 | | Question: As a teacher, can I speak to the Chair of Governors confidentially, about actions of the head towards me? I have a grievance against the head teacher. Although my union have advised me that I have a good case, I don't know if I can cope with the stress of lodging a formal grievance. Nobody in the school knows about the way I have been treated, and I have already tried to voice my concerns to the headteacher concerned, but he became verbally aggressive. I just want to tell someone about what has happened, and receive some acknowledgement that the way I have been treated is wrong, even if it is too late for decisions that have been made to be 'undone'.
Joan Sallis replies: All today’s questions seem to have no answers written down anywhere! I can understand why you would like to find a sympathetic ear and I am sorry about your situation, but I would suggest that it is better not to use the ear of the Chair in this way. I can’t say that there is an official prohibition anywhere, but you would be asking him to respond to a problem which he may later have an influential role in solving, and I’m not sure that that is fair. Only you can make up your mind whether to embark on an official grievance procedure whatever the consequences, or whether to contest every hostile action on its merits, grin and bear it, or ask yourself whether there is anything you could conscientiously change in your behaviour to improve the relationship. Schools are small communities. There isn’t really any half measure you can take between complaining and not complaining as far as the governors are concerned. Is there no teacher colleague who would honestly advise you on whether or not you had a case?
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