To tell my students I'm pregnant

[user1499031722]

I got a real telling off by my headteacher today (I'm a teacher in case that isn't obvious!) for telling my students (I teach 6th form only) I am pregnant.

I had already told the HT and there for the school. I think it's outrageous that she should claim she now has lots of issues to deal with ie has to immediately advertise my role and broadcast it to all staff at the next staff meeting. All I could muster to say was I'm sorry and didn't realise I'd breached professional boundaries. But really I feel this is most unreasonable and ridiculous!

AIBU?

WaggyMama I would say that's exactly what you suggested when you said I should be dictated to when I share my pregnancy. If she had asked me to wait a few weeks, I would have had questions but might have considered it. Hard to say but ultimately I would still feel it's my decision and prerogative. I didn't occur to me to ask her because I don't feel it's her decision. I could have held off telling her until 29 weeks had I chosen to and then she really would have felt unprepared!

Agree she may have those questions to consider but that has nothing to do with telling the students. As someone said surely more unprofessional to hide an obvious pregnancy and leave students in the dark.

And I don't agree with you re the TA. I obv don't know full story but women have right to have multiple children and return to work in between. It's not she gets much mat leave pay or general favourable condisitons and pay as TAs are overworked and underpaid in my experience. Plus she had to deal with judgment from people like yourself I expect

Sorry if this comes across as hostile, I think we have very different views on these things!

I know my DD would be unsettled to hear this news. 6th formers' only get two years teaching and for you to leave half way through may cause some worry, uncertainty and disruption

What if the OP is hit by a bus (sorry OP), wins the lottery (Better!) or any of a million other things?

Your poor old daughter being "unsettled" probably isn't very high on the radar I'm afraid.....

Woman of childbearing age is having a baby how shocking.
Headteacher needs something to moan about.

I know my DD would be unsettled to hear this news. 6th formers' only get two years teaching and for you to leave half way through may cause some worry, uncertainty and disruption

That's on your DD rather than her teachers. They could get hit by a bus/get ill/win the lottery and that would be a lot harder to predict than maternity leave coming at the end of an otherwise healthy pregnancy. Even early mat leave would be less of a shock.

When I was doing my Highers, one of my teachers was assaulted in the street and couldn't leave her house for about 4 months because of the PTSD. We dealt with it, we survived.

TheHolidayArmadillo I agree that not everyone needs to know. That's why I asked if, as HoD, OP told her departmental colleagues before telling her pupils.