Does anyone else ever feel bullied and singled out by admin because you may be older and have a voice and a point of view?

It’s not even being older, I am learning that speaking up and having a voice and an opinion is unwanted in most situations at school. Whether it’s a young voice or an older voice, if you have an idea that isn’t their idea it’s wrong

Oh, yes! I started documenting everything and then called my union rep and asked two different ones to give me an objective read on what was going on. Both said I was being targeted. They suggested that I actually write an email to Admin and they helped.. That seem to make it worse. So the grievance chair reviewed the issue and the union stepped in formally. That Principal was moved to another school an allowed to retire from there. The moral of the story is to document, document, document. 

This year a former colleague turned admin has done a lot to undermine, not include, and generally discredit me, although I have a doctorate in education, and have written many academic articles, taught for more than 40 years. This is the first admin who has even questioned my abilities. Makes me think of ageism or something...:(

Sadly yes. Instead of seeing us as a resource, we’re seen as a threat.

I left to a different school when that started happening to me. Not worth my energy or time.

I once had an adminstrator tell me --her quote, "I like to hire young teachers so I can mold them, older teachers take too much time to change." Adminstrators have on blinders sometimes only see thier agenda. Because older teachers tell the truth, point out the possible road bumps--adminstrators call that non-cooperative or not supportive. While some young teacher are all about being Yes people. Same adminstrator told our faculty to get on her bus (agenda) or get left at the bus stop (no job). She also had 2 lawsuit aganist her by staff. The bullying stopped and she got transferred.

I have to say as an older teacher who has been teaching Special Education for 31 yrs that in my school and district I am treated the complete opposite. My administration comes to me for suggestions and resource recommendations to help new teachers and support other teachers. The special education department asks for my input on curriculum and problems that other teachers need help with.

Just wrapped up my 33rd yr. and yes I have had many admin bullies. I stand up to to them. Always have. Never made me popular. Lol

All the time!!! You’re not alone.

I do think there is ageism and some younger staff can feel negatively even if they don’t realize it.

I have 15 years experience as a teacher. Have worked at state level. Yet my admin tells me for the last two years that I am a first year teacher. I am introduced as that and told that I need to seek resources to build my expertise. Expertise to go with the articles I have written and published on those things. My son loves the teachers he has and the experiences with friends. If not for this I would move.

ME! I am in this boat 100% right now. It is one of the reasons I have resigned and will not be returning next year. I understand that there will be a certain level of favoritism no matter where I go but the fact that it will always be there does not make it right and it certainly does not mean that I will put up with it.

Absolutely!! That is the main reason I am retiring.

Yup. The school I’m at used to value such things, but our new admin doesn’t. Which is why I’m looking for a new school.

You aren’t alone. I think this is an issue nationwide. 

Never. Just the opposite. But I’ve been lucky with most of the schools that have hired me, I guess. There was a narcissistic administrative culture in one school that I had to deal with, but I was an administrator there also and had been hired specifically for my expertise in curriculum development. They gave me a great deal of autonomy, let me do my thing, then discontinued my position after a few years when enrollment dropped and I’d pretty much fixed the problems they’d hired me to fix. So they never questioned my point of view, they just kind of used me and treated me like a consultant.

Never - and I am the oldest man in the bldg - 68.

I have a friend who used to speak out, but he's a guy and the union rep so the principal left him alone.

They don't like teachers knowing they can speak up.

YES !!!! not only admin but anyone around them who licks their boots.The one who receives “awards without deserving it” those will not say hi furthermore will spread rumors about you . Culturally I believe that the more my enemy’s number grow the more I know they fear my importance in the community . Have your students and parents speak for you .They cannot do a thing to you while you are serving well your students and make your community rely on you . Prepare these students to be the leaders of tomorrow that is your only goal forget about these admins let them have fun in their offices. They come and go and we classroom teachers in the fields stay like a pillar holding everything together. What do they do anyways?

Or because you are a graduate nontraditional college students- aka, I went back to school at the young age of 36! So now I am either ignores or over corrected…ain’t one I worked Pre-k in the private centers or a TA in a public Pre- k! My biggest pet peeve- people telling me to how to teach 3-5 year olds when they have no clue! Or calling me a glorified babysitter!!!

I have been a special education teacher for 27 years. My biggest frustration is the young teachers that have zero respect for our experience and wisdom. No college textbook is going to teach you what decades of teaching has. Yet many of them come in acting like they know it all. When I was a young teacher I respected the people who had been there for years. I don't see that from this new generation of teachers. Don't get me wrong, I have learned from some of them...especially about technology and I appreciate that. I just wish they had some appreciation for what almost 30 years of teaching has taught me.