the good kids? No.
Will it send a message to SLT? No.
Will cover resent you? Probably.
But you'll never see them again, will you? And if you feel let down/unsafe, why would you stay in a toxic, work environment?

I suggested 5 days off self-certified to give you respite/breathing space then do the final week, knowing it's your last week.

Alternatively, GP writes you off with stress.

So if your child was purposely injured at school you'd agree just japes and shrug?
Perfect example of why schools are a shit show!! 'Oh its just kids'...

a heavy object came in my direction forcefully and hit me

Is this just your way of saying a kid chucked something at another kid and it hit you instead?

Look, it’s not good. Violence in school should be zero tolerance. I live in Scotland, my son has been beaten up several times and no action is taking because… Scotland. So I understand that anger and frustration and the want for some sort of payback on the kid doing it. But you don’t say that this is systemic violence or a repeated offence and the school is unsafe or anything, so it sounds like a one off, which the school absolutely should deal with but you should also be able to let it go and get on with your job. Put in whatever complaint you want of course, because the school need to act to protect students and teachers, but keep it in perspective for how you handle it personally. You seem to have a very extreme reaction to one isolated incident.

What the pp means is that projectiles are not personal.
It happens every single day where kids will try it on - if the teacher has their back turned, if the teacher misses it, if the teacher is on cover - kids will try to throw pens, rubbers, paper, blu tac, spitballs, paper clips, springs, pencil cases, beanies - you name it, they'll do it. They'll also do it even if just loaning equipment to each other "I was just passing it" fuckwittery.

I exit now on first offence if I see it. I take that shit seriously. I care about your kids and their corneas. I've also had one child hurt at the temple, got them first aid and put the fear of God into the perpetrator. But it is wearing, exhausting and it sucks.

I have indeed. They have said it is my choice whether I choose to return or not. Although it has left me very upset that if I choose not to return I would not have the closure of letting students I have taught from year 7-11 know that I am leaving.

What would you do?

Could you refuse to have the violent pupil in class?

That’s your own personal choice. No one is stopping you from going in telling the kids. If you don’t want to go to work then don’t go. If you want to so you can tell the kids then go. Up to you.