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Bad Apple Bullies
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Please keep in mind that the suggestions made on the Bad Apple Bullies web site do NOT constitute professional advice. They are intended as informal indications on how to proceed, based largely on research, discussions and on observations of Bad Apple Bullies and "the process" in operation. You should seek advice from an ethical and publicly accountable professional before taking action.
Ethical and Publicly Accountable Professionals who may be able to help Queensland teachers who are dealing with workplace bullying, harassment, mobbing, discrimination, victimisation, stalking, etc. -
Your GP.
Make sure you have a good one. If the Bad Apple bullying makes you ill, your GP will be very, very important to you.
Psychologist Gary Namie recommends that people who are being bullied should see a GP and have their health checked.
A host of stress-related diseases, such as hair falling out, begin silently.
Bullies take toll at office, Megan Blaney, San Bernardino County Sun, 21/05/05
Your psychologist/psychiatrist.
Make sure that you have a established a relationship with a trustworthy psychologist / psychiatrist before the Bad Apple Bully-Mob launch a Section 85-attack. A previous established relationship may offer you some protection from abuse of psychological testing instruments.
Section 85 of the Public Service Act can lead to the dismissal or early retirement of a public servant. ...
The reality is that it can easily be used to get rid of people who cause problems for the Government by revealing short-comings within departments. ...
Section 85 appears to be employed because anyone who tries to blow the whistle on the Queensland Government must clearly be insane because they had failed to take note of what happened to others who had attempted to do this. ...
Guards expose culture of disability, Mike O'Connor, Monday View, The Courier-Mail, November 14, 2005
These are a few of the questions given to workers sent for compulsory psychiatric tests under the controversial Section 85 of the Queensland Government Public Service Act -
Have you ever used cannabis or been sexually abused?
What operations have you had?
Were you adopted?
Are you homosexual?
The results are given to the administrators who ordered the test, whether the employee wants them to know or not.
"This questionnaire is most offensive," said Liberal MP and former GP Bruce Flegg, who wants the compulsory psychiatric assessments banned.
It's six pages of the most personal, intrusive and humiliating questions I've ever seen." ...
... Dozens of Queensland public servants have told The Sunday Mail that tests have devastated their lives or careers.
Several described the psychiatric sessions as like being "mentally raped". Others say the psychiatric report's contents have become known to co-workers.
Some psychiatrists, having found no evidence of mental illness, have recommended disciplinary action.
"There are increasing examples coming forward to indicate that Section 85 is being used to intimidate staff or even force them to take stress leave or resign," Dr Flegg said.
Public service bosses hear darkest secrets, Daryl Passmore, The Sunday Mail, 21 November, 2004
Bill Wilkie, 101 Wickham Terrace, Brisbane. 3832 5454, a psychiatrist for 30 years.
One of Dr Wilkie's patients recently urged Bad Apple Bullies to "please refer people to him and tell them to go sooner rather than later."
Dr Wilkie says six or so particular psychiatrists were used on a regular basis by some government departments to conduct compulsory examinations on employees.
The Sunday Mail last week revealed growing concerns by workplace lawyers and the Queensland Public Sector Union that a lack of guidelines was allowing mental health tests to be abused. ...
Dr Wilkie said Section 85 of the Public Service Act, which allows for psychiatric tests in limited circumstances, was frequently abused.
"There must be some circumstances in which Section 85 has been used properly - but I actually have not heard of any," he said.
"This raises the issue of hired guns. There are psychiatrists in this town who ... will damage a person's credibility on cue - they are like attack dogs.'
A common trick was to examine someone who had been left traumatised, nervy and depressed by workplace conflict and to report a diagnosis as if it had been a pre-existing condition.
"They have saved insurance companies lots and lots of money. The whole situation is just deplorable," he said. "I've seen cases where a number of people have come out of one workplace and WorkCover know full well it's a toxic workplace but there does not seem to be any interest in doing anything."
Doctor Tells of Medical "Hitmen", Daryl Passmore, The Sunday Mail (QLD), news.com.au, October 31, 2004
The Queensland Public Sector Union agrees the assessments are being used more frequently and to punish people.
"The ones who get referred under Section 85 are the people that someone already has it in for," said QPSU official Darren Hooper.
"There are examples where people have lodged a complaint about their boss or co-worker. The employer has responded with a Section 85 referral and held off investigating the original complaint."
"Some departments are quite ruthless in their use of this."
