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?

I’m ’allowed’ as I provide a service that is deemed important by schools and parents and I’m quite good at what I do

Evidence points to the contrary

Sorry quoted the wrong comment

If this really happened, it’s the kind of thing that people talk about. Someone or someone’s friend will see this thread and put two and two together. There may not be enough evidence to formally accuse @Saracoppbut it will confirm suspicions.
We had a peripatetic music teacher who bad mouthed a member of staff. They continued to work in the Borough but were never asked back to the school. Rumours about them spread and I know they regretted their behaviour.
I would never want to be deliberately spiteful to someone else.

If you say so

There's CCTV in the area. If they're that bothered, they will be able to check and discover that no child approached the section where the photos were at the relevant time.

But I suspect the reality is that whoever comes in first will have a quiet giggle, remove the photo and arrange for it to be replaced, and decide that life is too short to try to hunt down the culprit.

And you said that it had already been dealt with after you told your headteacher about it.

It’ll be forgotten in about 48 hours, there’s more important things going on in educational settings

Correct

I know you’re just trying to be breezy and provocative, but someone who was kind and had a good heart wouldn’t have gloried, as you are doing, in being so childishly cruel (whether or not your victim deserved it) and making a big joke of it.

As for "genuine" - I never understand why that is assumed to be automatically a good thing. Some people are just "genuinely" horrible.

You really are rather desperate for attention

Mmmmm.

I wonder how many others would describe you that way?

This is unusual behaviour for an unpleasant person. It’s very strange indeed for a decent person.

It's very strange behaviour given that the OP confirms that when she made a complaint about the receptionist her headteacher dealt with the situation.

So why didn't you

A) Talk to her first thing and make it very clear that her behaviour was unacceptable.
B) Talk to her manager if things didn't improve?

You said that she was gone after you talked to manager- maybe she realised she was too ill to be at her job? Why did you wait 9 months letting your frustration build up? It's not only immature but also not funny at all to any normal adult.

I’ve never needed a reference for any of the schools I’ve worked for over the last 25 years. I’m approached regularly by schools who know that I’m very good at my job and want me to work for them, despite me being past retirement age now. It sounds like the OP is in a very similar position. I doubt very much that word would spread across the local authority if I’d drawn a moustache and eyebrows on a photo of a member of staff who is clearly know for being difficult - headteachers have far more serious things to worry about, and most still manage to keep a sense of humour. With regard to security cameras, most of the schools I work for have some cameras, but secondary schools tend to have far more than primaries, and i can think of several primary schools I know where there would be be parts of the reception area that wouldn’t be covered by cameras.

I did both of those things, stop making up your own narrative

Spot on

@Saracoppwell done. I dream of getting petty revenge on the sour faced receptionist at my work. I fantasise about wiping dog poo on their car door handles or smearing lip balm on the windscreen

The people who know me would describe me in that way. Not internet randoms obviously

🤣

It’s only strange to you though

Strange behaviour maybe, but people are not one dimensional

And yet it was here to the internet randoms you came with your detailed story....🤔

OP can’t believe the amount of funsuckers on this thread 🤣🤣🤣🤣give strength to the saying “well behaved women rarely make history”

Jesus, there's some miserable wankers on this thread. Stop posting nasty comments to the OP. OP, good for you for standing up for yourself. It was harmless antics. End off