The International Schools Review Forum

I know many teachers bring their own resources into their class room, and this has been a pattern with me in my years of working as a teacher. At my new job where I spent the last school year in the UAE we are drawing close to the final days of school, the children have already left, and we are just tying lose ends before we leave .
I packed up all my personal stuff in a bag and decide to take them home, I had been told by a colleague that I might be moved to a new classroom as thats happens yearly. As I make my way to leave the building, I was stopped by security asking me to take my bag to the principals office for checking, I refused saying when I came in with these things no one checked or asked me to sign anything and its not stated in my contract or school handbook that this was the procedure.
Finally principal shows up and I ended up leaving the bag with her as she insisted it had to be checked . I feel like I have been treated like a thief. I know for sure that there is nothing in my bag that belongs to the school, I was hoping to complete my two year contract but now considering putting in my resignation due to this incident. Am I over reacting ?

Short Answer: Yes, you are over reacting

Long Answer: If you feel so violated why didnt you just tell the principal to stuff it, and if she tries to physically stop you lay her out on the floor like a sack of flour? Its the end of the year, everyones tired and short tempered and leadership stupidity doesnt run in seasons. Its probably not even stupid, but leadership having a legitimate need to maintain responsibility for assets under their control. Even if it was leadership stupidity, understand you have but one right and thats the right to terminate your employment relationship, aside from that 'policy' requires a few moments at a computer to change, modify append, etc. leadership can do anything they want, the only real question is how much of it youll take. If you want 'rights' go back to the west and work in a regulated DS.
I would not have recommended leaving the bag with the principal. You could have insisted she check for whatever she thinks she is looking for and if she doent have time, tell her to call the police and see if that process takes less time.
However, your feelings are your own and you dont need to apologize or make excuses for them. Leadership didnt execute this particular scenario very well, if thats grounds for you to stick them with your departure, than you should do that, but from my POV leadership are also human and not perfect and while its an inconvenience, its a minor one, if its going to fester in your heart though, than yeah leaving isnt a bad idea.

We had a similar thing in Egypt. Apparently it's not that uncommon in schools in the ME, which I guess fits in with the whole culture of human rights, democracy, etc. not being especially valued in most locations.

Only you can decide if the whole thing has tainted the school and leadership for you. If you have been mostly OK with everything else that has gone on at the school and location then yes it would be over-reacting to let this push you into breaking contract. If this was just the last straw that pushed you over the edge, then it would be a reasonable reaction.

In the end though, as PG said, it's your life and reasonable doesn't really play into it. Teachers often vote with their feet and if you are ready to move on and are ready to accept the fall out from it, then do whatever seems right to you. Otherwise, maybe let the dust settle a bit and take some time to reflect on the situation as a whole, rather than this one poorly handled SNAFU at the end.