Section 85 of the Public Service Act says an employee can be directed to undergo psychiatric assessment in circumstances where an officer reasonably suspects that their absence from work or performance in the workplace is explained by mental illness or mental disability.
Psych tests dished out as punishment, Daryl Passmore, The Sunday Mail, news.com.au, October 24, 2004
Dealing With The Mob understands that the abuse of Section 85 to bully a teacher is an unethical use of psychological testing instruments.
You can complain about this to-
The Psychologists Board of Queensland, GPO Box 2438, Brisbane, QLD, 4001, www.psychologyboard.qld.gov.au psychology@healthregboards.qld.gov.au
and/or to the Australian Psychological Society, PO Box 38, Flinders Lane Post Office, Melbourne, VIC 8009, http://www.psychology.org.au/ contactus@psychsociety.com.au
Dealing With The Mob would be interested to know how effectively these organisations deal with your complaint.
Queenslanders are just one allegation away from incarceration in a mental ward, according to a retired Queensland school teacher.
Ray Collofello, a respected special needs teacher with no history of mental illness, was forced by police into a psychiatric examination in his home.
"To be put through something like this is just so incredibly demoralising"
Mr Collofello's nightmare wasn't sparked by aberrant behaviour - it was orchestrated by someone who objected to the height of trees in his yard.
Mr Collofello was prompted to go public in June 2006 after revelations in The Courier-Mail that a police officer had been forced into a mental health examination -
after conflicts with superiors!
Mr Collofello said he and his wife were preparing lunch for family on Easter Sunday 2005 when two Boondall police officers, accompanied by two mental health workers, knocked on the door of their Geebung home.
They requested Mr Collofello undergo a mental health examination.
The State Government says up to 70 similar examinations are carried out every month in Queensland.
Under the Mental Health Act, Justice Examination Orders (JEO's) can be obtained by anyone provided they are able to convince a magistrate or JP to authorise the JEO and to claim to believe the subject has a mental illness requiring examination.
More than 95 per cent of the JEO's are actually issued by JPs, who need no medical qualifications.
JPs have ordered psychiatric assessments on more than 2500 Queenslanders in the three years to July 2008.
Less than half of the assessments were justified.
Doctors or authorised mental health practitioners are empowered to enter any place to conduct the examination.
They can be accompanied by police if they deem it necessary.
Police can enter a person's home and take them away for psychiatric assessment against their will.
Mental health workers who force Queenslanders to undergo psychiatric assessment routinely refuse them -
Clearly this situation is wide, wide open to malicious abuse.
David Solomon, who reviewed Queensland Freedom of Information laws in early 2008, called for the role of JPs to be reconsidered.
David Solomon also said that it was unfair for someone deprived of their liberty not to be told what was alleged about them.
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Ask your GP to suggest a good local psychologist.
Do this immediately because you may have to wait for up to two months for an appointment.
Evelyn Field says that teachers are more likely than most to be bullied at work.
Teachers can be bullied by -
Some schools -
Often the organisational system condones the abuse of power.
Evelyn Field says that teacher-bullying can lead to "a death of the soul, a psychic disintegration."
Evelyn Field has a website at www.bullying.com.au .
And a psychological practice in Melbourne offering -
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Evelyn will be speaking in Queensland on Managing the Psychologically Injured Worker - Research, Knowledge and Practice at the 9th International Mental Health Conference on Thursday 14th, Friday 15th and Saturday 16th August 2008.
Some psychiatrists do not want to be involved in giving evidence in court.
Pam Allen, NSW Manager and Operations Co-ordinator- Branches, Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists, NSW Branch, Tel +61 2 9352 3600, Fax +61 2 9810 5073 ranzcp@bigpond.net.au would be happy to help you to locate a psychiatrist who may be able to assist.
Your solicitor.
Dealing With The Mob is becoming increasingly convinced that the Queensland Department of Education "official processes" do not work, no matter how much time and effort a target of bullying puts into them.
The real purpose of the Education Queensland "processes" may be to drain the target's energy and to exhaust legal time-frames.
The official Departmental processes also allow Bad Apple Bullies the opportunity to continually change their allegations, create new "documents" and to "lose" key documents.
The quickest, easiest and perhaps even most financially smart way to deal with a workplace bully may be to go directly to your own solicitor at the first sign of a problem.
The longer that you hesitate, the more complex the situation will become and the more you will have to pay for legal advice.
