Webman, Reader's Comment, Are our teachers making the grade?, Jewel Topsfield, Education Editor, The Age, 18 August 2012: http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/are-our-teachers-making-the-grade-20120817-24dzs.html Historical link preserved from the original page.
Parliamentary Inquiry into Workplace Bullying: Submission 79: the Office of the Employee Ombudsman, South Australia.
Submission 79 to the Parliamentary Inquiry into Workplace Bullying is by the Office of the Employee Ombudsman, South Australia: Office of the Employee Ombudsman (PDF 2,319KB)
The Office of the Employee Ombudsman make the point that the need is not so much for the existing polices to be re-written, it is for improved management:
In our view, workplace bullying arises due to poor management, more so than a failure on the part of current legislation.
And there is a need to enforce the official policies.
One teacher made repeated complaints about workplace bullying by a team leader at a South Australian school. Historical link preserved from the original page.
(It is not clear if the teacher was working at a state school or a private school.)
Despite formal complaints, accepted claims for workers' compensation, and significant human and financial costs, no enforcement action has been taken by the regulator against the employer, or the perpetrator.
In fact:
We assert that it is not uncommon for bullying behaviours to be rewarded and promoted in organisations.
So bullying cultures and behaviours are transferred from one workplace to another.
Editor's Note: I would suggest that this failure to enforce the Education Department and Public Service official policies, and an informal policy of rewarding and promoting bully principals, is also a significant problem in Queensland.
Parliamentary Inquiry Into Workplace Bullying: Submission 36: A Head Mathematics teacher in a Catholic school in the ACT.
Submission 36 to the National Inquiry into Workplace Bullying: J. C (PDF 511KB)
JC was a Head Mathematics teacher at a Catholic School in the ACT for 29 years.
JC ran PD, Maths Enrichment programs etc. for all ACT schools.
Then a new Principal arrived at the school and began to bully the more experienced staff.
JC states that many staff, ex-staff and parents will support his (or her) claims.
... The tactic of an ambush was very common. An ambush is when the victim expects a different agenda.
... One ex-staff member who was forced out was in a fragile position; when a number of us arranged to have an afternoon tea for her, the Principal gave orders that we were not to socialise with this person, even outside of school.
... Nepotism and cronyism is rife throughout the Catholic Education system in the ACT. Everyone knows about it...
Teach For Australia: "I feel like crying".
In May 2012 Caroline Overington wrote an article in The Weekend Australian about "best of the best' young professionals or university graduates, who might have been detined for top careers in law, medicine or banking, being fast-tracked into teaching, a career many would not normally have considered.
The Teach for Australia 'teachers' interviewed by Caroline Overington reported very positive experiences, but Overington comments -
A note of caution: these interviews were organised at The Weekend Australian Magazine's request by Teach For Australia, which understandably wants to show off its outstanding success stories - but not everyone who has signed up has thrived, and some can't wait to leave.
One example is "Quentin", who last year started a blog called "A Class of One's Own - Life as a New Teacher" to chronicle the decision to quit a career as a commercial lawyer to join Teach For Australia.