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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Teacher quit and walked out

368 replies

Moonlitarsehole · 03/02/2016 16:23

Nc'd to not out myself.

Ds informs me on the way home that his teacher walked out on his last class this afternoon.

Apparently she'd asked on numerous occasions for quiet, and threatened to not help with their coursework. Then said "fuck you lot, I quit", collected her bag and walked out.

I was like Shock ds was vague and said he didn't want me to call the school, as they'd all had to make witness statements.

Anyway, dh is home today and asked ds if he'd been talking too (after I tell him what had happened) and really told ds off for being so disrespectful.

Ds is upstairs writing a letter of apology, not sure what the school's take is on it. Not even sure if she'll get it.

So aibu to think the teacher just lost their shit, which happens to us all?

OP posts:
LoisWilkersonsLastNerve · 03/02/2016 17:42

Just adding my agreement that you and your Dh are great making your ds apologise. Poor teacher. I have helped I'm my local primary and some of the parents attitude to their kids behavior is ridiculous. It's always the teacher to blame.

JoffreyBaratheon · 03/02/2016 17:43

I once walked out mid day on a supply job but I actually felt it wasn't safe to stay (only primary aged kids too and I had worked in some very tough school and had no problems with controlling the kids, quite the opposite). Thing was I was pregnant with a much wanted (subfertility treatment to get) baby, and having hyperemesis, and really the LEA - who sent e into the school as I was a permanent supply on their books, so not an agency - should never have sent me into such a stabby, violent environment, when grown men had run out crying. I just thought - sod this. I'm risking my baby. Nothing so unprofessional as a fuck you - I just picked up my stuff and lunchtime and walked out. Then got on the phone to the LEA and stuck a rocket up their arse for sending a pregnant and not well woman into such a shithole of a school. They were very apologetic and I think for the rest of my pregnancy til maternity leave, sent me to some nice catholic school...

FWIW, months later when precious baby was born, I taught in a secondary school, in the US, where one lunchtime - the teacher had walked out sobbing. I was a hasty replacement who loved it, had no problems with the kids, and stayed. One day I saw her and she asked me how I got them to respect me - I just said what I'd been told in training; respect them, they will respect you back. Kids can be little shites - many have no boundaries at home. But you treat them well from the start and set very clear boundaries, give some very strong direction, and ease up rapidly as they respond. You have to be very upfront with it as well and tell them from the start that you are fighting their corner.

I think more teachers should do this and put Heads in positions where they are forced to admit there is a problem as so many times, working in inner city schools, you'd see Heads papering over the cracks. I even worked in a school where two colleagues (one male, one female and built like a brick shithouse) were hospitalised by kids and yet there were zero repercussions for the kids involved. Many teachers have ineffective management.

MirandaWest · 03/02/2016 17:44

I walked out when I was a teacher. Didn't swear at the class (year 4). Wasn't their fault particularly but I couldn't do it any more. Never went back and found a different career where I wasn't virtually paralysed by fear and anxiety all the time.

YoureAllABunchOfBastards · 03/02/2016 17:44

I dream of doing this.

It's great, though, isn't it - a pupil can call you a fat fucking cunt and get a day in isolation, then do it again and again and again. A teacher finally snaps and her career might be over.

rockiestbottom · 03/02/2016 17:44

The level of disruption in secondary schools is crazy these days. DD complains of being disrupted every single day.

She has children in her class who have been expelled from three other schools, kids who have been expelled for physically assaulting teachers and pupils. She once spent four weeks terrified because a violent child who had been expelled numerous times elsewhere and had already attacked the year head here was running completely amock in class.

Kids have been threatened with a knife and put another child in hospital recently.

This is an outstanding Ofsted, high rated village school.

The cane wasn't around when I was at school but the disruption wasn't anywhere near as bad as now. I don't know what the answer is Sad

honeysucklejasmine · 03/02/2016 17:45

Oh poor woman. Good for you and your DH for reacting this way. I really hope other parents do the same but I suspect not a will.

Little toerags, the lot of them.