A simple letter describing the bullying behaviour and asking the Bad Apple Bully to desist may be effective in stopping the harassment.
If it is not, at least you will have a legal record of the early stages of the harassment.
Do not wait for the union to give you legal support. It is not going to happen.
Choose your solicitor carefully.
Watch the local TV news. Read the local paper. Look for a local solicitor who is not afraid to speak out about corruption.
Make a note of that solicitor's name for future reference.
Pay for one hour with the solicitor.
Take copies of your basic documents and letters. Plus a brief outline of your case. It will help you think clearly.
While you are talking, evaluate the solicitors behaviour. You are paying the solicitor a lot of money and he/ she should be working for you.
If you feel uneasy about the solicitor's manner or his or her advice, look for another solicitor.
STOP PRESS! A Queensland teacher has WON a workplace bullying case!
*Well Done Mr F. Gouldson Well Done Mr R. Lynch Well Done*
28 March 2008
On 11, 12 and 13 December 2007 and 1 and 15 February 2008 a workcase bullying case was heard by D.A. Swan, Deputy President of the Queensland Industrial Relations Commission.
An Education Queensland high school LOTE (Japanese) teacher complained that she had been bullied at work.
Mr R. Lynch, Counsel, was instructed by Mr F. Gouldson of Gouldson Legal for the teacher.
They won the case!
Deputy President D. A. Swan stated, "There has been a continued course of conduct by (the teacher's supervisor) towards (the teacher) which has been completely unreasonable.... I uphold the appeal. I set aside the decision of Q-Comp dated 19 July 2007, and determine that (the LOTE Teacher's) claim for compensation is one for acceptance."
The Queensland Industrial Relations Commission have published the details of this important decision on their website.
You can contact Mr F. Gouldson of Gouldson Legal yourself - http://www.gouldson.com.au/
Or you and your solicitor can easily find and read the transcript of this case -
[DOC]
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File Format: Microsoft Word - View as HTML
Mr R. Lynch, Counsel, instructed by Mr F. Gouldson, of Gouldson Legal, for the appellant. Mr A. McLean Williams, Counsel, instructed by Ms L. Booth of ... www.qirc.qld.gov.au/qgig/2008/vol%20187/ |
*Well Done Mr F. Gouldson Well Done Mr R. Lynch Well Done*
Susan Moriarty spoke at the conference on Workplace Mobbing that was held in Brisbane in October 2004.
Susan Moriarty is a former adviser to Queensland's Anti-Discrimination Commission. She has spoken out about the abuse of Section 85 to bully Public Service employees in the Sunday Mail.
As a result of the articles in the Sunday Mail and on ABC radio, Susan Moriarty was contacted by many people needing immediate legal assistance. She was unable to attend to all of their needs because she already had a full caseload.
In 2005 Susan was planning to write a book about the nature, effects and consequences of workplace change in the Queensland Public Service 1989-2004. And also to provide training to QPS agencies in "best practice" human resource management calling on practices in the Scandinavian countries to compel real interest in changing the current punitive culture to a gentler culture.
In 2005 Susan planned to work from home. She can be contacted by landline on 3356 6277
has written a useful and up-to-date article on dealing with stress in the workplace, genuine performance reviews and performance management vs disciplinary procedures -
Health and Aged Care Winter 2007
Scroll down to page 2.
Under the Accident Compensation Act 1985, an employee cannot make a WorkCover claim in relation to stress if the stress arises from ... reasonable management action taken in a reasonable manner ... (but) if the person conducting the performance review is hostile or intimidating during the performance review, the employee can argue that the stress was caused by the nature of the behaviour, and not the review itself, so the exemption will not apply. ...
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Queensland Working Women's Service
... provide general advice/ information on workplace issues 1800 621 458 http://www.qwws.org.au/ qwws@qwws.org.au They can also provide counselling and support (not industrial advice) on work-related matters to Queensland women teachers. A referral to counselling on problem solving, skills building and strategies to address bullying issues costs $35p/h. This could be a very good investment at the early stages of a workplace bullying problem. It could save your career.
The great thing about this service is that it is confidential.
The Bad Apple Bullies will not know that you are seeking the advice of the QWWS and so there is much less chance of your QWWS consultation triggering a pre-emptive strike.
And you will be able to prove that you have been seeking advice on how to deal with your Bad Apple Bully's behaviour.
