Conflicts with colleagues don't have to become
crises
A principal calls a teacher into the office daily to ask
for justification of the lesson plans. The principal asks for more and more
detail in the plans and is still not satisfied. The teacher reaches the end
of her rope and yells at the principal, refusing to turn in lesson plans at
all. The principal recommends nonrenewal of the teacher for insubordination and
failure to follow district policies.
Another teacher and her aide have differing opinions
about the activities in which the aide should be engaged. The teacher and
aide argue in front of the students, the aide fails to respond to the teacher's
requests, and the teacher complains loudly about the conflict in the
teachers' lounge. Both the teacher and the aide receive written reprimands from
the principal for their behavior, with threats of further disciplinary
action if the problem continues.
Calls about these situations and others like them come
to the ATPE Member Legal Services Department all too often. The employees in the two situations above
caused themselves more trouble than they needed to by not making use
of common sense and a tool that is available to all public school
employees: the grievance. So, how could the outcomes above have been
prevented? First of all, don't let
the situation escalate until it affects your performance. Second, follow
any directives that you receive from a supervisor. If you disagree with
the directive, you can contest it either informally or through the
grievance process, but always follow the directive
in the meantime. Failure to do so may result in a reprimand for
insubordination, as seen in the first example. While you may be
completely vindicated for the underlying problem if you grieve the
situation, you may not be able to get rid of the reprimand because you did refuse to follow the principal's directive.
Refusal to follow a legal directive can result in more serious actions being taken as well,
including termination.
If you are confronted
with unprofessional behavior from a co-worker, the first thing to do is
to try to resolve the problem directly. Often, misunderstandings are just that and can be resolved by talking.
In addition, it is often best to be able to tell a supervisor that you tried to resolve the matter informally if you
do have to enlist her aid. If informal methods do not work or are not
feasible, talk informally with your supervisor. If that still does not
resolve the problem, make use of the district grievance process. This
process allows any public school employee to bring concerns or
complaints about working conditions to the attention of the employer.
Filing a grievance does not guarantee that satisfactory action will be
taken by the administration, but it does guarantee that someone who
could take action must listen to your complaint. It also preserves your
right to go higher up the chain of command with the complaint and
legally protects you from retaliation.
It is never wise to
respond to unprofessional behavior with more unprofessional behavior. It
will often result in documentation in your personnel file, distractions
from your job duties and possible consultations with an attorney—all
of which might be preventable if you tackle the problem promptly and
professionally.
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The legal information provided on this website is for general purposes only. It is not intended as a substitute for
individual legal advice or the provision of legal services. Accessing this information does not create an
attorney-client relationship. Individual legal situations vary greatly and readers should consult directly with an
attorney. Eligible ATPE members should contact the ATPE Member Legal Services Department using our
online system, MLSIS.
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