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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

to think 11.15pm is too late to send an e-mail that you expect to be acted on by 8am the next day?

48 replies

kickingking · 18/05/2011 20:52

I'm not, I am?

I'm a teacher. Unbeknown to me (because I was in bed..) I was sent an email at 11.15pm last night, telling me to change my planning in various ways, and that the head would be coming to observe me that morning.

He turned up that morning, and was suprised that I hadn't made the changes that were asked for.

I got up at 6am, dropped children at childcare at 7.30am and was in work at 8am. Out on playground duty at 8.40am after preparing resources, etc. When exactly did he think I was going to read the e-mail and make the changes (which I estimate would have taken me at least an hour, if not more)??

OP posts:

CurrySpice · 18/05/2011 22:27

I usually clear my inbox (why does that sound rude? :o) in the evening and often send emails out then. I sometimes get emails back from other saddos who are working usually with a jocular "glad I'm not the only one" type banter. NO WAY would I expect people to be up and about then, let alone actioning anything before the next working day starts. He is ButterlyU and you are not. HTH

HerHissyness · 18/05/2011 22:36

he he he he...

sorry! I shouldn't laugh! It's not just us parents that are communicated at rather than with then? Current sore point with our school's head!

I hate the way this age of communication seems to have totally and utterly userped the apparent need for manners,

totally YANBU, no wonder the school is in trouble with piss poor management like that.

Original poster

kickingking · 18/05/2011 22:51

With NUT.

I could write pages of unreasonable things that have been done/said/demanded but I don't know what they could actually DO about any of this though.

OP posts:

Inertia · 18/05/2011 23:11

YANBU, and I second those who have suggested raising concerns with the Union. Even if there is nothing that could be done in this particular case, the Union rep might be getting reports from many teachers in similar positions. Also, you could get advice from the union about whether his actions are legally permissible, given that you've said there is a lot of other stuff going on. I actually would write it all down.

Just because many teachers are still up and working at that time, it's totally unreasonable for any head to send a demand at 11.15pm to be acted on for 8.40 the following morning, special measures or not. It's spectacularly poor management.

blackeyedsusan · 18/05/2011 23:26

seems to me that managment is not supportive a t your school and this could be one of the reasons that the school is in special measures in the first place. record the incident somewhere for future reference if you need it. that is not acceptable behaviour from the head. Do contact your union for advice.

ilovesooty · 18/05/2011 23:34

I'm thinking that the school's Work/Life Balance policy would make interesting reading.

tethersend · 18/05/2011 23:47

I think you should ask them what they would do, and then decide whether you want to do it. It would be worth asking other NUT members in the school whether they want to do it too.

Have a look at this document

This is why you pay your subscriptions. It's what the union is for.

ClipArt · 19/05/2011 00:20

YANBU

Frazzledmumwithsmudgedmascara · 19/05/2011 00:26

YANBU. At all. I would be fuming

zipzap · 19/05/2011 00:32

I'd be quite pleased if he sent me this - as it is a great example of something so completely unrealistic and un-doable in the time frame. and an example of his spectacularly bad management and expectations...

Whereas if he'd sent you something at say 9pm there is a always a chance that you might have seen it or even been awake (and thus maybe should have checked before you went to bed) and you'd have felt guilty ignoring it and that you should have done an hour's work before you went to bed, even if you wanted to spend an hour mnetting were really tired.

here's hoping he does a few more clangers like this and then is booted out so you get a much better replacement!

A1980 · 19/05/2011 00:34

YANBU at all.

That's ridiculous. I wouldn't see an email sent that late until the enxt morning either.

FurKnickersAndNoCoat · 19/05/2011 00:37

I am not in your line of work but have this kind of thing in the past. IMO you are SO not BU. Who on earth would check their email at that time of the night unless they were expecting something or other valid reasons. I cannot see how you can be penalised for this. Quite shocking IMO.

GetOrfMoiCase · 19/05/2011 01:00

I think this is completely unreasonable in your line of work - it seems to have been done to completely undermine you . How horribly stressful.

I often get sent emails at silly o'clokc and the onus is one me to read and respond. However I have got a blackerry (not a 150k salary though ). I think BBs are great for this reason.

He was completely out of order thinking you would open your laptop and check your emails either at midnight or the crack of dawn the next day and make changes.

And if you had have read it, it would have probably sent you in a complete tailspin. Completely out of order. It must be very stressful being in special measures anyway, without shit like this going on.

GetOrfMoiCase · 19/05/2011 01:03

I know bugger all about teacher's unions, but I really would contact them in this situation, it sounds a vile working enviornment, and you need some support I think.

Goblinchild · 19/05/2011 01:31

Contact your union.

echt · 19/05/2011 09:14

Contact your union. Go to region, not your school rep.

YAsoNBU.

jeckadeck · 19/05/2011 09:36

are you sure they weren't trying to deliberately trip you up? its so unreasonable.

xstitch · 19/05/2011 09:41

YNABU, I agree contact your union. I am not an expert on special measures but I am sure it does not require teachers to have no sleep and changes at any time do not mean overnight with less than 12 hours notice. You'd be a fat lot of good to the children with no sleep.

glassofwhiteanybody · 19/05/2011 09:51

Not sure I'd go straight off to complain to the union. Might might stir up more trouble and make mountains out of molehills. Deep down he must know that it was an unrealistic request. If you've been singled out for this kind of treatment, that's a worry perhaps, but if he does that with everyone, then that's better for you because it shows it's typical of his poor management.

Keep a copy of the email in case this is mentioned in the future

This story reminds me of my old boss, who fancied himself as a bit of a whipcracker. We received constant emails about not meeting our targets etc, but no praise when we did anything right. All sticks, no carrots

tethersend · 19/05/2011 15:02

"Not sure I'd go straight off to complain to the union. Might might stir up more trouble and make mountains out of molehills."

Um... no. These are not molehills.

This is exactly what the union is for.

LadyClariceCannockMonty · 19/05/2011 15:40

YANBU, of course.

He's a big fat twatbag. Go to your union and ask to know where you stand legally. If not for this time, then for the future.

Goblinchild · 19/05/2011 17:35

A union can give confidential advice and support, it's not all placards and shouting. It will give the OP some of how to tackle a difficult situation created by a bossy boss.

clam · 19/05/2011 17:53

I'm sure I read somewhere that the official expectation for an email to be responded to is 2 days?? I'll check that out, but it is something along those lines and it came from my previous head. I remember thinking at the time that that was a ridiculously long time. But what you're quoting is crazy.

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