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Tim Field's website Bully OnLine http://www.bullyonline.org/ will help you to understand the Bad Apple Bully's behaviour.
Tim Field explains that workplace bullying follows a common pattern and that workplace bullies have common personality characteristics.
Tim Field's site is huge and reflects the enormous amount of support that he gave targets of bullying over many years.
When you first find Tim Field's website it is quite a shock to realise that the malicious abuse that you are dealing with at work is not some strange situation that you are dealing with in isolation.
What is happening to you is happening to workers, and to teachers in particular, all over the world.
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The Courier-Mail and The Sunday Mail regularly run articles about workplace bullying and harassment in the Queensland Public Service, working conditions for Queensland teachers, etc. Check the Bad Apple Bully News http://www.badapplebullies.com/news.htm to find the name of a reporter who is currently writing articles about these issues.
Your local newspaper may also be interested in running an article about your case. You can ask not to be indentified.
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The Queensland Teachers' Union
The Union offers three forms of legal assistance to members.
But read the fine print -
Assistance will not generally be provided, however, where one member is in dispute with another.
Unfortunately, this QTU policy seems to facilitate the workplace abuse of Queensland teachers, because the QTU regard workplace bullying as a member versus member issue and will not give classroom teachers who are bullied legal advice.
Many QTU members do not realise that this is the case.
So Department of Education Bad Apple Bullies know that, if they are QTU members, they have a "get out of jail free card".
They can bully you into ill health and out of work, and the union will give you no help.
When you are being bullied at work, QTU organisers will answer one or two questions about Public Service Regulations, etc.
The advice that the QTU organisers give is sound, but at times it is too general to be of real use to you in dealing with your own particular situation.
Overall, the honest advice of QTU organisers seems to be that, based on their experience over many years, the official Grievance processes do not work.
And that "fighting it" - making a Grievance about the abuse - will damage your health.
So - when the Managing Unsatisfactory Performance process is abused by a bully principal, QTU organisers advise you to give up any hope of justice and just to "accept the things you cannot change - for the sake of your physical and mental health".
The QTU can become impatient with a classroom teacher who does not agree to allow themselves to be bullied.
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Workplace Mobbing Australia (Black Sheep)
...PO Box 2058, Keperra, 4054, Queensland. http://www.workplacemobbing.com/
Email: workplacemobbing@dodo.com.au
Phone 617 38512435 .
Workplace Mobbing Australia is a voluntary advocacy and support group.
Workplace Mobbing Australia particularly supports administrators who experience "upwards mobbing" (i.e.who are being bullied by a group of subordinates).
Some of the conference papers presented at the Workplace Mobbing Conference 16-17 October 2004, Brisbane, Australia, 2004 were:
More conference papers can be accessed through the Workplace Mobbing Australia website http://www.workplacemobbing.com/ .
Other research papers are available by contacting
Email address: linda@workplacemobbing.com
Kenneth Westhues, editor of Workplace Mobbing in Academe : Reports from Twenty Universities, Edwin Mellen Press 2004, has updated his list of links to thirty-two academics who have been dealing with workplace mobbing since 2005.
Reviewing these cases is useful because it helps you to understand the sort of workplace incidents that can trigger mobbing and the different ways that cases of academic mobbing 'play out'.
This link also leads to Kenneth Westhues's home page. He is a world authority on workplace mobbing in universities.
Whistleblowing.
If you decide that you cannot passively allow yourself to be bullied, you will find yourself stepping out of your familiar role as a respectable pillar of the community into the strange other world of the "whistleblower".
You may not realise that this is what you are doing.
To you it may appear that the situation is a simple misunderstanding and that, when you explain the facts, the situation will easily be resolved. But this is not the way that "the process" works.
It is important to realise that, even if it is radiantly obvious to everybody that you are being bullied, when you make an official grievance about the bullying you become a whistleblower.
Before you make the decision to "whistleblow", take a look at the website of-
Dr Brian Martin, University of Wollongong http://www.uow.edu.au/arts/sts/bmartin/dissent/intro/
The website will give you an idea of how "the process" works. You will realise that what is happening in your life is not some strange series of inexplicable events that are happening to you alone. You are being put through a process that many other people have endured.
Dr Martin suggests ways in which you can deal with the situation effectively.
Even better than his website, Dr Martin's "Whistleblowers Handbook" is written in an easy-to-read style and is hard to put down.
Amazingly good value at $22, this handbook can be posted to you in a few days. The earlier you read this book, the more effectively you will be able to handle your campaign.
