Rant

Three years and three months ago I had a nervous breakdown. It left me with post-traumatic stress disorder and caused lasting damage.

Two years and a half ago, a large group of ex-colleagues and other school community members (who also suffered from/or bore witness to mental distress caused by the same person) attempted to blow the whistle on this person.

This is usually the remit of the board of governors. However, the chair of the governing body claimed that the accusations that were being made included too much criticism of them – I maintain that they are in cahoots with the head. Therefore, the council asked a supposedly independent party to investigate it. Despite a lot of evidence proving the opposite, they claimed that this was not in the public interest.

Recent developments have caused me to ask the council to reconsider. So far, they are trying to cling to the initial decision of the ‘independent’ investigator. However, both my union and Protect are of the opinion that there is a strong case for our whistleblowing effort and that it is very much in the public interest. What is more, more victims have come forward (see post of 22/01: interview). A clear pattern of victimisation continues.

Why? How can it be allowed to happen?

I have found that talking and writing this blog has really helped and has been a decent distraction when my head is in a dark place. But comes a time where it all feels like too much. Too much injustice.

The despair will pass. It always does. However, it would pass one hell of a lot quicker were this whole shitshow to be looked into the way it should have been years ago. How many people will suffer long-lasting damage because the establishment is too scared to admit it has made a mistake? Or does it just not care? Collusion, cowardice, lack of integrity, dereliction of duty of care...