Mental Health (4 Viewers)

[shepardo01]

Obviously she isn't and if anything her screen time is crazier than mine.

That is shocking - whoever has sanctioned that - HT, HOF or whoever, needs to take a long hard look at themselves with mental health and wellbeing of staff being vitally important at this time! What is so urgent at the moment in schools, with exams not happening the way they usually would, that work needs marking over the weekend - if it does, the way that that school is working at present needs to change before something serious happens.

 

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[Brighton Sky Blue]

That is shocking - whoever has sanctioned that - HT, HOF or whoever, needs to take a long hard look at themselves with mental health and wellbeing of staff being vitally important at this time! What is so urgent at the moment in schools, with exams not happening the way they usually would, that work needs marking over the weekend - if it does, the way that that school is working at present needs to change before something serious happens.

Without going too much further into it, she is also writing students' coursework for them because they're not doing it and will not get a GCSE without it. So she has been told to just write it herself and put 'comments' on as though they were a genuine draft. There's about 100 times (no exaggeration) that she has to do this because the school wishes to have allowed a set number of drafts (which students never write).

Have advised her to whistleblow but she's terrified about the consequences for her job.

 

[Ian1779]

Without going too much further into it, she is also writing students' coursework for them because they're not doing it and will not get a GCSE without it. So she has been told to just write it herself and put 'comments' on as though they were a genuine draft. There's about 100 times (no exaggeration) that she has to do this because the school wishes to have allowed a set number of drafts (which students never write).

Have advised her to whistleblow but she's terrified about the consequences for her job.

She has to do this! I know it’s easy to say from afar, but she will be protected and safe if she does this anonymously via her teaching Union.

 

[Brighton Sky Blue]

She has to do this! I know it’s easy to say from afar, but she will be protected and safe if she does this anonymously via her teaching Union.

Yeah her school doesn't really have much union presence and it would be obvious who made the tip off. Ultimately it causes her more stress talking about it and I don't want to push her into doing things she clearly isn't comfortable with. Still hurts seeing what they're doing to her though.

 

[shepardo01]

Without going too much further into it, she is also writing students' coursework for them because they're not doing it and will not get a GCSE without it. So she has been told to just write it herself and put 'comments' on as though they were a genuine draft. There's about 100 times (no exaggeration) that she has to do this because the school wishes to have allowed a set number of drafts (which students never write).

Have advised her to whistleblow but she's terrified about the consequences for her job.

If it is a faculty/department issue, easier to go above to try to get things looked at, if it is coming from the top, often, sadly, the best thing is to "get out" - which, I'm sure, as you know, at present is difficult!
Really sad, and I feel for both you, reading on here how you are having to work, and your wife, who sounds like she is in a horrific situation.
Watching City, and looking forward to games has been a real help to me, but games like tonight certainly don't help.
Is it worth her contacting her union to see if they can offer advice? (edit - just seen above)

 

[Brighton Sky Blue]

If it is a faculty/department issue, easier to go above to try to get things looked at, if it is coming from the top, often, sadly, the best thing is to "get out" - which, I'm sure, as you know, at present is difficult!
Really sad, and I feel for both you, reading on here how you are having to work, and your wife, who sounds like she is in a horrific situation.
Watching City, and looking forward to games has been a real help to me, but games like tonight certainly don't help.
Is it worth her contacting her union to see if they can offer advice? (edit - just seen above)

We have discussed ways out of the profession for her quite a few times, but attempting that right now is effectively a no starter. City games offer one of very few distractions and when we play as crap as we did tonight, it worsens my mood. But then if I didn't watch them, I'd have little else to do except work on my screen. As it is I'm procrastinating lesson prep for tomorrow so best get to it. Thanks for the advice though.

 

[shepardo01]

We have discussed ways out of the profession for her quite a few times, but attempting that right now is effectively a no starter. City games offer one of very few distractions and when we play as crap as we did tonight, it worsens my mood. But then if I didn't watch them, I'd have little else to do except work on my screen. As it is I'm procrastinating lesson prep for tomorrow so best get to it. Thanks for the advice though.

No worries - Currently doing something similar - hence being one here so late!
In terms of "ways out of the profession" I'd say that was a last resort, although difficult, and not immediate, a change of school/establishment would be the first thing I'd look at. Maternity posts will always pop up - could be a start - could lead to other things.
I know that somewhere out there, there are schools/establishments that do care about their staff!
Easy to say, but I hope you are trying your best to look after each other through this.