Or, alternatively, the less time you will waste eating Bad Apple Pie.
Brian Martin, The Whistleblower's Handbook: How to be an Effective Resister (Charlbury, UK: Jon Carpenter; Sydney: Envirobook, 1999). ISBN 1-897766-52-1 (Jon Carpenter), ISBN 0-85881-167-7 (Envirobook).
Order a copy at http://www.uow.edu.au/arts/sts/bmartin/pubs/99wh.html
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Talk to people who know what you are going through:
Talk to other Australian teachers:
Teacher Bullying in Queensland Schools - The Bad Apple Bullies Blog.
http://teacherbullyingqueensland.typepad.com/
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Talk to academics and teachers in other countries:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/bullied_academics/
The webmaster of Bullied Academics has set up this new Yahoo Group online forum to provide practical and emotional support to all targets of workplace bullying in Higher Education, and to share our experiences and advice for the benefit of all.
Membership of this forum is open to all academics, teachers, educators and researchers.
Aussie teachers are participating in this discussion - so join in!
Contact the moderator of the forum at bullied_academics-owner@yahoogroups.com
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Useful websites:
Kick Bully is a great site to look at before a meeting with a Bad Apple Bully.
It prepares you for the Bad Apple Bully strategies and gives you the words that you need to deal with the Bad Apple Bully-behaviour.
http://www.stopbullyingsa.com.au/links.asp
"A collaborative effort of the Interagency Roundtable on Workplace Bullying."
This is an interesting new site based in South Australia.
Bully EQ is an excellent site which deals with the relationship between bullying and emotional intelligence. Lots of useful links.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Workplace_bullying
http://ed4133legal.pbwiki.com/Bullying-and-Harassment-among-Staff
http://www.whistleblowers.org.au
Whistleblowers Australia can give you advice by phone or email.
Brian Martin says:
What Whistleblowers Australia does well is provide advice, information and help in finding useful contacts.
We don't need money for this, just time and energy from knowledgeable, committed individuals. ...
What we need most of all is assistance in getting to people before they blow the whistle.
All too many of those who contact us have already spoken out and suffered reprisals.
Some have lost their jobs and more than a few have had their lives destroyed.
If we can prevent just one of these personal catastrophes, it will save more money than WBA's entire budget over the past 15 years.
The benefits will be to the potential whistleblower and to society as a whole.
So, if you want to help, talk about whistleblowing to your friends and acquaintances and encourage them to seek advice before acting.
Membership of Whistleblowers Australia is good value at $25 per year.
The newsletter, The Whistle, is published four times a year.
You can read The Whistle on Brian Martin's website.
The Whistle gives you an idea of what you can expect from your whistleblowing experience. It also contains some very helpful articles.
http://bulliedacademics.blogspot.com/
Bullying of Academics in Higher Education. A blog to expose and resist bullying of academics and other staff in Higher Education. A very, very interesting blog, full of current information and links.
See above for information about the new Yahoo Group that has been organised by Bullied Academics.
The Corruption Prevention Network (QLD) : http://www.cpnq.org/content/standard.asp?name=NewsletterCurrent
The Corruption Prevention Network (QLD) is a non-profit incorporated association whose membership consists of individuals and organisations with a proactive interest in the prevention of fraud and corruption in the public and/or private sectors.
The objects of the association are:
| i. | To facilitate communication between members of the Network to help in developing strategies to prevent corruption and fraud and improve the ethical conduct of staff. |
| ii. | To develop opportunities for Network members to access material and share experiences to assist them contribute to the ethical conduct of staff and prevent fraud. These opportunities could allow agencies and individuals to: |
| Effectively implement best practice in corruption prevention. | |
| Reduce the duplication of effort by members of the Network. | |
| Reduce the incidence of inappropriate and corrupt behaviour. | |
| Reduce the costs associated with managing corrupt conduct in the workplace. | |
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Minimise distress to parties and organisations arising from workplace corruption. This seems to be primarily a group to support public servants working in Departments such as the CMC who want to discuss ethical issues. But the group is not restricted to public servants. There are regular meetings in Brisbane. They seem interesting.
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http://www.buseco.monash.edu.au/mgt/research/working-papers/2003/wp63-03.pdf
This is an interesting paper by Dr. Glennis M. Hanley of Monash University about bullying of academics at four Australian universities.
