IPPN

Published: 14 January 2009

Source: Irish Examiner

THE level of bullying against principals by colleagues and parents is on the increase and those recently appointed to the position are being particularly targeted, it has been claimed.

The Irish Primary Principals' Network (IPPN) said it has noted a disturbing increase in the number of calls for help from members being bullied either by individual teachers or groups of staff, or from other members of the school community.

It said very little help is available to those affected by the problem, apart from the organisation's own supports.

'While it may come as a surprise to some that principals are being targeted, the reality is that they are no different from those in other leadership positions in that, because of the isolated nature of the role, they are increasingly likely to suffer hurt, anxiety and desperation as a result of targeted bullying behaviour,' said IPPN director Sean Cottrell.

'Newly-appointed principals in particular have borne the brunt of increased instances of such behaviour, much of it the residue of the appointment process, but they are not alone as principals of many years' experience are also bearing witness to such behaviour,' he wrote in the IPPN's Leadership magazine.

Mr Cottrell acknowledged that, in a small number of cases, principals can and have abused their own powers by bullying members of their own school community over the years. He also said it is other staff, parents, school board members or the wider school community who are the sources of bullying against principals.

The IPPN is particularly disturbed that bullied principals are reluctant to come forward and look for help.

'The reason for this may be that there is an additional embarrassment factor linked to the fact that the principal is perceived in many quarters as the strong, able leader, the bulwark against challenging and threatening behaviour, and indeed, the protector of others targeted in such a manner,' Mr Cottrell said.

But while the organisation offers advice and support, he said there is a very real lack of help from elsewhere.

One in three calls made in the first year to a helpline set up in 2006 as part of the Department of Education employee assistance service related directly to work, including stress, job anxiety, classroom management and relations with other staff.

A 2006 survey by the Irish National Teachers Organisation (INTO), whose members include 3,300 primary school principals, found that more than two-thirds of teachers and principals reported a lot of bullying or that the problem was widespread or fairly serious in their schools.