The rage I experienced when working as an effectively powerless as a TA was frightening. Your job is literally to help them, and they throw it back in your face. I found it easier to cope with when a teacher, as I could focus on the rest of the ass, who generally weren't being total wankers.

honeysucklejasmine · 03/02/2016 17:46

Hmm rest of the class

Namechangenell · 03/02/2016 17:47

Agree with MrsJorah above. I don't know why the onus is on the teachers to be scary or 'the one you don't want to mess with'. Ok, so you can't be a complete shrinking violet but by the same token, students should have been brought up well enough to know that they're there to learn and listen to the teacher. I would be so ashamed if I thought my behaviour as a student, or one of my children's behaviour had actually contributed to someone else's breakdown. That's horrendous!

I was bright and went to a fairly mixed comp and the only classes I can say I truly enjoyed are the ones which were setted, and where I ended up with other students who wanted to learn. I was bullied in the other classes. My kids go private now... Any messing, they get kicked out.

Borninthe60s · 03/02/2016 17:49

Teachers are not able to teach any more they just manage behaviour. Very sad that the teacher was in such a bad way and I hope she gets the support she obviously needs.

As for your DS, I hope he's learned the lesson that sometimes a simple non malicious action can ruin someone's day and there are always consequences for not doing as asked.

The apology letter is a lovely thought.

MrsDeVere · 03/02/2016 17:49

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Funinthesun15 · 03/02/2016 17:52

Not that an apology would save me if I did what she did. I would be out.

Which many have explained is more than likely that this teacher will be too.

MrsDeVere · 03/02/2016 17:54

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

toffeeboffin · 03/02/2016 17:59

How do you teachers do it? Like, how?

The money's crap, huge workload, being told to fuck off every day?

I wouldn't last a day.

VoldysGoneMouldy · 03/02/2016 17:59

Our science teacher did this.

Well, his actual words were, "I don't give a flying fuck if you fail, I'm off to Australia in a few weeks, fuck you all", then walked out the door, giving it a good slam.

He was a right tosser, so was no real loss.

SunsetDream · 03/02/2016 18:01

I imagine she has been stressing out about their coursework and that she cares a great deal more about it than they do because our school system is so fucked up that it's somehow the teacher's fault when 30 kids can't be arsed doing any work.

So much truth in this statement.

greathat · 03/02/2016 18:03

I have wanted to do this at a few points in my teaching career. When you are doing everything you possibly can and a class won't engage with it, it feels soul destroying. Some classes do it deliberately - its like being bullied my 30 people simultaneously on a timetable. So glad I'm in a better school now. Feel so sorry for the teacher - probably on edge of a nervous breakdown. There's going to be no teachers left the way education is going

GwenethPaltrowIamnot · 03/02/2016 18:03

I hope they get proper support

Dreamonastar · 03/02/2016 18:04

It probably won't be the end of her career, maybe at that school mind you.

Iliveinalighthousewiththeghost · 03/02/2016 18:05

Can't say I blame her TBH. They have to put with disobedient kids, irrate parents. Keeping Ofsted and the government happy. For little appreciation. There's only so much that a human being can take.

Maidupmum · 03/02/2016 18:06

I work in a school and came this close to telling a parent exactly what I thought of them today. They are beyond unresonable and I really wanted to speak my mind but my 'professional' head kicked in.
God love that teacher, I know exactly how she feels and almost envy her honesty. We take a lot of shit from parents and pupils and we are only human.

Gobbolino6 · 03/02/2016 18:07

I opened this thread expecting to see hundreds of responses bashing the teacher, but I've been pleasantly surprised. I can't imagine how she is feeling tonight.

Good on you OP.

RobotMenu · 03/02/2016 18:08

Management are also under a huge amount of pressure not just teachers.

But they don't have to perform in front of an unruly class, do they? They can close the office door. They can stop for a cup of tea. They can rest for a moment.

A teacher in front of a class has no escape.

BoneyBackJefferson · 03/02/2016 18:09

MrsJorahMormont

Why is it that its only the teacher that should be apologising?

Malamutes · 03/02/2016 18:09

Have loved hearing all the supportive posts for teachers. I taught a class of y11 boys last thing today. I wanted to ask some of them if they discussed how to make me completely miserable before they come into class, I didn't. I asked one boy to leave as he threw a pen, he then threw the contents of his pockets, red berries, across the entire classroom. I will be teaching him again on Friday.

BUT most of the boys are brilliant and will be taking my subject at A level. If I could only remove the 2 boys permanently I would be happy.

Dreamonastar · 03/02/2016 18:09

Because the teacher swore and walked out!