General Etiquette > All In A Day's Work

Gossips at work a vent and plan

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kherbert05:
Background: A couple of years ago there was a dust up between our then principal and several teachers. The teachers and principal were reassigned to other schools. When I run into those teachers since then, they are often very hostile to those of us who stayed. We didn't support their accusations against the principal. (I have since decided that both groups were wrong, bending rules to fit them)

Another teacher (Alice) left at the same time, because she was having a personal conflict with another teacher. Alice and I are friends.

A couple of weeks ago a teacher on my campus lost her husband. He had some medical difficulties from injuries in the Navy and on an Oil platform.

Alice called me tonight. She had just heard about the death. She wanted an address to send a card to, and wanted to know if I thought it would be appropriate for her to have a Mass said in his honor. (The teacher who lost her husband is Catholic).

I could tell by the way she asked, she had heard some other rumors. Points to her for not asking. (She wasn't fishing, she just wanted to make sure her actions wouldn't hurt our friend). I told her to go ahead and have the Mass said, and send the notice to our school to be forwarded to the Teacher's family (She is moving to be closer to her parents and other family). I ask Alice who told her. She names one of the bitter teachers. I sigh and say please tell me she didn't yell this across the faculty meeting. Alice says NO we were at local restaurant. This bitter teacher could make Rachel Lynn look uninterested in her neighbors.

Now we are having a district wide in service in January. The bitter teachers know I am close to the teacher who  lost her husband. If they are in the same session as I am, the bitter teachers will act like gnats trying to get gossip. They would take pleasure from hearing any details - yes I know this personality type has no business being in Teaching. They are the type that like embarrassing kids. Since I can't slap the gnats away, I'm planning on counting to 10, looking at them like something on the bottom of my shoes, and walking away. Honestly I don't think I could trust myself if I spoke to them. I would surely land in E-hell.

Clara Bow:
This is one of those times that the Coke rule can be your very best friend. I think that if I were you I would say that the teacher lost her husband and that gossiping about it would be grossly inappropriate.
Who in the world gossips about that kind of thing anyway??

NOVA Lady:
How sad that even a death cannnot shut up the gossip mongers. I think your plan is perfect. By this point you'd think they'd know you're not a sympathizer with their side of whatever happened, and to bring that pettiness into such a sad situation...not excusable.

;( some people! I think the ignore and stare is the best way to go!

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