School staff are humans too - no, we really are!

[imhumantoo]

Having been on the receiving end of an awful communication from a parent, can I just point out that school staff are human too?

I’m just asking for some basic respect really. Is that too much to ask?

I don’t expect parents to know my or my colleagues private lives, but some of us have children with SEND, or carers for elderly parents with life limiting illnesses, or may be going through a breakup/divorce etc

A bit of consideration that we are human beings too wouldn’t go amiss.

Really sorry to hear this. I think Teachers do am amazing job 👏

Sorry to hear this, no one in any workplace should be on the end of abusive or unpleasant communication. I hope your school is supportive of you and will deal with the parent to explain that it’s not acceptable and must not happen again.

I agree and it sounds like you had a tough day.

Does your school buy into one of those employer support services staff assistance things.It they often give a few counselling sessions. Itt might be worth giving them a call If they do.

Sorry to hear you've had this today. It really is terrible how some people treat teaching staff, yet it seems to have become almost acceptable in the eyes of some parents.

Thanks for the replies. Yes I should also have added that no-one should be on the receiving end of abuse or unpleasantness in the course of their work.

i do understand people can get frustrated, I’ve got frustrated over stuff at my own kids school, or when trying to get health care etc but I have never been rude or abusive, even during tough times.

Same goes for all front line workers, the staff who answer the phones at my work put up with so much abuse. E.g one of the younger staff (17) being screamed at by a parent because the school bus to their very remote farm was cancelled due to 6ft snow drifts blocking the road. Even if little Nathaniel made it to school there was no chance he would have made it home going by the weather forecast.

Sadly that was the final straw for our employee and she basically ran out in tears and never returned a few days later when the parent made an official complaint about her. Thankfully we record phone calls but was too late really as colleague couldn't cope with the daily abuse.

That’s terrible @KnittyKnotty
I often talk to the kids in class about emotional regulation - it’s OK to feel angry but people need to learn how to use that appropriately, not scream down the phone.

Parents should be modelling appropriate behaviour to their children. It’s scary for children seeing their parents lose control like that.