Source
r/Teachers•
ReadertheRed

admin being weird about another school wanting information about me.

Teacher Support &/or Advice

I'm in a weird situation and I figured I would as more experienced teachers for advice, since this is my 6th year and I've never dealt with anything like this.

I'm currently employed at a charter school. I told my immediate supervisor at the end of the last school year that I would look for new opportunities, but wasn't going to quit. I said I'd let her know if I got any offers.

two weeks ago, I suddenly got a call for an interview from a school I applied to over the summer. they had me come in for a demo lesson, interview went well, but they're a middle college and have a three step interview process.

the following week, my supervisor texts me that she wishes I had let her know I had an interview because the other school called her asking for some information about me. At this point we are the week before school starts for the charter school. I explain that I didn't tell her I had an interview because I didn't want to freak anyone out about replacing me because an interview doesn't mean I'm going to get an offer. she's understanding and makes a job posting for the opening in case I get an offer and decide to leave.

The principal from the middle college calls me later that week because my supervisor is not responding to calls or emails requesting the information and he needs it so that the hiring commitee needs it before they decide if they're going to ask for a second interview. I ask my supervisor to respond to the principal of the middle college, but she says she's not going to because she's not going to take time out of her day the week before school starts to help another school steal one of her teachers. she says he can talk to the charter's HR company.

on the one hand, I get it. on the other hand, schools do this kind of thing to each other all the time. I got hired at my first school the week before school started.

anyways, I relay that to the principal of the middle college, he says he'll see what he can do. He was able to talk with the principal of the first school I worked at and get the information he needed from them no problem, but he needs it from my current school.

that brings us to this week. school has started at the charter school. school starts next week at the middle college. the principal of the middle college lets me know that the charter's HR company told him to contact the head supervisor of the charter school, who said she would give him the information two days prior to the discussion I'm having with him, but she has not yet done so. He's saying he's going to reach out to her again, but there's nothing he can really do for me until he gets that information.

I've got all kinds of big feelings about this. I want to complain to the HR company of the charter, but I don't even know who I can specifically reach out to or how to file the complaint.

​

Anyways, tl;dr: Admin at my school are refusing to provide information about me to another school and it feels like it's going to cost me a job opportunity at this point. What can I do?

Posted Aug 31, 2023, 2:57 PM UTC

126
chocolatelove818•

Your admin is sabotaging your chances of getting any other job intentionally. She doesn't want to put in the work to find someone to replace you.

1
FootInBoots•

Someone who sabotages you like this is not worthy of your service. How are you going to feel going forward with working with someone like this? It’s not because of contract issues, it’s purely her.

You should look at all your options and make a decision on the way forward.

1
Dizzy_Impression2636•

I would write the following email:

Good afternoon, Ms. XYZ and Mrs. ABC:

I understand there has been some difficulty with the two of you connecting. I thought it would be easier for me to create this email chain to ensure that both parties have the appropriate contact information.

Please feel free to continue the necessary conversation with each other using the contact information contained herein, obviously leaving me out of the conversation.

Thank you both for your time.

1
TheSunscreenQueen•

I love this suggestion.

1
janesadd•

This is the way. Unfortunately your current supervisor is actively sabotaging your chances for employment at another school. I’d suggest leaving ASAP.

Best of luck!

1
birdsofthunderSecondary ELA•

100% this.

The charter school I worked at last year took until last week (second week of school for both them and my new school) to release my teaching license information on the state's teacher database, which prevented my new school/district from claiming me and being able to pay me properly with public funds. Thankfully the email I sent that included a lower member of admin that actually gives a shit and wants what's best for teachers resulted in my info being released in the state database, and my new school could claim it. They'd known I wasn't returning since mid July, they were just dragging their feet

1
MaybeImTheNanny•

CC the HR department too

1
SnooComics3275•

I would also add this at the beginning: just come to my attention that middle college has been trying to contact you supervisor since x date. I am hoping this email will help us all connect and move forward on the same page. Or something to that effect so that in writing you have the original date she was contacted.

1
Dizzy_Impression2636•

Savage. Nice.

1
DazzlerPlus•

No, you don’t get it. YOU ARE NOT ONE OF ‘HER’ TEACHERS.

1
Distinct-Market2932•

Do charter schools still have to report to a board of Ed? I would contact them if necessary. Also wouldn't go to school next week if you can afford it. Tell her you can't waste YOUR time. I say this but I probably would still go lol. But I would contact the board.

1
Integrity32•

Right? Time to take some sick days. Cough cough

1
JMLKO•

This is a bitchy comment and I own it: you all suck. You’re going to leave them in the lurch right before school starts, they’re screwing you over by refusing to give them what they need to hire you. You also gave your school zero heads up.

