The bullying of academics follows a pattern of horrendous, Orwellian elimination rituals, often hidden from the public. Despite the anti-bullying policies (often token), bullying is rife across campuses, and the victims (targets) often pay a heavy price.
"Nothing strengthens authority as much as silence." Leonardo da Vinci - "All that is necessary for evil to succeed is that good men [or good women] do nothing." -- Edmund Burke
March 14, 2009
Hope you die soon...
My father was bullied out of his job as a Law Professor because he has Aspergers. When he went into hospital for a heart operation someone in the department wrote on his 'get well card': "It's so nice here without you. Hope you die soon."
Anonymous
3 comments:
Anonymous
said...
Several years ago, while I was teaching, my father was featured in a magazine article. I was quite pleased and proud of that and I made a photocopy and posted it in our department's coffee/lunch area.
Some people were impressed by what they read, but someone evidently wasn't. The article had a picture of my father and somebody took a pin and gouged the eyes on that image, as if someone was sending me a message.
It's bad enough if someone had a beef with me, but what did my father ever do to any of them? He never even met my colleagues, so why was he dragged into the issue?
And people wondered why I was less than collegial at times....
It's stories like this that make me see red. I really wish I could get a hold of that insensitive and cruel person and throttle them. Or better still, repay them in kind the next time they go into hospital.
No, you don't want to do that. Instead, you might try what I did when I quit my teaching position.
I resigned because I knew my days were numbered and that there was a price on my head. Certain people at that institution simply didn't like me and made my life miserable for several years. Fortunately, my investments were worth enough at that time that I could afford to quit.
I could have denounced my tormentor in a vitriolic manner and likely would have been justified in doing so. Instead, I took the high road and wrote a thank-you memo. I outlined various incidents in which this individual tried to thwart me but failed. I thanked him for having contributed to my success and was quite civil about it, knowing very well that he'd be quite irritated at being reminded of what happened.
We both knew what went on, but anyone not familiar with my situation would have thought I was expressing my gratitude. Instead, I was tweaking his nose and rubbing it in that he didn't win, but doing so in a chivalrous fashion. I wasn't around when he received that document, but I can imagine his face must have turned several shades of purple when he read it. It amuses me to think about it. Revenge, you see, may be a dish best served cold, but it certainly be livened up with some extra spicing.
Just to top it all off, I sent copies to the department head and to the dean just to let them know that I knew who was behind the incidents in question but that I wasn't about to stoop to his level to avenge myself.
I took a great delight in skewering him. The pen can, indeed, be mightier than the sword.
3 comments:
Several years ago, while I was teaching, my father was featured in a magazine article. I was quite pleased and proud of that and I made a photocopy and posted it in our department's coffee/lunch area.
Some people were impressed by what they read, but someone evidently wasn't. The article had a picture of my father and somebody took a pin and gouged the eyes on that image, as if someone was sending me a message.
It's bad enough if someone had a beef with me, but what did my father ever do to any of them? He never even met my colleagues, so why was he dragged into the issue?
And people wondered why I was less than collegial at times....
El Cid.
It's stories like this that make me see red. I really wish I could get a hold of that insensitive and cruel person and throttle them. Or better still, repay them in kind the next time they go into hospital.
No, you don't want to do that. Instead, you might try what I did when I quit my teaching position.
I resigned because I knew my days were numbered and that there was a price on my head. Certain people at that institution simply didn't like me and made my life miserable for several years. Fortunately, my investments were worth enough at that time that I could afford to quit.
I could have denounced my tormentor in a vitriolic manner and likely would have been justified in doing so. Instead, I took the high road and wrote a thank-you memo. I outlined various incidents in which this individual tried to thwart me but failed. I thanked him for having contributed to my success and was quite civil about it, knowing very well that he'd be quite irritated at being reminded of what happened.
We both knew what went on, but anyone not familiar with my situation would have thought I was expressing my gratitude. Instead, I was tweaking his nose and rubbing it in that he didn't win, but doing so in a chivalrous fashion. I wasn't around when he received that document, but I can imagine his face must have turned several shades of purple when he read it. It amuses me to think about it. Revenge, you see, may be a dish best served cold, but it certainly be livened up with some extra spicing.
Just to top it all off, I sent copies to the department head and to the dean just to let them know that I knew who was behind the incidents in question but that I wasn't about to stoop to his level to avenge myself.
I took a great delight in skewering him. The pen can, indeed, be mightier than the sword.
El Cid
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