Complaint by student & unsupportive management

[Eleanor04]

On top of my f-t job, I work p-t for an adult education service. Been there years. Money is tight so this is necessary.

There's been a formal complaint from a student. They've made one before - but it was found to be baseless. After that, a truce of sorts. This time the complaint is that she hasn't put forward for a particular exam. She's not been up to the standard, something that I've explained carefully to her. I've given her additional, differentiated work and every encouragement. Her complaint also mentions things completely outside my control the travelling distance and being in a class with students she doesn't want to be with.

Recently, after some weeks where she was fine in class, she suddenly kicked up, embarrassing me and, no doubt, my other students. That was followed by a very rude email to me - nasty and I ignored it.

After that she didn't come to class. And now the complaint. I can respond OK, I have the evidence. In the email thread about this - it's down a sort of chain of command - I see that the complaints officer for the service has written that the complainant appears to have a case. As this person will apparently investigate, I'm concerned about this - hardly open minded.

I've been asked to respond but I'm actually really shocked (not completely - this isn't a staff friendly set up at all) by the coldness of it all. No worries that I might be surprised/upset/even very annoyed. I had no-where to go with the student's nasty email (and there many before that re the former complaint) or her outburst in class. Feel very alone, hurt and unsupported and worried about the tone of bias in the complaint manager's email. I belong to a union - for my f-t job really - but maybe should have a confidential word with them in case this drags on or goes against me.

As long as you have the email for evidence, that will stand you in good stead.
Also, I assume you have proof of her work that isn't up to standard for entry to the exam? You don't say what sort of exam it is.

Can you not just put her in for it and if she isn't ready, she will fail?

I don't really understand what the case here is?
Is she saying you havent covered the relevant work or something and therefore she isn't being put in for the exam? However, surely all of the other students would be in a similar boat if that were the case.

Could you find another manager you could ask for support?

Thanks for your reply, Verbena. As far as the student is concerned, she hadn't made sufficient progress to take the exam - there's an expectation that students have a reasonable chance of passing. The work was covered in class but she didn't make progress.

She appears to have left the class and is wanting her money back. For me the issue is that a complaint has been made on the basis that she hasn't been put in for exam that she thought she would pass. I have copies of her work so providing evidence won't be a problem. Nor will providing evidence that I've given her lots of support, extension work etc. Management at this service is famed for not supporting tutors and I fear that not only will I not be supported through the process but that they will take the easy option and that is give the student her money back and hold me responsible. I wish I could afford to give the work up but right now I can't.

Are you in a union? My management team are nice but very weak and have shown no support for staff in similar situations. Doesn't help that students have their rights explained extensively but not their responsibilities...

Sorry, that wasn't very helpful. If i were in your shoes I would create a folder with copies of the emails, copies (not originals) of her work and a list / evidence of what you've done to help her.

I'd do it so that I was ready and prepped for dealing with the complaint but I'd be really upset. The managers should be backing you. The cynic in me would also forward the emails to myself at a private address - I've had colleagues who've been suspended and returned to find their emails cleared.

If she gets her money back, I would t worry.....however, if your name and reputation is clouded by it and you are suspended etc, then I would livid !
Definitely have a hard copy of emails like mayfriday suggests....the company sounds well dodgy !!

unless we happen to work at the same FE college I am afraid to say that this kind of management behaviour seems to be rife in this sector .

Did you seek any advice or support from your learning support department at any time in relation to this student? I've often found they can be allies in this kind of situation.

Your OP is well worded and after taking out your emotion in it I think you can use it as a base for a very clear and concise response to the complaint.

Sorry, that should read if she gets her money back I wouldnt worry...

Thank you, again, all. Your replies are very helpful. You make a good point, Clarty. There is, I think, someone responsible for learning support - or rather, learning difficulties and I perhaps could have approached this person who I don't know personally. I only work once a week for this organisation. (Sorry if you work for a similar set up - it's highly unpleasant, isn't it and so draining.)

I've written a comprehensive defence and now it's gone to the manager who investigates these things. I've asked to be kept in contact with and copied into emails - goodness knows if that will happen though.

I've tried to find out what support, if any, is available to part-timers and the answer is a fudge, really - not much.

I guess they'll say something to the student like 'there's been a misunderstanding' and refund her. But my fear is that this will linger - the student in question is vexatious and I expect quite troubled and, I know from previous conversations with her about her complaints about other people, that she hangs on in there and for now she's got me in her sights. Management is supremely unsupportive - and for now isn't explaining the process by which this will be looked into.

In relation to the number of hours I'm paid a week (2), this is taking up so much time, energy and I'm barely sleeping.

Do you know if, as a person being complained about, I have any rights with regard to seeing what's been said about me &, ultimately, the final letter to the student? I haven't been contacted by the investigating officer - no phone call either from my immediate manager to whom I had to send my comments to check, at the very least, that I'm OK. It all seems to hard and cold at the moment.

Why couldn't you enter her for the exam and let her fail? My science teacher thought I wasn't up to standard (did no work) and so refused to enter me for higher science. I got an A in intermediate and finished the exam in 30 minutes. On the evidence she had she was right but I knew I was bored.

You can make a request under the Data Protection Act to see what is being said about you. You probably can't see the final letter to the student unless it names you and therefore is connected to you.

Again, thank you all - also muminhants for reminding me of the DPA in situations like this.

Quick update and a query. Though I asked to be kept informed about what was going on and to be told something about the process for dealing with student complaints, I wasn't contacted again until very recently when I was told that she'd written another letter, presumably reiterating her original complaints. I was asked a couple of questions (all of this is via email - not a phone call to check I'm OK, to add a personal touch etc) and, as before, I responded fully.

In response to my questions, I was told that I wouldn't get a copy of the student's second letter (the first was emailed to me) nor would I see any letters that have been sent to her. All these letters will have undoubtedly mentioned me by name.

I belong to a teaching union really for my full time job but I suppose there's no reason why I don't see their advice about this situation.

If correspondence names me, I have a right to see it? And I understand that if I'm exonerated then the complaint shouldn't be with my personnel records? I imagine that the DPA rules override any policy that the organisation might have - though, as I say, all I know of it is what I told in an email - namely that in these situations correspondence with the complainant isn't shared with the person being complained about.