International School Directors have been known to say some of the damndest things. Many of ISR’s 6500+ School Reviews are replete with absurd, abusive, & racist expressions International School Heads have slung at their faculties. Back home, such comments would have cost them their jobs & most likely their future in education. Overseas, however, where they make the rules, it’s a different story.
Here’s a sample of the startling comments teachers report hearing from the mouths of those entrusted with guiding our international institutions of learning & the future of our careers:
The Director General was quoted as saying…I’m interested in hiring interns, Filipinos & Indians because they are cheap & will do as they are told.
The director’s response to teachers & support staff when they provided input to expand & improve the academic plan…No! Those students are far too low to receive any help.
A teacher in D.R. Congo in the process of adopting a Congolese orphan asked the director if she could enroll the boy in the school...I don’t want any poor Black kids in my school!
The Principal’s words to my friend whom he fired…I am not obliged to tell you a reason.
Even though Ms. W was fired by her previous employer (an investigation found she conspired to boost test scores), our school hired her, saying…We didn’t think it was anything significant.
Her (the director’s) proclaimed ‘vision’ for the school…Simple. It’s my way or the highway.
Any teachers who complain are overtly bullied & told…You will never teach again.
The director told us who he likes to hire...I like younger, cheaper teachers – not necessarily good teachers.
He does not visit classrooms & in regards to his faculty said…
I do not know their qualifications, nor even who they are.
Fortunately, there ARE consequences for these comments! You can avoid these Schools & Directors by reading Reviews on ISR. We recommend you play it safe this recruiting season & learn from those who have gone before you. There’s NO need to leave your career to chance.
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The principal of a school I worked for said, ” I have been told to hire only white teachers.”
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The principal of the school I once worked said to me, “You can stay as long as you want, it makes no difference to me.” That was said by Brad Zawodny of Clifford School – the worst principal EVER in my opinion!!!
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So if thats happen… what should the asian teachers will do? In fact in sending or passing the CV, once they saw and read “asian teacher”, they will put your resume under the table (which means trash can) poor asian teachers!!
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That is exactly the right answer! Most of the asian teachers are most qualified with the degree and really knowledgeable when it comes to classroom teaching!! They finished their degree in university not online study…:(
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I don’t understand how all these stories are more than a complaint party when people don’t mention the names of these directors who’ve mistreated them.
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Once, when I was at a job fair, interviewing for a job in Syria, I asked the administrator, “So, what problems might a single woman encounter in Syria?” He thought for a moment, and then replied, “Well, you might be mistaken for a Russian prostitute.” : )
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I had a Director once tell the staff, “If you don’t like how things are run here, this is not the school for you”. And they expect the school to be a “community”. BS. Here’s a bright idea. Teachers will actually like how things are run if they were run by COMPETENT leaders. Get the balls and say that to the parents and students, too!
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Those who can, do, those who can’t become administrators abroad!
Everyone knows admin, ESPECIALLY those overseas, are not the brightest in regards to academics or professionalism, regardless of where their degree is from. Most couldn’t cut it in the classroom or were numbering their days when they were there. They have a lot less work compared to working stateside and can get away with being unprofessional and half-ass at their jobs.
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That is so true, Anonymous. I have had some administrators who did not know the first thing about education or classroom management. I had one in particular who came mid-year and turned the school upside down.
She managed to ruin my class too. I had a very good class until she came along. She humiliated one of my students, made him stand against the wall and lectured about him about how bad he is in front of school assembly. He was just late arriving to school due to traffic congestion.
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A former principal described a teacher with a difficult class as being “ready to slit her wrists”. Not the most appropriate comment since the teacher in question had struggled with depression in the past! After a heated discussion with another teacher, this same principal shouted “you just need to get laid!” at that teacher as she walked away from her office.
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I was in a school once when a principal was such a micro managing maniac that she called a friend off mine in and told her it had been brought to to her, the principal, that she was eating too much. The principal went on to say that anyone who eats a lot must have mental problems or serious issues. Wait, this gets better….then the principal went on to threaten the teacher by saying she was going to be closely watch because the school couldn’t renew a contract with a teacher that could have mental problems! Unbelievable! Glad I’m retired now.
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Sad but I am sorry to say I believe every one of these posts. My experiences – many – one that comes to mind – the first day of work for the new principal – after an hour of his you will my way or the highway speech – stated “I have an open door policy for students but teachers will make an appointment”…………what can you do…safe to say I moved on to greener grasses!
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School Directors finds Filipinos and Indians cheap??!!! I would rather say NO! They are NOT cheap but simply because some bullied directors pays higher to different nationalities like brit, american, aussie but some of them they dont even work! They filed sick leave but they are strolling and shopping around with their family if they are new in that country. They keep on asking indians and filipinos to cover the lessons and duties. And because Indians and Filipinos are hardworking, patient and really committed to their work they will follow what their superiors asked them as SIGN of RESPECT even those some directors and foreign teachers doesn’t know how to respect them! I have known a lot of directors and british teachers who do that to their asst indian teachers and fellow filipino colleagues. And much more these poor people got lowest pay with much work to do! I would suggest that there should be “consequences” for those directors and foreign teachers who mistreated asian teachers!!! Any comments?
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Sad but true, a scary majority of Directors at the head of International Schools world wide are matter-of-“factly” racist. The first thing you will see on most school web sites is that they will not hire anyone with a degree coming from a non English speaking country. You would think English speaking country would include India, Nigeria, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Liberia and such countries. But what they really mean is unless you are British, American, Canadian, or Australian, you can forget about applying. This is beyond racism, it is a violation of human rights.
If you happen to be a non-white, you will seldom even be contacted let alone interviewed at a job fair. This is the sad, but raw truth. All Directors will tell you they hire according to school needs. The reality is that it helps to be white. They all blatantly violate their school missions, core values, philosophies, etc. Bare in mind that these are the same people who promote the IB learner profile and are supposed to model it for children… scary!
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AND sadly… most of those local assistants ARE BETTER QUALIFIED than the expats they assist!!!!!
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That is TRUE! These people are most qualified and have yhe degree rather than those who got their degree online!! Not scary but so madly!
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I slightly disagree. Some schools know a Filipino or Indian are a dime a dozen. One hard working Filipino teacher at my previous school was told she is “easily replaced” as many Filipinos would apply for her position/salary.
They know they can bully them around and they won’t cause trouble or say no. They can pay them far less because they know they can get away with it. I agree there should be consequences but the mistreated teachers need to stand up for themselves.
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Our school director accidently sent an email to the entire staff which read, “I am happy that she is leaving!” referring to a teacher who gave her resignation.
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Many years ago I had a student who told his mother, I told my class that I wanted to date her husband. The mother, understandably, was furious. Truth is, her husband was sleeping with his secretary and well known in town for being a jerk. Anyway, the mother called my principal who called me in and lambasted me. When I told him I was innocent, he threatened to fire me, but he would never call the student in or the mother. I took it upon myself to call the mother. She came to the school unannounced, to see the principal for a meeting with her son, the principal, and me. The son admitted that he had made up the story to get her attention. Case closed, but after the mother left, the principal beat his fist on the desk and yelled at me, “I ought to ring your neck”. Seems the principal was more concerned about the mother’s opinion of how he mishandled the situation than he was about my professional reputation. The mother and I became friends after that. As a side note, the husband ran away with the secretary.
Many years after that experience, during an interview to teach in another school, the principal told me he had reservations about hiring me because I was a “woman” and he really preferred an all male staff! He hired me anyway, but the men on staff never warmed up to me.
Both of these incidences took place in American public schools.
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