Anonymous Employee is a great new website packed full of information about workplace bullying. Best of all, you can make an anonymous report of the bullying!
Gary and Ruth Namie suggest some strategies that you may be able to use if you are bullied at work. They also offer Workplace Bullying Consulting and training Services.
The PLATO website - which is a very interesting, very professional website - was established to battle the "outcomes based" philosophy adopted by the West Australian Department of Education.
PLATO seem to be winning that battle fairly spectacularly.
The website also has news about the working conditions of teachers in Western Australia.
PLATOWA also has a very interesting discussion forum.
The Times Educational Supplement is a huge and really interesting resource for teachers. It is the premier Educational newspaper in the world. Among many topics covered you will find discussion of workplace bullying in English schools and teaching jobs available in English schools.
www.thestaffroom.spacemonkey.net.au/
The Staffroom is a good general site for teachers. Active discussion forums, including discussion of workplace bullying.
Just Fight On! is a non-profit anti-bullying organisation based in England. JFO run the Centre Against Workplace Bullying UK in Slough, Berkshire - the UK's first centre offering a range of services to people bullied at work: training, advice, counselling and more ...
Could the Bad Apple Bully be discriminating against you?
The Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission can investigate discrimination on the grounds of race, colour or ethnic origin, racial vilification, sex, sexual harassment, marital status, pregnancy or disability.
http://www.sheilafreemanconsulting.biz/case-studies.htm
Sheila Freeman answers on-line questions about dealing with workplace bullying and harassment. A really useful site.
Scroll down to Jean's case study.
I am a 43-year-old primary school teacher in Australia ... I transferred to a remote country school some seven years ago. I have been teaching for over twelve years, worked for many private companies, and have always received glowing references. While at University, I received many letters from the Dean congratulating me on my performance and eventually topped my final year.
In the experience of Dealing With the Mob, teachers who have good academic records become targets in Queensland.
However brilliant they may be as teachers, they will always be denigrated by Bad Apple Bullies as "academics".
The union also seem to denigrate good qualifications.
At the AGM you will hear one QTU 'activist' after another stating that all teachers are the same and that their educational qualifications make no difference.
One 'activist' claims to have got five degrees and that none of them made any difference to his work.
Which makes as much sense as a greengrocer boasting that eating lots of fruit and vegetables has made no difference to his health.
I had never been bullied in the workplace so I had no idea what was going on until I became so ill that I could no longer face going to work.
Sadly, many teachers are such decent people that they simply cannot believe in Bad Apple Bullies.
Even when they are bullied into ill health retirement, these decent people continue to believe that the situation is a misunderstanding and that, if they can only explain, the problem will be resolved.
But resolving "the problem" - is not the aim of the Bad Apple Bullies process.
Driving you into ill health retirement is the point of the process.
So that you can be replaced with a cheaper, more easily manipulated teacher.
Help for teachers in Brisbane:
Anne Michelle Thistleton (B.Ed, M.REd, M.Couns), Middle Park, Brisbane. 07 3279 5031
offers -
She charges -
$80 per hour (9 am to 5 pm Monday to Friday)
$95 per hour (After Hours and Saturdays)
But rates can be negotiated for low income or no income individuals who are awaiting a WorkCover claim, revue or appeal for acceptance, or who remain unable to work due to stress and / or related illnesses caused by the workplace.
Please do not allow an inability to pay the full rate to prevent you from contacting Anne Thistleton.
Research into Teacher Bullying
The University of New England (UNE) launched the online survey in late June and took responses until October 1 2007.
The survey can be found at http://www.schoolbullies.org.au:80/
UNE professional studies lecturer Dan Riley lead the study and is working in collaboration with Professor Deirdre Duncan of Australian Catholic University.
Dan Riley and Deidre Duncan have previously published results from a 2005 survey that revealed 97.5% of Catholic schoolteachers had experienced some form of bullying in their career.
The survey showed teachers had been bullied most often by school executives, then parents, and followed by principals.
"While most of the situations experienced were at the lower levels of seriousness, including attempts to undermine or belittle a teacher's work or criticism in front of colleagues, they were serious enough to affect the mental or physical health of some of the respondents," Dr Riley said.
"It's a bit frightening – we didn't actually expect to find what we did."
The findings of the survey are expected to be published by late December 2007.
