To complain to the board of governors?

[messicliche]

Hi all, below is a post from DH.

NC as post could be outing.

A bit of background about the situation. I am a senior leader in a secondary school. As a result, I am well aware that we are not bound by the standard 'Burgundy Book' directive document etc.

Essentially, last week was asked to perform a role outside of my general remit (supporting with sports day results outside). The day before sports day itself, an email was sent around to all staff (after school hours, approx 2.5hrs after school ended) noting that all staff are expected to wear normal formal attire.

Maybe naively, I automatically ignored it as I had seen the sports day support schedule and I was scheduled to be outside. As a result, I wore what I deemed 'appropriate attire' to support with this, think, sports shirt, shorts, appropriate trainers.

Cue the next day, turn up on site, instructed to go home and change into the professional dress that was directed the day before. Moreover, I then have received a professional letter of conduct for my inappropriate dress. To add, there was another member of staff that this happened to as well.

My issue is more the way it's been dealt with rather than the being asked to go home and change, although that's annoying. At no point did the head speak to me about this, I was hauled into a room with my SLT line manager. Also, at no point did the head mention that I would receive a letter of professional conduct for my dress. It was just placed in my pigeon hole. Found it by sheer luck.

So essentially the question is

AIBU - there was a directive sent the day before, you weren't mentioned as being excluded from it, even though it was sent outside of school hours, you should have followed it even if it would have meant dying outside in the heat

YANBU - ridiculous overreaction, petty, spiteful and vindictive and need to take it further to his line manager who is the chair of governors and potentially hand my notice in

FWIW - the PE staff were all in PE attire, and continue to be even when now outdoor PE can't take place because of the heat. I think I'm so frustrated by the lack of consistency shown by the top leadership in following rules and guidelines. I would stress that throughout the year I am (in my eyes) impeccably dressed and often gaze at other people thinking, how on earth are they getting away with that (think, open toed flip-flops, short dresses that are traditionally not professional etc.)

Would love to hear all of your opinions, apologies about the rant.

Happy to add any extra info if anyone needs it

Thanks!

*Governors! embarrassing...

Do you work in a maintained school or an academy?

I think you should talk to the Head first about it. Placing in a pigeon hole is not a secure way of advising you and someone could have read it.

Perhaps if you are in one of the unions seek their advice and support. Issues such as clothing of staff (and indeed children) in temperatures the school is not designed for affects all.

What difference does that make?

I would speak to a union rep and have the discussion. It’s quite disgusting.

maintained school

Doesn't sound like someplace that will keep staff if they have opportunities to move.

My guess would be it was a locked pigeon hole. To answer the OP I think your DH INBU as the email was sent after hours.

Just find a new job. You work in a silly place.

Never assume that governors know anything or have good judgement. There will be no justice for you on this.

To reply:

It has crossed my mind to speak to him first, definitely the sort of person that would hold a grudge. I will speak to my Union but unfortunately they are not represented in the school.

Also, the pigeon hole isn't locked, just in the staff room. FWIW, letter was in an envelope so not readable but noticeably there.

You saw and chose to ignore a reasonable instruction. If you felt it was unreasonable and that sportswear was more appropriate, it would have been reasonable to seek clarification and to bring sports kit with you to change into directly before the event.
Being spoken to by your line manager is the normal chain of command but putting it into your pigeon hole is not a reasonable form of communication unless they're routinely used in your school.
Is it a written warning or is it a written record of an informal warning? There is a difference- most HR people advise to follow up an informal warning with written notification so that there is no misremembering of the occurrence.
Speak to your HT before your speak to the CofG.

Jesus. This is why I’m so happy to be out of teaching. Is the school always micromanaging you.

Was the head in the meeting with your SLT link?

I would say the first step is to contact your regional union rep as this will impact on your future employability.

You knew that the dress code was formal attire and deliberately ignored it. Then were unhappy when they asked you to change into…formal attire.

Unless you were running races, you didn’t need sports gear. A light dress or blouse and tailored shorts would be just as cool?

Chalk it up to experience and move on.

Emails reminding staff to wear formal attire are not usually sent randomly, what was the reasoning in the email (E.g. staff are reminded to wear professional attire despite sports day)?

You could argue that you saw being outside running sports day as a PE cover, so dressed appropriately for that and it was crossed wires rather than professional misconduct so the letter should be withdrawn.

I'd speak to the Head in the first instance.

Whybwas formal attire so important to the head on that particular day?

If you raise a grievance, you have to state what you want to achieve, so what do you want to achieve?

Also, get yourself a suit with shorts like the lawyer in Jurassic Park, and wear it to all special occasions at school.

Doesn’t he look smart?

Reasonable instruction? He was told to help with Sports Day and spend the day on the sports field. Why would he do that in a suit or whatever normal formal attire is for a male teacher?

Ridiculous. I agree with others that if this is typical of how this school is run it might be best to start looking for another job, but I get the impression that many schools are run by petty tyrants like this these days.

Hi all, as mentioned this is DH's story not mine. He is mainly responding. Therefore on the professional dress side, he has to wear shirt, tie (mandatory - was once told off for not wearing it on a hot day years ago), suit trousers, smart footwear. Not possible to wear anything 'light' and I do think women get an easier ride in this as I would rarely say my pretty dresses are actual formal attire but would never be criticised in his school on a female.

Whilst I do not necessarily wholeheartedly agree with DH's stance, there was informal talk with the PE staff that he could wear PE Kit. This is where he got the idea from. He did not see the email about wearing formal wear until in school due to the timing it was sent. We don't know why the formal attire email was sent the night before, I assume someone may have asked as it was definitely believed by multiple people they would not need to wear formal wear. One other made the same mistake as DH.

Try reading the OP again. It's not that long. The teacher in question is male, so turning up in a light dress or blouse and tailored shorts would have created a stir.

I read that as this is a post from a Deputy Head!

Is a Senior Leader a Head of Department or equivalent?

Technically higher than a Head Of Department, but lower than an Assistant Head

Senior Leader would usually be higher than head of department.

It does seem very odd that the Head would deal with such an issue involving one of their SLT in writing, without ever discussing it (or anyone really, but especially SLT).

There must be some back story?

Boards of Governors always support the Head, always. They are in each others' pockets I'm afraid. I always feel sorry for parents who think that making a complaint to the Governor's will change anything. It never does in my experience.

Literally none. Although the school has a high turnover of staff with this behaviour as a main complaint.

The head sounds bonkers , at my children's school all staff wear sports wear on sports day. I assumed that was the norm