the way back - nervous breakdown and all that

Just a short post this weekend: I need to tell you about a reassuring development. Two weeks ago, I wrote about yet again being totally frustrated by the unaccountability of the establishment. It was in fact an article in a national union magazine that had triggered me. I came upon the piece perchance, and there staring up at me was a picture of my previous head. They were featured among other heads in a rather flattering report. As far as good publicity goes…  A head thought by many -locally- to be a sure enemy of the union, being put across nationally as a progressive, forward-thinking leader is quite a coup. It was shocking and upsetting, to friends who had suffered and myself, that they had managed to get into the publication. How had nothing been flagged during background checks? To give credit to my union, once a few of us had pointed the above situation out to them, assurances were made that more thorough checks would be made in future.  I am even more grateful having d...

Just before Christmas, I wrote a post about my continuing fruitless attempts at getting the council to reengage with my whistleblowing case. Not much has changed unfortunately. Despite undeniable and ongoing issues of victimisation and toxicity, the council chooses to act as if nothing untoward has happened.    My Kafkaesque correspondence continues as you will be able to see below. ________________________________________________________________________________________ Sent: 06.01.23 Dear [HR rep],  I hope that this finds you well and that you have had a good Christmas break. I am writing to enquire about the progress of the re-opening of the whistle-blowing case. I reiterate that Protect agree that my concern is likely to be in the public interest and that the NEU is also eager that this request be considered seriously.  Can we agree that it is reasonable for me to expect a response by the end of next week (13/01/23)? Best regards, Alex ______________...

I am honoured to post my first (WhatsApp) interview on the blog. Shortly after I published my previous piece, someone reached out to share their horrific experience with my previous head in the form of a comment. A lot of it was very similar to the experience of other ex-colleagues and mine own. It is disgusting that, despite the joint efforts of those of us who suffered under her reign of toxicity to bring her to accountability, she has joined the council’s school improvement team and been able to victimise people further afield than her school. The fiefdom has expanded rather than been curtailed. Many thanks to the very brave person who got in touch with me via a union friend. They have gone out of their way to expose the truth. Solidarity and respect. _______________________ Interlocutor : Hi Alex, (an) ex NEU messaged me your number. I am happy to help with further evidence of X (the head at my previous school) . Me : Morning (…), thank you so much for reaching out. I was...

I apologise in advance but, having had a particularly challenging and frustrating week, I need to offload. I have been involved in some extremely frustrating meetings underlining how unaccountable the establishment can be. None more than my previous head. For four and a half years, X  (previous head teacher) has been bringing unchallenged misery to swathes of the community: local community, staff community and -mind-bogglingly- staff from other schools in their position as school improvement partner. I think this might the first time I have brought up the school improvement partner aspect. It is an absolute travesty that this person (who were they to be scrutinised properly would reveal such a despicable track record) has been allowed to take up such a position and bring their deeply lacking pedagogical insight to bear on other senior leaders. I have heard from colleagues from a number of these schools complain about their lack of constructive criticism and rudeness. I have bee...

Today, a very good friend came over. We chatted about some of our shared experiences at our previous school and our frustration that injustices had yet to be resolved. One experience came up that I have not developed in the blog thus far – an ‘article’ on the Guardian Jobs website. At the end of last year, I included notes from correspondence with the DfE (see DfE 10.12.22): A governor who is a freelance journalist has twice shown conflict of interest relating to [the head]. [They] commented on the [highly critical] article in the [local paper] in defence of [the head] without stating [their] role on the Board. Since published an extremely positive piece on [the head] on the Guardian Job website (then removed [presumably because they] did not declare own interest by holding a Board role at [the school]. It [was for a period] put back up with addendums at the top and bottom of the article. Indeed, shortly after the publication in February 22 of the article in the local press (see The A...