I know how you feel. I have taught for 10 years now and hav had eight principals and assistant principals during that time. My current principal started at our school a few years ago and made everyone's lives miserable! Like you, I cried a lot. Being a veteran teacher I knew it was her and not me. She is a sociopath with no moral center. On top of that she is very young and has no teaching experiece in an elementary school. With only that in mind she should have never been promoted to principal. She only taught for 3 years in a middle school, then worked as a assistant principal in a high school. I have spoke to people who have worked with her when she was a teacher and the same problems existed. When she left her high school position, the faculty had a party because they were so glad to be rid of her!
She is a compulsive liar, among other things. I have watched her destroy friendships in our building. And she does it in such a crafty way that alot of teachers didn't even see what hit them. She also micromanages to a ridiculous degree. We lost a lot of money her 1st year because she took all the committes away so acivities and events we have done from year to year didn't occur anymore. When I asked her about it she said she could do it herself. I said fine, go for it. Well, needless to say, she couldn't do it herself and we lost a ton of money. Funny thing was, the school system wanted a report of what the committes were doing so she made up fictious committes and the few things that got done she claimed the committees did.
We have had a high turnover rate since she arrived. Including our two secretaries who couldn't take her abuse anymore. And yes, its abuse! Verbal and emotional abuse. We would have an even higher turnover rate, but with the economy the way it is a lot of us can't get transfers or other jobs. I, myself, did try along with 5 others. But none of us could get another job. This past summer was the 1st time I didn't try. I just gave up.
She doesn't have a conscious...sociopath thru and thru!! Her lying is so ridiculous and many of us have caught her in these lies time and time again. Her favorite lie to is tell each teacher privately that they are getting parent complaints and the parents don't want their children in our classes. Being a veteran teacher, I have not experienced this before. I usually get requests, not complaints. So i knew she was full of crap. I had many parents come to me saying they requested me and that the principal said no. Her goal is to makeus feel like crap.
I have never seen anyone who can manipulate people and situations and cause so much damage! She is very jealous and can't handle friendships in the school. She told some teachers that they could never shut their doors if another adult is in their room. Two faculty members always hung out together over coffee about an hour before school started everyday. She tried to ban them from doing that. She has also tried to ban faculty and staff from seeing each other outside of school. A friend of mine at school is related to her by marriage. She was so upset when she heard she was going to be our new principal. She siad that she and her husband avoid her at fmily gatherings because she is considered the family problem. Apparently she can;t get along with people at home either.
She doesn't get along well with others, she is rude, no conscious, and is a compulsive liar. She also tries to damage people and relationships with no regard for anything; sheis a sociopath!
This is our 3rd year with her and she has chilled out a bit, but no one trusts her and we just smile and act nice. No one dares cross her because the revenge she takes is unbearable. We were doing a bully lesson one day and the kids were asked if they ever knew any bullies...more than one child said that the principal was one. Sad. I must say that not only has she hurt the adults in our building, but also the children too in many many ways. And we have had a ton of children transferred to other schools because the parents can'tstand her behavior. This year is the first year that I have been able to teach approproately because she wouldn't let us in the past!
As for you, don't worry about quitting in the middle of the year. When you reinterview for a new position you just say that you have to take time off to care for a sick relative or something like that...or that your family was scheduled to move for your husbands job, but it fell through a month later. I quit a teaching job years ago in the middle of the year becuase the principal didn't knowhow to do anything but yell. I got a job the following fall and I didn't have to explain anything.
I have had great principals in the past. Ones I would move mountains for. And I will again and so will you. But I do feel your pain. I was so stressed I cried alot, suffered from migraines, clenched my teeth so hard I cracked them...all because of her immoral behavior. My husband and children felt my stress and my husband took me on mini vacations to try to help me get calmer. If you can find another job, or can afford to quit I would do it. You can also wait it out like I ended up doing. My family helped me make my decisions. I almost quit to sub in another school system, but since I make more money than my husband I didn't do it.
Hang in there!
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