the way back - nervous breakdown and all that

It didn’t start well. During the interview process for a new head, we caught our first glimpse of her. Her coldness was immediately apparent; as was her general lack of humour. As my class and I walked past her in the corridor, I distinctly remember telling my children (within earshot in daft-humour-mode) to look sensible and not show me up, as this could be my future boss. This was met with no attempt to engage. Nerves? Rudeness? Lack of awareness? Possibly embarrassment at my puerile joke I guess. We were informed that she had been given the job the next week.  She had been in education for 6 years if my memory serves me right. And barely had any experience in senior management.  Alarm bells may not have been ringing loudly, but most of us were certainly surprised. Still, we were assured by our much-esteemed incumbent head that she was to uphold the community spirit of the school and carry on most of our feted accomplishments.  Little did we know. Before we broke ...

On 14/11/19,  I had a nervous breakdown. In my classroom. After a campaign of harassment, victimisation and gaslighting.  In the end, all it took was one email to push me over the edge.  It was horrible. I crumpled. I couldn't think or speak properly. I was convulsing and making animalistic noises. All because of one person: a narcissist head teacher. This blog is my attempt to get some form of closure: to write an account that will purge myself of this person's presence in my life.