 

[NorthernWisdom]

Yeah her school doesn't really have much union presence and it would be obvious who made the tip off. Ultimately it causes her more stress talking about it and I don't want to push her into doing things she clearly isn't comfortable with. Still hurts seeing what they're doing to her though.

Back in the day, I chose to leave a job for the sake of a future reference, rather than whistleblowing (the Union pointed out if I wanted a reference, it was best not to go after the employer!)

Ten years later, I still wish I'd taken them down...

 

[clint van damme]

Back in the day, I chose to leave a job for the sake of a future reference, rather than whistleblowing (the Union pointed out if I wanted a reference, it was best not to go after them!)

Ten years later, I still wish I'd taken them down...

Damned if you do damned if you don't.

 

[NorthernWisdom]

Damned if you do damned if you don't.

Yup. Made me so disillusioned, I left that area anyway. So I may as well have saved others from going through the same!

Always remember the Union rep's words when I walked into our meeting. 'Oh hello, you took your time. You do realise you're the last person in the department to come and see me...?'

 

[Brighton Sky Blue]

Back in the day, I chose to leave a job for the sake of a future reference, rather than whistleblowing (the Union pointed out if I wanted a reference, it was best not to go after the employer!)

Ten years later, I still wish I'd taken them down...

I could have whistleblown a previous school for major safeguarding lapses...even a tip off to a certain local newspaper...but thought better of it. In Mrs BSB’s case, all it would do is bin her out of a job

 

[cowboy1850]

How long have schools and academies been behaving so sinister?

I know a person who worked at a school in Birmingham in the mid-90s and he said they were shocking in how they treated him.

 

[chiefdave]

Its not just schools. My ex-wife had exactly the same thing in the NHS. When Cameron got in, having said there would be no top down reorganisation, guess what happened!

The staff knew it was a danger to patients and they wouldn't be able to provide the required level of care with the changes being made but they were told if they complained to the union or the press they'd be out.

Predictibly the service suffered, people died and the finger was pointed at the staff even though they'd said what would happen if the changes were made.

 

[cowboy1850]

My wife works for the NHS. It seems to be so top heavy with management on 50k + a year and no matter what you do wrong they never sack people unless it gets out in the media and then they pay them off with massive payouts.

 

[Greggs]

Feel shit today, looking for trouble. Pisses me off that the only thing i look forward to at the moment is the football and last night was shite. Can't go the gym to train, can't do fuck all fun. Back from work and cracked a beer. Same old shit. This rain can fuck off too.

 

[Brighton Sky Blue]

Feel shit today, looking for trouble. Pisses me off that the only thing i look forward to at the moment is the football and last night was shite. Can't go the gym to train, can't do fuck all fun. Back from work and cracked a beer. Same old shit. This rain can fuck off too.

Watch something funny

 

[clint van damme]

Feel shit today, looking for trouble. Pisses me off that the only thing i look forward to at the moment is the football and last night was shite. Can't go the gym to train, can't do fuck all fun. Back from work and cracked a beer. Same old shit. This rain can fuck off too.

The weather definitely don't help, nor the dark evenings. Hang on in there, as there song says - things can only get better!

Would kill for an evening in a pub with a pre booked table of 6 and a bar that shuts at 10!

 

[Greggs]

The weather definitely don't help, nor the dark evenings. Hang on in there, as there song says - things can only get better!

Would kill for an evening in a pub with a pre booked table of 6 and a bar that shuts at 10!

Thanks mate. Me too

 

[Greggs]

Watch something funny

Yep, am on Man Down with Greg Davies. Its decent. Thanks mate!

 

[Brighton Sky Blue]

Yep, am on Man Down with Greg Davies. Its decent. Thanks mate!

Sounds simple but got a stack of things that make me laugh no matter what, not much but helps!

 

[bringbackrattles]

Rained off again so no window cleaning. Was having a break due to the new lockdown measures etc, and some customers got in touch saying leave it for a bit. But sod it as soon as the weather brightens up I'm off out on the round again. Bumped into a customer the other day and he said where have I been as I was due in his street ? That was the attitude I wanted, and my sister who lives in Leicestershire said her window cleaner has been round and did them as usual. I've been doing a lot of football writing, and keeping busy, but just miss working outdoors, must be addicted !

