Mount View Primary School teacher felt ‘degraded’ by Education Department’s handling of bullying claims

A “humiliated” Mount View Primary School teacher who made bullying complaints about an ex-principal says the Education’s Departments’ response stripped her of her dignity. Now she wants an apology.

A teacher at Mount View Primary School is demanding an apology from the Education Department over her distress and bullying claims.

A Victorian primary school teacher claims the Education Department made her feel “humiliated” and “degraded” due to its poor handling of serious bullying complaints against a former principal.

The victim, who has worked at Mount View Primary School in Glen Waverley for almost five years, said the former principal caused her “psychological distress” after he shouted at her and belittled her on multiple occasions.

The alleged bullying by the primary school principal has been reported to the Department of Education and WorkSafe.

The teacher was forced to take extended leave for 14 months after a range of alleged incidents including being yelled at and berated in front of other staff.

It’s understood other complaints about the former principal have been made to the Education Department.

“In 2020, he yelled at me and berated me during a leadership meeting, it was extremely confronting and I was left shaken by the incident,” the teacher said.

“This was witnessed by another staff member and heard by many staff members outside of the room. I was so distressed that I had to leave the school that day,” she added.

“He also shouted at another teacher in front of her whole class after she simply shut a window during a cold winter’s day.

“In another incident a teacher walked into his office singing and he screamed at her, she was very taken aback.”

The teacher, who has worked at Mount View Primary School for almost five years, says the former principal caused her ‘psychological distress’.

The teacher said the psychological distress of the bullying was compounded by a “woeful” lack of support from the Education Department.

Earlier this year, the former principal announced he had taken leave until his retirement in February next year.

The teacher says the Department tried to block her from returning to the school if the former principal resumed his role.

“This is ludicrous as he had already retired and the GP and an independent psychiatrist said I was fit to go back to my base school,’ she said.

The staff member said the department’s handling of her complaints was “woeful”, and she did not feel supported.

“He was able to have an early retirement and not face any consequences for his behaviour,” she said.

“My biggest grievance with the DET is that they did not make me feel safe and supported to speak up. I felt that they were protecting the former principal and punishing me.

“I asked on several occasions for guidance and help to navigate the investigation process and I got nothing. I would send emails asking questions and they were never answered.

“I asked for a support person and never received one, they took my dignity away from me.

“They shamed, humiliated and degraded me.”

The teacher she is calling on the department to apologise for her mistreatment over the years.

“I want to be a voice for others whose serious complaints fall on deaf ears. I want the department to look at the processes and take the grievances, particularly cases of bullying, much more seriously.”

A Department of Education spokesman said: “The safety and wellbeing of staff and students is top priority, and we have established processes to deal with allegations of workplace bullying and to support staff involved.”