Should a student teacher help file a grievance?

Question

The teacher I am under has documents of this principal doing, saying, and writing things to her that are unprofessional, slanderous, and unfair in the past in another school. This new year of teaching is just starting, and I was all set to student teach with this teacher.This principal transferred to our school that has done these things to the teacher.

As soon as she gets there she tries to move me to another class with a 'better' teacher. I did not plan to, and said I would rather do another class. So, I am able to do this other class. The next day she comes up to me with a rumor about something I said, and told me I was not wanted any more at this school. This was awful for me. I assumed that her reason was because she is trying to get at the teacher she has been doing these things to. Now the teacher wants me to write a note saying exactly what happened to me. She plans to file a grievance along with all her other documentation.

My fear is that that would make that worse for my future to get a job?

What should I do?

Answer 1

Thats a whole mess.

You are going to have the opportunity once you are a full teacher to avoid such situations. You cant file a grievance as you are not an employee. It is up to you whether you'd eant to write that note - but I'll tell you the principal can make things difficult. Both your parties are in the wrong - you shouldnt have been asked - and you shouldnt have been used.

Here it is: You are not an employee of the school or the district. you have no grievance rights. Talk to your university mentor - not the mentor teacher. I would never put my mentees in such a situation.

Find a job at a more relaxed school.

Answer 2

Normally, I would say, "Yes, fine the grievance."  However, being a student teacher, you're in a difficult position.  Have you talked with the adviser of the student teaching program at your university?  Find out if the principal can even do that since it was already arranged.  I have a feeling that he technically can, but talking to your adviser will let the college know that this principal is a problem to work with.  They can also advise you on the best action to take to deal with this problem.  

Good luck.

Answer 3

I don't believe you can file a grievance, unless you are covered under the normal collective bargaining agreement.  You can document any unprofessional comments that the principal says or makes.  You should plan on being a support to the teacher you are reporting to.  If things go haywire, you may not be subjective to problems in securing a teching position later.  Use good common sense...not a knee-jerk response.

Answer 4

I am a mentor teacher, supervisory teacher and a member of the hiring team.  Talk to your advisory professor ASAP and request a new school.  Get out of that situation.  It appears to be a personal conflict between the two and may be bouncing to you.

Start fresh in a new school and develop a positive reputation.  Staying at the current school may result in a negative recommendation from the principal and that never looks good regardless of the situation -interviews with hiring teams or principals don't want to hear about how awful the previous experience was-they want to hear positive excitement.

Answer 5

I see the words 'her' and 'she' in your description  Let me take a moment and voice my surprise that narcissism is involved in this. It sounds like junior high girls doing petty fighting and creating drama for no reason.

Since you are student-teacher, I say the first thing you should do is contact your college professor (observer or whomever is in charge of the program) and tell them what is going on.  You should not be in the middle of this, and if someone from your college has to show up and observe you, you do not want this issue to be a sudden surprise to them.  This is not something you should be getting wrapped up in.  Keep in mind that when you graduate, whomever interviews you will contact the teacher, principal, school, etc to get recommendation on what kind of a teacher you were.  You really don't want something like this coming up and clouding their judgment on whether or not they should hire you for a teaching job.

Answer 6

Talk to your university adviser and explain the situation.  This is a very unprofessional situation for the principal and teacher to put you in.  I would also consider moving to another school so as to avoid anything further happening between these two very immature employees.

Answer 7

i agree with the last person - as a mentor myself i would tell u to talk to yr college person. its difficult day to day to deal with teh situation but they will teach u this in college

DOCUMENT everything- every conversation - every phone call.

make sure that all conversations  with the principal have witnesses.

p.s would u really want a job in the school with that principal? they are not the ones to give you the reference - it is the college and the mentor that write the reference.