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Protecting staff - a governor's duty of care
After three formal complaints of  a staff member's bullying others, what is a governor's duty of care in protecting these staff?
Question: A member of staff was disciplined for bullying. This person chose to do the same again and the Chair of Governors knew of both instances. Three more formal complaints, all for same thing. Is this not a failure of duty of care by the Chair of Governors to these members of staff in failing to protect them?


Joan Sallis replies: I assume that we are talking about a senior member of staff who bullies less senior colleagues. In the first instance I would say that the Head should deal with this, not the governing body, and I don’t really understand why it hasn’t been sorted out as a management issue within the school.

Staff management and protection of staff against colleagues where necessary is not the governing body’s responsibility, though it does of course deal with formal complaints referred to it, normally by appointing a small committee, particularly if the Head is implicated, and must do so with fairness and courage. If the Head is alleged to be doing the bullying it will be up to governors to investigate and judge.

September 22, 2006
     

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