Lockyer District State High School: Deputy principal’s claims over discrimination, toxic culture at regional Qld school

A Queensland state high school has been accused of having a toxic culture with its deputy principal claiming he was discriminated against, including being recorded when he wore jeans to work.

Michael Pflaum, deputy principal of Lockyer District State High School.

A Queensland deputy principal claimed there was a “toxic work culture” at a high school west of Brisbane, a workplace tribunal heard, during his failed bid to challenge a pay cut and forced work transfer as part of disciplinary action.

Michael Pflaum, a deputy principal at Lockyer District State High School (LDSHS), took his case to the Queensland Industrial Relations Commission in a bid to appeal a June 9, 2023 decision to transfer him to another school.

According to the QIRC decision, he was also hit with a one-year pay cut and ordered to do training “to improve his workplace behaviours” and focus on respectful and appropriate behaviour, after he was found to have contravened the public service code of conduct.

The code of conduct breach related to four separate incidents of “inappropriate and unprofessional behaviours towards colleagues and parents of students” at LDSHS in 2020.

According to the February 26 decision by Queensland Industrial Relations Commissioner Roslyn McLennan, Mr Pflaum was found to have acted inappropriately and unprofessionally toward: teacher Matthew Schultze on May 25, 2020; parent Jennyfer Sloane on 5 June 2020 and 12 June 2020; head of department Christie Robb on 27 August 2020; and head of department Kathy Wagner on 2 December 2020.

Queensland Industrial Relations Commissioner Roslyn McLennan. Picture: Liam Kidston.

The disciplinary finding was made by the state’s education department employee relations executive director Rachel Borger.

As part of his case Mr Pflaum argued he was experiencing career burnout due to a “toxic work culture… and discrimination by the principal”.

“The principal recorded when Mr Pflaum undertook ‘caring duties for my children’ and ‘wore jeans to work’, in the ‘running record’,” according to his appeal notice, quoted in the QIRC decision.

He also complained of “social exclusion” because he was not invited to the principal’s “office for socialising and work discussions”, and his office was located away from the other deputy principals at LDSHS.

He also complained of he has been discriminated against because of “cultural background”.

Mr Pflaum, a teacher since 1999, argued since he was transferred to perform alternative duties at the Darling Downs south west regional office in March 2021 he was provided with “little meaningful work” and “put into an open office area” which he submitted amounts to workplace bullying.

But in her decision Ms McLennan found that Ms Borger’s decision to send Mr Pflaum to alternative duties in regional office “was the correct course here”.

Rachel Borger, Executive Director, Integrity and Employee Relations People, Department of Education., source is LinkedIn

“In the circumstances of this matter, that placement fulfils the test of “reasonable management action carried out in a reasonable manner”. It is not bullying.”

Ms McLennan also found that the order for him to do training as part of the disciplinary action was fair and reasonable.

“It is fair-minded and appropriate for the department to support any employee on (or approaching) their ‘last chance’ with quality, targeted training,” Ms McLennan stated in her decision.

“Mr Pflaum will continue as a deputy principal in a new school. It is important that Mr Pflaum succeeds in establishing positive professional relationships with those in a new school community,” Ms McLennan wrote.

Mr Pflaum was told last year that there was no suitable permanent vacancy available for him but he could go to Highfields State School temporarily until another location is found.

Ms McLennan concluded that the disciplinary action was justified because Mr Pflaum’s “actions clearly disregarded the health and safety of his colleagues” and

She pointed to Ms Borger’s letter to Mr Pflaum on June 9 last year warning he had one more chance and could face the sack if found to have breached the code of conduct in future.

Ms McLennan quoted Ms Borger’s statement in the letter: “any future substantiated allegations of misconduct and/or a breach of the code of conduct or standard of practice will be viewed very seriously and may result in the termination of your employment”.

There were no complaints against Mr Pflaum’s interactions with colleagues when he was working at the regional office, Ms Borger noted in her letter to him, quoted in the decision.

According to the QIRC decision, Ms Borger was initially planning to demote Mr Pflaum from deputy principal to head of department, but decided instead to give him the lesser penalty of a one-year pay-cut while remaining at deputy principal rank.

Ms Borger noted the education department investigated allegations made against Mr Pflaum in 2013 that “harassed of a number of colleagues”, without stating the outcome of that investigation, but he otherwise had “a previously unblemished disciplinary history”.