Did something a bit silly at work

[Saracopp]

I regularly visit schools for my job. One school had to change premises to a larger school site whilst building works were being undertaken on the original school building.

The support staff of the new building were unpleasant and unfriendly- possibly because they didn’t want to share their building with another school.

Each week for the past nine months or so I’ve experienced unpleasantness with one particular member of staff on the front desk. Things like deliberately keeping me waiting to let me in and out of the building (she would pretend she wasn’t in the office, but I could see her in the reflection of one of the windows, she thought she was out of sight), abrupt manner, unhelpful, not passing on messages, rolling eyes because she has to get out of her chair to press a button to release the door, huffing because my mere presence is an inconvenience etc, you get the picture.

A couple of weeks ago we had a slight altercation, she was scowling as usual as I arrived and I asked her if everything was ok as she seemed quite unhappy to see me. She immediately became defensive and gave me a right mouthful so I calmly told her she maybe should develop some social skills given she was on the front desk 😳

I spoke to the head teacher of ‘my school’ who said she’d deal with it. Miraculously, over the next couple of weeks the doors were unlocked and she was not in the office as I walked passed. Result

Today was my last day as the school are moving back to their original premises after half term and I did something a little immature. In the foyer at the entrance is a photograph of all the school staff and their names, there was no-one around. Without thinking I got out my sharpie and drew a moustache and angry eyebrows on the picture of this person. Under her name I wrote ‘Miss Funsucker’. I did chuckle about it for the rest of the day but now I feel a bit bad and anxious I will get into trouble- it wouldn’t take Sherlock Holmes to work out it was me 😬

should I do nothing or should I do something - if so what? I know it’s a long shot but has anyone else done this?

OP has said that a TA let her in, commenting that she could be waiting for a long time otherwise. So clearly it was a regular thing with this receptionist.

If OP is coming into the school to do a job and the receptionist was regularly leaving her to wait a long time on the doorstep so that she was late, it follows that whoever she was coming to see was held up. If, for instance, OP was coming in to work with a child or group of children, those children were regularly deprived of the time she was due to spend with them. Over time, that would accumulate to quite a serious deficit.

OK, it doesn't justify what OP did, but it perhaps makes it more understandable. Ttrying to minimise the damage the receptionist caused doesn't help your argument.

I already had done those points in your first paragraph.

You focus on what may have been going on in her life, that works both ways. I may have been undergoing chemo, lost a child or going through divorce, yet I still remain polite and friendly

My children's school has a computerised system for signing people in, so it's no particular bother for the receptionists.

Yes thank you, you are absolutely spot on. People see what they want to see sometimes. My time was impacted but I stayed longer to ensure I completed the session. It’s not fair on the children I work with or the parents who have paid me. Yet got many posters seem to see that

I really hope this is true. If I was your boss and I heard about this obviously I’d have to give you a mild telling off but I’d secretly find it very funny.

Really it’s a bit of childish graffiti it’s not like it was a slur or anything horrible about her looks or weight.

I was treated like shit for 9 months, there’s no excuse

Yes that is what will happen

Bloody hell OP, the sheer volume of petty retaliatory posts from you, right across the evening then here we go again this morning.
So sorry that you feel the need to validate yourself this way.
Also, am assuming you are actually a pupil at the school with a strop grudge. Your posts don't even make you seem like an adult.

I am quite well thank you

Some of the teachers today lacking professionalism is a real shame.
Perhaps at 50 you should be able to appreciate pissing her off is enough pay back.

Yes, it is.

Different people have different senses of humour and because the OP drew on the photo really doesn’t indicate dementia! Personally, I think what the OP did was funny and I could imagine myself doing something similar given some of the unhelpful jobsworths Ive encountered in a couple of schools Ive worked with over the years. Her only mistake was not to draw some round glasses and a couple of black teeth on the photo as well as thr eyebrows and moustache 🤣🤣

Retaliatory? Just answering questions. I can assure you I don’t need validation from mumsnet

Where does it say OP berated anyone?

Yes, this is a computerised system. No signing in books nowadays!

All a storm in a teacup really. I expect a lot of staff know the measure of this receptionist and probably have felt like doing the same themselves.

I would have blackened the teeth but unsurprisingly she wasn’t smiling. Everyone else in their photos looked happy 😃

It’s not a shame, I am very professional about 99% of the time, but I’m not a robot

They're not going to blame any individual child. OP has said they will work out that it was her.

How on earth are you allowed to work in schools with that level of maturity?!

Your judgement is seriously lacking, and as a parent this is a bit horrifying.

It is common but not a given. I work in many schools and the set up varies a lot

Ok.

Nah, I deal with parents every day. No problems at all

A teacher at one of my schools literally smashed up another teacher’s car in the car park, in full view of students, when their affair ended. Both of them still work there.

No one is getting sacked for some sharpie.

Actual problems for HR in schools: drugs, bullying, grooming, affairs (and getting caught by students).

There is no way the OP is a teacher.