To have stuck up for this woman in work?

[Freeeeeeeeeeeze]

I am a supply TA (teaching assistant).
I was working in a school today with another supply TA and it was her first day at the school.
Staff in this school wear leggings and jumper usually. This woman was around early 20s and was petite. She was wearing a grey a-line skirt with a blue top that went up to her neck and black tights.

Another TA kept making comments at her. Like "you look like youre going clubbing, not working in a school".
The regular TA then couldn't work out how many 's's were in a child's name, so the supply TA said "oh his name is here and said there were 2 s's and she began to spell the name out;
The regular TA started laughing loudly and proclaiming "hahah i can spell the name, haha i dont need you to spell it for me, hahaha" and her and the teacher started laughing together.

I could see the supply TA getting really uncomfortable. I made a comment to 'stop being snidey" which resulted in an awkward atmosphere all day.

I'll be shocked if the woman comes back tomorrow.
It probably doesn't sound a big deal on here but these women were making the woman uncomfortable.

" for some reason young supply staff are given the cold shoulder"

ha, bag of jealous insecure bitches then. What a load of mean hags.

Well done for standing up for her, poor woman.

And the bully's classic response "can't you take a joke?!" yuck!

Honestly though, shouldn't this bullying behaviour be reported? particularly as it doesn't sound like a one off.

Tbh i've noticed a pattern that they welcome similarly-aged supply staff with open arms, but for some reason young supply staff are given the cold shoulder It's funny, at the school where I volunteered there was a young NQT and they weren't always very nice to him. The next year things changed so I figured he'd put them in their place and quite right too, he was the only man in the school surrounded by older, female staff and I found it very uncomfortable.

@Wishimaywishimight

Of course you did the right thing. Do you really think anyone is going to say you were wrong?

I mean, this is AIBU....there's usually someone who wants to take the contrary position for shits and giggles...I bet even if your AIBU was "to jump in a pond to save a puppy from drowning" you'd get one poster saying you were! The votes suggest that about six people have suggested OP was AIBU, although goodness knows why!

I hope the supply TA goes back and tells her agency why she doesn't want to go back to that school! Do you have anyone in senior management in the school you get on well enough to mention it to, OP? Obviously not if you feel uncomfortable or if you think it might put your own supply job at risk.

It's workplace bullying. I'd be tempted to speak to the HT.

Theres nothing old hags working in schools love better than ripping into their next victim.

If the regular TA couldn't work out how many S's were in the child's name why did she then say that she could spell it?

I think she needs some one to one tutoring herself. She doesn't sound very nice. You did the right thing

@randomer

Theres nothing old hags working in schools love better than ripping into their next victim.

Actually this old hag prefers to rip into the bullies.

They sound awful! You did the right thing and I hope it made them reflect on their behaviour... they sound very childish.

Pure jealousy and insecurity. Regrets that didn't make enough of their youth

When I was in my early 20s I got crap in every job from women of this age. I'm now that age myself and wouldn't dream of treating the young ones like that. Good on you for having her back

I just started a thread about bullying earlier today. I suppose some people never grow out of it. The TA and teach sound really bitchy. It's worrying they're around kids tbh.

Infantlization, they become like children. Only children are nicer.

She was wearing a grey a-line skirt with a blue top that went up to her neck and black tights.
Misses the point entirely I can't get past the TA thinking this is suitable clubbing attire. They've never been to a club in Newcastle.😂😂😂

So the next time the school needs a supply teacher, the chances are these B words will treat them like dirt just because they can, eventually the school will get a reputation. How do they speak to the kids when they think no one is looking?
I think you should have a quiet word with the head.

Wow! I’d be having a word with them on Monday and taking this further! There’s nothing more I hate more than jealous, bitchy females hating on other females. I think this cover TA sounds like she was dressed appropriately for most schools that I have been too.

I can't get past the TA thinking this is suitable clubbing attire. They've never been to a club in Newcastle

😆😆😆😆😆

Massive well done OP. Standing up to bullies takes guts, especially when you know you might bear the brunt of it later.

I bet that young TA felt so much better knowing you had her back. Stuff like this really makes you doubt yourself. The fact that you outright called them out on being snidey will hopefully have made the new TA realise it really was them not her.

Thank you on behalf of those of us who have been bullied and no one had our backs.

@DisappearingGirl "Thank you on behalf of those of us who have been bullied and no one had our backs."
yes!! how bad would you have felt if you hadn't said something op?? without occasionally sticking your neck out, nothing changes. that civil servant resigned today because their report on pritti Patel got ignored , we all need to stand up to bullying.

I couldn't begin to tell you the vile behaviour from so called adult professionals I received whilst I was on supply. Game playing, tutting, carping to parents about me, excluding me from the most basic of civilities, asking children how I had performed, asking other staff how I had performed, reveling in any misfortune or minute error, blanking me, refusing to tell me where the toilet was and so on and so on..........

I have to admit that it was a similar story in my old school where I worked as a TA for years. There was a clique of women in their 40s/50s who found fault with pretty much everything. Young new members of staff were always moaned about although not to their faces. Sad really, I'm glad I don't work there anymore!

They sound like bullies.

God they showed their age if they think that's clubbing gear. I'd have laughed at them for that stupid comment, and then laughed more at their idiocy in not knowing how to spell a child's name.

They are a pathetic bunch of bullies who think they are amazing. They are middle aged women who haven't grown up since high school and need to get a life.