Your school year is going to be fun.

Also, charters.

1
Daez•

They told the head they would be looking for opportunities LAST YEAR, and they agreed that they'd let get know if they got any offers; in what way does that not constitute giving them some heads up? In fact, I find it admirable that teach hasn't already lodged a complaint, because I can think of very little that will disengage an educator faster than back-assery like this that are primed for the building of a hostile work environment. And that's if they don't end up feeling resentful over the "what if's" inherent in situations like this.

Many places wait until last minute to hire, so a spate of job-offers tend to happen last minute, but... fuck that. OP is not at all shitty in this instance, and you're right, that was incredibly bitchy.

1
MaybeImTheNanny•

You have no duty to your current employer

1
DazzlerPlus•

A teacher does not owe the school a thing. The school owes the teacher everything. If the school was not negligent, they would have an easy time replacing them and enough capacity to easily absorb the loss of a teacher

1
coreyshep5th Grade | Rural Alaska | NEA•

This is just another great reason to kick charters to the curb. That is arbitrary and capricious treatment that would never stand if a union were involved.

1
Integrity32•

Rolf yes it would. This happens at all schools with shit administrators.

1
coreyshep5th Grade | Rural Alaska | NEA•

And, to speak to my point, with an oversight framework in place, there are options for recourse. Charters don't have to answer to the public, only their investors and shareholders.

1
Integrity32•

It depends where you are. Charter schools in CA have more oversight than traditional public schools and with recent bills report to their local school district.

Fun fact: CA districts love charter schools whether or not they want to admit it. Charter schools receive less money than they do, and the local district receives on average 5% of the state money for each student.

Small school districts often approve charter schools who will attract students so they can balance their budgets. That’s why they still exist. They make money off of them too.

1
coreyshep5th Grade | Rural Alaska | NEA•

Alaska only has public charter schools, and they report to the local school board. This is how it should be, especially if they will be affecting public schools or their funding.

1
Math-Hatter•

Straight up quit the charter school. Then her silence buys her nothing, and she might decide to stop being a horrible person now that she’s lost. She may also stay silent for revenge, but at least you’re not working for someone who’s basically holding you hostage!

1
TrooperCam•

You current supervisor is creating a hostile workplace. If you have a union or organization it is time to call them and ask for help. If they tell you like atCTA did a coworker of mine that they can’t do anything and that charters suck then you still have processes through your state labor relations and the National Labor relations boards.

1
Daez•

🏆 🏆 🐔 🍽.

No union likely at a charter, but state labor will definitely take their call. I mentioned earlier that I found it pretty impressive that they hadn't already done that, but they're probably worried about burning bridges, or shooting themselves in the foot.... but OP has some nothing wrong, so if/when this admin drives off "her" teacher, she'll have no one to blame but herself when she gets to do the legwork to hire anyway.

Talk about a lack of foresight, because had she provided the requested info, and if teach didn't get an offer, they'd have had longer to prep for the posting.

OP, don't stop looking, and this time take a many interviews as you can get your paws on. And keep a paper trail. CYA in trails, and if she keeps purposefully sabotaging you, bury her with the labor board. And gtfo asap. Anywhere sounds like it'd be better than there, at this point, even if the middle college was your preferred.

Choice Q or V (OR Z345) would be better than working for a vindictive admin like that. 🤷‍♀️

1
brickston91School Counselor | NY•

Never feel bad about what you do to a charter school. They're a plague.

1
the_fomies•

Yeah, this is bs. This is why I left charters. Union would never let this bs fly

1
Daez•

Don't stop looking, and this time, apply for and take AS MANY interviews as you can get your paws on.

And keep a paper trail. CYA in trails, and if she keeps purposefully sabotaging you, bury her with the labor board.

And gtfo asap. Anywhere sounds like it'd be better than there, at this point, even if the middle college was your preferred. Choice Q or V (OR Z345) would be better than working for a vindictive admin like that. 🤷‍♀️

1
Select_Blackberry_15•

Do you have trusted coworker at the charter school who holds a higher rank like department head to use as a reference? I have done this to bypass the admin ego side of moving on. Once you get in to a distinct you’ll have a union to protect you.

1
Superb_Ad_5664•

I had the same thing happen! They would only say I did, in fact, work there for the dates given... I gave the new principal several others to reach out to at my previous school. So and so, head of technology can give you all my test scores. This teacher was my mentor my first year at the school. This retired principal subbed for the principal. It was completely asinine. As I was only applying to be a long-term sub, I did not wish to return to teaching full-time.

1
dmb129•

It is quite literally the dumbest thing that schools need to contact each other to get information for a hitting process. It’s the easiest way for a boss to power trip and refuse to help you.

1