(Teachers asked if they are being bullied, AAP, The Courier-Mail, July 17, 2007)
Research into whistleblowing
Griffith University
"Whistling While They Work" is a three-year collaborative national research project into the management and protection of internal witnesses, including whistleblowers, in the Australian public sector.
The project is being led by Griffith University.
University of Queensland Business School
University of Queensland Business School PhD student Marissa Edwards is investigating why some people stay silent after becoming aware that something is seriously wrong at work.
Ms Edwards says that although there is existing research into whistle-blowing, very little has been done to understand why some people decide to say nothing.
Ms Edwards is currently working on the second stage of her research which involves talking to people about their experiences of whistle-blowing or staying silent.
"The interviews will be completely confidential and I'm hoping people will come forward to share their stories in a safe, non-judgemental environment."
Ms Edwards attended the Whistleblowers Australia conference in Brisbane 25-26 November 2006.
She presented her findings to date at the annual meeting of the Australian and New Zealand Academy of Management in Yeppoon from December 6, 2006.
(Adapted from: Blow The Whistle - or Put Up And Shut Up?, http://www.medicalnewstoday.com 25/11/2006)
Research into why secondary teachers retire early.
Queensland University of Technology
Queensland University of Technology PhD management researcher Mark Keogh has found that corporate management is a likely factor in the rising rate of early retirement by secondary school teachers.
Mr Keogh is inviting secondary teachers who have retired between 45 and 65 years of age in rural and metropolitan areas to take part in his study.
He is interested in the factors that influenced them to take early leave from teaching.
Mr Keogh says that most of these teachers entered the profession late and so they do not have a lot of superannuation.
So they are underfunded for the future.
But still they want to leave teaching.
The Bad Apple Bullies webmaster comments:
Unpublished research that I have seen suggests that male secondary teachers are the least bullied teachers. Female primary teachers are the ones most exposed to workplace abuse. But many male teachers do seem to be being bullied at work nowadays, so the results of this research will be interesting.
Please pass this information on to any retired teachers.
To volunteer for Mr Keogh's research, please contact him on m.keogh@qut.edu.au
Media contact : Niki Widdowson, QUT media officer. 07 3138 1841 or n.widdowson@qut.edu.au
Information For NSW Teachers.
The NSW Teachers' Union seems to be more active in supporting bullied teachers.
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The website of procedures for the improvement program is not available to teachers, but the policy is.
On paper this all looks very fair, but in real practice it can be manipulated and not followed by a psychopathic principal.
Pages 7-8 on procedural fairness and pages 35 - 40 "guidelines" may be of interest.
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Information for Parents
http://jolandachallita.typepad.com/education/
From time to time Dealing With The Mob is contacted by parents.
This website is interesting for teachers because it presents a parents-eye-view of an education system.
Jolanda is having problems because her children are intelligent and the education system is one-size-fits-all.
Her website demonstrates that there are many common patterns of public service abuse.
Declaring the issue "closed" is a favourite strategy.
Professional Library
Bully in Sight : How to predict, resist, challenge and combat workplace bullying, Overcoming the silence and denial by which abuse thrives,
Tim Field, Success unlimited, 1996.
Amazon still have copies of this book available.
You must read this book. Tim Field was such a very great man. He was a hero of the modern workplace.
Breaking the Silence
2003, Corwin Press, http://www.corwinpress.com/booksProdDesc.nav?prodId=Book225671 Available in Australia through www.footprint.com.au for AUS$55.00 including postage.
Joseph and Jo Blase are Professors of Educational Leadership at the University of Georgia. They present the results of their research into Principal Mistreatment of Teachers.
Joseph and Jo Blase have also written a number other books which describe how effective school principals promote teaching and learning.
Snakes in Suits: When Psychopaths Go to Work
Paul Babiak and Robert D. Hare, ReganBooks, 329pp, $49.95.
Robert D. Hare is an FBI consultant and designer of the standard diagnostic tool for psychopathy. Hare wrote Without Conscience and now, in conjunction with industrial psychologist Paul Babiak, he has written Snakes in Suits : When Psychopaths Go to Work, a lay guide to corporate psychopaths. Organisations suffering under the mismanagement of such individuals are educated in screening techniques by this book and offered solutions.
Working with Monsters, how to identify and protect yourself from the workplace psychopath.
Dr John Clarke, Random House, 2005. $22.95. www.drjohnclarke.com
Please contact dealingwiththemob@badapplebullies.com to comment on this list of "ethical and accountable" professionals.
Let's deal with the bad apples!
