I have tried to start a Teacher Association at the American school in India where I teach. Over 50 staff members came to our first meeting. Now the new director is attempting to shut us down by requiring the formation of a TA to go through his committee process. I fear it's to no avail, but I must produce "data" for the Talent Committee to submit to the Action Committee which is made up of administrators who get the final vote on whether or not a TA will be allowed. Ridiculous! Anyway, I need "data" on existing Teacher Associations. Please respond if your school has one and how long it has been in existence. If I can show that many reputable schools allow TA's, that might influence some of the committee members.
Thank you!
Existing Teacher Associations
Reply
Never going to happen, not in India. School TAs are nothing but a pain and headache to admins. They will do anything in their power to kill it. Case in point, why do you need their permission to organize an association? There is no way their committee would give you any power, even if it did get approved, youd be little more then a school club for teachers.
Existing Teacher Associations
Of course you are right and the Teacher Association Committee we formed told the new director whose personal ambition yawns like a chasm and he can barely contain his resentment and arrogance, that the American Constitution gives us the right to convene as stated in the Bill of Rights. I find it difficult to understand how American heads of international schools think they have a right to ignore American laws. I guess because they can. Now he's stating in job ads that he is looking for teachers under a certain age. Bingo, age discrimination. There is no retirement age in India and the school's former director hired qualified teachers. He didn't care about age. There is a fairly large exodus happening at the end of the year which suits him fine. He can hire all the little Miss Sunshines he wants who will bow and scrape and worship his "vision".
Discussion
Well for starters your american head can ignore ALL the US law they want, because your in India, not the USA. The US constitution ends at the coast (well 12 miles off the coast) The bill of right means nothing outside the USA. You have no "american" rights outside of America.
Your new head is not just an extension of your old head. Its not realistic to expect the leadership/management style and to expect them to have the same priorities and preferences. If your new head is violating some part of indian labor law that prohibits age discrimination, and you can prove its age discrimination, then you need to seek legal counsel, otherwise your head can very well surround themselves with all the young little miss sunshines they want. Thats their preference (just as i prefer vanilla to strawberry ice cream)and when you run the school you get to pretty much do what you want.
There is some marketing merit and perceived value to customers (thats parents) of having a "younger" staff.
Your new head is not just an extension of your old head. Its not realistic to expect the leadership/management style and to expect them to have the same priorities and preferences. If your new head is violating some part of indian labor law that prohibits age discrimination, and you can prove its age discrimination, then you need to seek legal counsel, otherwise your head can very well surround themselves with all the young little miss sunshines they want. Thats their preference (just as i prefer vanilla to strawberry ice cream)and when you run the school you get to pretty much do what you want.
There is some marketing merit and perceived value to customers (thats parents) of having a "younger" staff.