 

[Grendel]

I assume she’s being paid overtime for that surely??? If not that’s discgraceful.

lol most people in staff positions work without overtime you know?

 

[chiefdave]

lol most people in staff positions work without overtime you know?

I'd love to get paid for overtime. I generally work about double my contracted hours. Double the salary would be handy!

 

[Grendel]

I'd love to get paid for overtime. I generally work about double my contracted hours. Double the salary would be handy!

Even in the 90’s I sometimes was in the office to midnight never got a penny extra

 

[Brighton Sky Blue]

lol most people in staff positions work without overtime you know?

In teaching I’ve never heard of it as a thing to be honest.

 

[Ian1779]

lol most people in staff positions work without overtime you know?

She’s already working 5 days a week though isn’t she... so yes she is totally deserving of this.

And an awful lot of people get paid inflated rates of pay for overtime in their respective profession. Are you proposing they should lose that?

 

[Ian1779]

How long have schools and academies been behaving so sinister?

I know a person who worked at a school in Birmingham in the mid-90s and he said they were shocking in how they treated him.

It’s been happening in some schools for a long time, and has become more prevalent since academisation.

 

[Ian1779]

In teaching I’ve never heard of it as a thing to be honest.

In many schools - work in school during holidays and weekend was often paid extra as it was outside contracted hours (the 1265) - these days due to funding shortfalls this is often only used for revision/intervention, now is unpaid but based on staff goodwill.

 

[Sky Blue Pete]

I can’t believe the workers put up with so much shit, get annoyed with the government, talk about a class struggle and against austerity and yet union membership is at an all time low and then the question is why?

It’s quite frankly outrageous for bsb’s wife to work a 70hr week and then be expected to work on a Saturday and we should all be up in arms about it rather than saying well I have to work long hours too

 

[Brighton Sky Blue]

I can’t believe the workers put up with so much shit, get annoyed with the government, talk about a class struggle and against austerity and yet union membership is at an all time low and then the question is why?

It’s quite frankly outrageous for bsb’s wife to work a 70hr week and then be expected to work on a Saturday and we should all be up in arms about it rather than saying well I have to work long hours too

I don't hold it against G, it wouldn't be natural for him to say anything else. It's amusing in a weird way

 

[Grendel]

She’s already working 5 days a week though isn’t she... so yes she is totally deserving of this.

And an awful lot of people get paid inflated rates of pay for overtime in their respective profession. Are you proposing they should lose that?

I assume she signed a contract on the basis it was no overtime also along with additional holidays compared to people who have not the luxury of either

 

[Earlsdon_Skyblue1]

Feel shit today, looking for trouble. Pisses me off that the only thing i look forward to at the moment is the football and last night was shite. Can't go the gym to train, can't do fuck all fun. Back from work and cracked a beer. Same old shit. This rain can fuck off too.

I was watching World's Toughest Prisons on Netflix. There are some new episodes on there, the one in Greenland being the pick of the bunch for me. Would highly recommend watching it. Made me appreciated our freedoms a little bit at least.

 

[Grendel]

I don't hold it against G, it wouldn't be natural for him to say anything else. It's amusing in a weird way

In the end your job does give you a lot of benefits and privileges denied to many in the private sector

a bit of gratitude for this perhaps may not go amiss sometimes?

 

[Brighton Sky Blue]

I assume she signed a contract on the basis it was no overtime also along with additional holidays compared to people who have not the luxury of either

Feel free to come round and tell her that, 1 am is usually about when she's done

 

[Earlsdon_Skyblue1]

Hang on in there.
One thing that seems to be going right is the vaccination program so there is a light at the end of the tunnel.
Maybe speak to a mental health professional in the mean time?

Thanks Clint.

I have been going round the houses with them for about a year now. Without going into too much detail it isn't the lockdowns that are my issue as such, but an ongoing condition - quite possibly BPD. I've unfortunately been through a lot of trauma and they think as a result it might be that. They passed me from team to team and I find out tomorrow if I can be evaluated for a diagnosis, but it is looking unlikely. Unless I'm standing on the ring road trying to jump in front of cars then it is a case of here are some pills and go away.

Not going to tag everyone because this isn't Bebo, but I really appreciate everyone's kind words. It has more of an effect than you might think and I do value everyone's comments. Also @Brighton Sky Blue - Book is completed. Just trying to work out how to market it and design a cover but it should be published in the next couple of weeks.