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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

AIBU to whistleblow on my boss

44 replies

DunePeyton · 22/09/2023 22:51

I’m a secondary school teacher and my boss controls the departmental budget - at the start of the year she gave out some gift cards in order to reward students during the year. I didn’t think much of it till I overheard a conversation she was having with a colleague/best friend about bulk buying the gift cards and giving some to students, but she also regularly treats herself to the cards too. I have no idea what the amount adds up to, so it could be the odd card here or there, or it could add up to hundreds/thousands, but now I feel like it’s wrong and the cards handed out at the start of the year were a bit of a smokescreen to cover her real intentions of “helping herself” and this has really annoyed me.

However on a personal note, boss treats me quite well so have been a bit hesitant over this.

What should I do?

OP posts:

WelcomeToLagos · 22/09/2023 22:52

Do nothing.

Barleysugar86 · 22/09/2023 22:53

If you are sure of what you heard and can easily raise it anonymously I would. I can't stand stealing, especially not from a school, that's practically like robbing a charity to me.

CherryMaDeara · 22/09/2023 22:54

Absolutely report her. She is scum.

CherryMaDeara · 22/09/2023 22:54

WelcomeToLagos · 22/09/2023 22:52

Do nothing.

🙄

Floppyelf · 22/09/2023 22:54

Report it to the police as theft and fraud. And then to the papers. Stealing from schools who does she think she is- a conservative MP?

Scutterbug · 22/09/2023 22:55

You have to report this .

MagentaRocks · 22/09/2023 22:56

The thing is, the higher ups will be expecting the giving of gift cards to improve things for students, but if the students are not getting the amount of rewards they should then there will not be the appreciation that is expected. Plus it is stealing. If you have heard her saying this you can report who else was there and who she was talking to. That person she was talking to might have already reported it anyway and they need corroboration.

Viviennethebeautiful · 22/09/2023 22:57

No. It’s not big enough for the hassle it will bring. They will be found out sometime through an audit or similar. Unless you would be expected to oversee what they do (I.e. their manager) let it play out without bringing grief to your door.

owwwfoot · 22/09/2023 22:58

I think it’ll be found out anyway, I wouldn’t involve yourself

Amaya4 · 22/09/2023 22:58

Sadly I think its quite common. Its our Deputy Head that acts v similar.

theduchessofspork · 22/09/2023 22:59

Well.. do what you want.

You could report it, or you could leave an anonymous note if you want her to just pack it in.

Oldthyme · 22/09/2023 23:00

Bide your time, gather more evidence if you can, then decide what to do.

You might not know all the background yet …. maybe it’s a case of buy 10, get one free which she pockets? I’ve no idea but could be an organiser perk?

HobbiddoH · 22/09/2023 23:02

You sure she’s using school money to buy these?

BellaAndDave · 22/09/2023 23:04

How do they get away with this? Surely there must be transparency in purchasing things like gift cards from school accounts. If we ever wanted to purchase anything from school funds when I was teaching there was a very clear process and any transactions had a paper trail as well as signatories authorising the transactions. No signatory could authorise transactions on behalf of themselves.

Edited to say normally school funds were administrated by finance or admin staff and no teachers, PT’s/DHT’s/HT’s had direct access to accounts to withdraw money unless a second/third signatory was involved.

Dacadactyl · 22/09/2023 23:05

I would assume she was joking tbh.

But if I even had the slightest suspicion (going by what I knew her to be like) that she mightve been serious, I would post an anonymous letter to the head outlining the allegations.

Sunset6 · 22/09/2023 23:06

You have to find out the sums involved in order to be sure what to do. If you make a fuss and then it turns out it’s only one card worth ten quid you’ll seem petty. But if it turns out to be a lot more than that you’d be right to raise it. See if you can get a look at the accounts and work out how that compares to the number of kids

saraclara · 22/09/2023 23:06

Given the state of school budgets, I can't see thousands being spent on reward gift cards. I doubt she's creaming off more than the occasional £10.

I'm not excusing that AT ALL, but I'm not sure that I'd put my job and future on the line for it, especially as she's the one who controls the budget. It's not like there's anyone else between her and the source that you can have a quiet word with. And you have no proof, and she can deny everything.

It could all end up in one holy mess, with her still coming up roses and you as the trouble maker in all your colleagues' eyes.

There's lots I'd whistleblow for, but I can't see a positive outcome for this.

NeedToThinkOfOne · 22/09/2023 23:17

Do we really think that someone committing fraud or anything else that would risk their job security, would be talking openly to another colleague about it? (Or were you hiding in the stationery cupboard listening in to their conversation?)

You have so much more to lose by reporting what you ‘overheard’.

MildredCurry · 22/09/2023 23:18

So you have strong evidence your boss is misappropriating funds and her friend - a colleague presumably at the same school - is complicit by association?

It's not about the amount. It's the entitlement, and trust, and respect.

You need to do the right thing. It feels like you think that's reporting. I agree with that. Check your WB policy first. It's there to protect you and your anonymity. Make sure it does, and will.

Louise303 · 22/09/2023 23:31

My childs old high school used to give students a £5 gift card for certain things but I imagine there would be a record. She could of been joking but if she was serious could she be taking some and saying there were given to certain children. I cannot imagine her saying it so people could hear I would not do anything about it without proof.

Bellyblueboy · 22/09/2023 23:37

ignore the turn a blind eye brigade. You have to report this.

your school should have a raising concerns policy. Follow it.

this teacher is stealing. You are obligated to report it.

bananaxapple · 22/09/2023 23:38

I doubt she would risk her job over something so trivial, I agree with PP that she was probably joking. It’s not particularly hard to misinterpret tones/conversations especially when you’re not directly involved with them. It could have been completely out of context.

Bellyblueboy · 22/09/2023 23:39

Sunset6 · 22/09/2023 23:06

It’s not petty to report someone for stealing £10.

stealing money from your employer is absolutely not acceptable.

saraclara · 23/09/2023 07:35

Bellyblueboy · 22/09/2023 23:39

It’s not petty to report someone for stealing £10.

stealing money from your employer is absolutely not acceptable.

Show quote history

It's not acceptable, but outside the public sector, people are fiddling expenses every day.

Of course what this colleague is doing is wrong. But these days one needs to think long and hard before risking ones job and future jobs by whistleblowing.
There are many faults and failures which one absolutely should report, whatever the consequences. But using the occasional gift card for oneself is (to me) not worth the ongoing drama that it would cause the person who reports it (in this particular situation where it can't be proved)

luckylavender · 23/09/2023 07:37

You have no evidence. Bide your time.

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