Abuse of Power MOST BULLYING PREVENTION IS AIMED AT STUDENTS. WHAT HAPPENS WHEN ADULTS ARE THE AGGRESSORS?

BY ALAN MCEVOY ILLUSTRATION BY DANIEL ZENDER

A CHERISHED BELIEF runs deep in our teachers, an ugly undercurrent of My personal interest in the phe- psyches: a belief in the compassion of mean-spirited and disdainful conduct nomenon of teachers who bully has its teachers whose heroic efforts trans- toward students also exists. This con- roots in childhood experiences with a form the lives of students. There is duct constitutes a corruption of the few teachers and coaches who waged truth in the narratives that support role of educator and does enormous a daily reign of terror over students. As this view, but there is also a darker side damage to students, colleagues and the an expert in school violence, my pro- to this mythos. In a small minority of public’s faith in schools. fessional interest originated years ago

FALL 2014 51 while doing teacher in-service train- k Enabled by inaction of reflects the politically sensitive ing on bullying. While—like most school systems. nature of implicating educators at trainers on bullying—I focused on k Undetected by outsiders. all during a time when the profes- abusive behavior among students, Bullying fundamentally dis- sion at large faces myriad account- I also raised concerns about the rupts the trust and nurturing rela- ability challenges. conduct of adults. This usually pro- tionships necessary to achieve any Several generalizations can be duced a hush in the audience, fol- school’s mission. Most observers made regarding the patterns sur- lowed by requests to speak with me within and outside education would rounding bullying behavior in privately. Teachers and administra- agree that fair and civil treatment of teachers. tors revealed demoralizing experi- students is—or at least should be— k Bullying behavior often involves ences of a colleague’s cruel behav- embedded in the ecology of aca- the public humiliation of targets. ior toward students. The common demic work. However, the oppo- k There is typically a high degree denominator in these narratives site is true: The problem of educa- of agreement among students (and tor-student bullying colleagues) on which teachers is compounded by a engage in bullying behavior. The shroud of silence surrounding general absence of k Teachers often bully in their own school policies and classrooms, where students witness teachers who engage in toxic bully- procedures written the behavior but other teachers don’t. ing behaviors is unlikely to persist. to handle allegations k Teachers are perceived to bully of abusive conduct. with impunity; they are seldom held Efforts to reduce accountable for their conduct. was a sense of powerlessness and peer-on-peer bullying have taken k Schools generally lack a means the conclusion that little was being on the momentum of a significant of redress for students (or their done or could be done to mitigate reform movement in education. parents) who register complaints the problem. At present, 49 states have passed against a teacher who has been per- I define teacher bullying asa pat- laws intended to address bullying; ceived to bully. tern of conduct, rooted in a power most include policy guidelines for When students are targeted by differential, that threatens, harms, schools. A huge volume of resources teachers, they often feel shamed humiliates, induces fear in or causes and training programs has also and powerless. In many cases, they students substantial emotional emerged as a lucrative cottage become unable to establish posi- stress. In determining whether industry in marketing “bully-proof” tive relationships within school. teacher conduct crosses a line into curricula. Conspicuously absent Teacher bullying can also have a bullying, a “reasonable person” from this literature, however, is an contagion effect, indicating to stu- standard applies. Quite simply, oth- emphasis on how to address abuses dents that the bullying of a partic- ers render an informed judgment of power by educators toward the ular individual is acceptable and that the teacher’s actions toward students they serve. making the individual vulnerable students are neither legitimate nor To date, there are no national to more abuse. reasonable professional conduct. studies on patterns of bullying Perhaps the most distress- In order to address the phe- by educators, and only a few lim- ing aspect of bullying behavior in nomenon of teachers who bully ited studies exist that begin to teachers is how easily it persists. students, the education profession document the phenomenon. In a Colleagues may know about the needs to grapple with several incon- 2014 publication titled Bullying behavior through rumors or per- venient truths. In general, bullying Surveillance Among Youths, the sistent complaints, but think there by educators is: Centers for Disease Control and is nothing they can do. School offi- k Rationalized by offenders. Prevention acknowledges that cials may have reason to believe it k Normalized by students. its report “excludes abuse perpe- is occurring, yet fail to act. Almost k Minimized or ignored by col- trated by adults against children without exception, offending leagues who remain silent. or youths.” Perhaps this absence teachers mask their mistreatment

52 TEACHING TOLERANCE What Behaviors Increase School of students as part of a legitimate both students and staff. Teacher con- role function, using the rhetoric of duct should also be identified in each Liability? “motivation” or “discipline” to jus- school’s code of ethics. Demonstrating indiffer- tify their actions. If accused, offend- k Use in-service time to discuss ence to or lack of concern ers may minimize or deny the con- appropriate and inappropriate for persistent complaints duct and claim it was a joke or a mis- teacher behavior, especially in the about a teacher’s conduct. communication. Ignoring the prob- context of disciplining students. lem of teacher bullying compounds k Establish a means to address com- Claiming to have inves- it by giving license to any educator plaints about alleged bullying by a tigated allegations with- who believes that he or she can act teacher. The right to redress—a pro- out providing credible evi- with impunity toward students. cess by which grievances can be heard dence. (note: An informal Inaction supports a discrimina- and settled—is a basic civil right. discussion with the alleged tory and hostile environment that k Track formal and informal com- perpetrator does not consti- undermines learning and teach- plaints, including student com- tute an investigation.) ing—and puts schools at legal risk. ments on course evaluation forms. But the shroud of silence surround- Allegations of bullying should be Failing to follow poli- ing teachers who engage in toxic included in annual evaluations. cies and procedures when bullying behaviors is unlikely to k Sanctions for bullying should not addressing allegations of persist. Several lawsuits have been be limited to “counseling.” Attorney teacher bullying. filed, and more are on the horizon. Alice Vachss (alicevachss.com) has I have served as an expert wit- developed a model school policy that Claiming that there is ness in a handful of cases cen- includes a “Statement of Standards no history of complaints tered on allegations of bullying and Protections” to address abuses against a teacher when by educators. In some instances, of educational authority. documentation of such the school was seeking to dismiss For every teacher who engages in complaints exists. a teacher or coach who engaged this abuse of power, there are many in a pattern of abuse that reached more teachers who care deeply and Silencing students or staff a crescendo of student and par- try to mitigate the enormous dam- who register complaints ent complaints. Often a high-pro- age this behavior inflicts upon our with threats of retaliation, file incident became the prover- students—and our educational or taking no action against bial last straw that could no longer ideals. They should not bear this staff members who are be ignored. In other instances, the burden alone. Policies can help. known to have made school itself had been named in a Speaking up can pave the way. such threats. lawsuit because it had enabled abu- sive conduct through indifference Ignoring targeting of stu- to persistent complaints. dents based on race, School officials have a duty of gender, sexual orien- care to protect students; their tation, ethnicity, dis- failure to act despite notifica- ability, religion, nation- tion of a problem enhances liabil- ality or any other ity (see sidebar). But schools can immutable characteristic. (and should!) reduce bullying by teachers and staff members. Recognizing this truth and being Toolkit willing to take action are difficult Intervening with teachers who bully requires skill and preparation. Use these but necessary first steps. reflection exercises to begin within. k Write or adjust bullying policies visit » tolerance.org/abuse-of-power to explicitly address the conduct of

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