3.3 Contexts Underpinning the Narrative Self-study
3.3.5 Professional Identity Context
At the heart of professional identity lies the primacy of our roles and responsibilities as educators in the public sector which define, our core values and core ideology (Collins and Porras 2007: 46-54) in an organizational context. I use the term ‘professional’ identity interchangeably with ‘practitioner’ identity in the context of this enquiry. The initial appreciation of practitioner identity emerged when I designed a research proposal for the practitioner research methodology module in the postgraduate diploma course at the Leadership Centre, University of KwaZulu-Natal in 2007–2008.
I found Wenger’s ‘Communities of Practice’ (1998: 5) to be very useful and meaningful in terms of identity as defining who we are in an organizational context. Equally useful to my enquiry was Peter Drucker’s (1974:134) reference to sustainable curriculum delivery. Drucker outlines parallel specific roles and responsibilities of disparate public sectors: hospitals serve patients, churches serve their congregations, police provide protection and safety to society, social workers serve the welfare of community, and the public schools serve children and parents. My job description as a Superintendent of Education Management (SEM) or Circuit manager (CM) was clearly articulated in the Employment of Educators Act No. 76 of 1998, and the Education Laws Amendment Act No. 57 of 2001. My roles and responsibilities included, but were not limited to, performance appraisal of educators in terms of Integrated Quality Management Systems (IQMS); non-teaching staff such as grounds personnel, security personnel, and administrative clerks (EPDMS); circuit managers (Performance Management and Development System); Whole School Evaluation (WSE); administration and management of examinations and assessments (both internal and external); human resource management in terms of appointments, promotions, transfers, disciplinary hearings, and termination of services; finance management; procurement of teaching and learning support material (LTSM);
school governance; and physical resources such as registration of new schools, repairs of dilapidated buildings, fencing and so forth.
For many years, in my professional life as a teacher, I worked at both primary schools and secondary schools. I have also worked in both remote rural and urban schools. Furthermore, I have served as a principal. It is not the intention of this study to comment upon the individual
schools in which I have served. It can be mentioned, however, that until recently, I was a Superintendent of Education Management (SEM) at Nquthu Circuit Management, in the Jama Circuit. I was initially appointed in July 1997 at Msinga Circuit as Ward Manager (now termed Circuit Manager) in the Keates Drift Ward. Additionally, I have also worked in the Examination and Assessment sub-directorate for three years, where I became intrigued by schools that consistently underperformed, called the ‘60% territory’ (T60). Some schools have stayed in this bracket for almost ten years, despite frequent visits conducted by superintendents, subject advisors and the Deputy Chief Education specialists, and numerous other provincial officials, for example, members of the KwaZulu-Natal legislature. This puzzle remains at the heart of my enquiry.
Cogent example of detailed auto-biographical textual account that links the action component (practice) and the research component (theory).
In retrospect, I have pointed out elsewhere under the characteristics of auto-biographical self- study that self-study must first ring true and enable connection. Second, it must articulate and portray critical incidents or moments about self in relation to the volatility of teaching and learning in contemporary organizational contexts (Bullough and Pinnegar, 2001:18). In this respect, my auto-biographical research technique explores and reflects on four developmental stages of lived educational experience and practice; these stages or phases – precipitating, complication, complexity and dissipation – were crafted from both my background in geography and well as influenced by the stage of ‘complication’ given by Bullough and Pinnegar (2001).
(1) Precipitating stage – harassment and humiliation.
• Wednesday, 12th April 2006. My bullying line manager phoned me to say that we should hold a short special meeting in my office at about 9h00. He was accompanied by one of our old and experienced colleagues. My line manager expressed some concerns pertaining to our adversarial relationships in Msinga Circuit. For example, he made reference to the Nogawu Primary School fencing project that never took off from the ground, yet the service provider had been duly paid. In essence, the school governing body expressed concern to me as a ward manager that he came to school to take measurements in the previous year
(2005). This argument was equivalent to a conflict of interest. My line manager pointed out that fencing project of the Nogawu Primary School belonged to his wife. Second, he pointed out that I have a tendency to gossip about him each time I visited the Ladysmith regional office, Third, he pointed out that my geography PhD made me proud and pompous yet it was useless – it cannot take me up the career ladder. In the heat of the moment I felt my hand shacking and unable to jot down each and every concern on my small yellow note pad in front of me. At that juncture, he was banging my table with a hand fist. It then clear that I was at the centre of controversy. I then appealed to my colleague who sitting next to me on my left side to protect me against my assailant who continued shouting at me, berating me as if I am a child, and swearing at me that he was a strong man. He was not afraid of anyone and would therefore catch me one day because I think I am too clever!
Indeed, this was the most tumultuous time in my career as an educator Of course, it captured complexity, turbulence and uncertainty, riddled in the education fraternity. Eventually, I pointed out that it was evident that my line manager was emotional and militant. Second, after observation and reflection, I pointed out that my line manager has a ‘status panic’ – feelings of insecurity as a chief ward manager about my Geography Doctorate received from University of Zululand in 2001.
• 13th June 2006. When I returned from a workshop (5 days) at the University of Kwazulu- Natal, my line manager instructed me in his office that I had to go to Nogida High School and tell the governing body that their principal has been transferred to Somashi High School with immediate effect. That is to say, the principal must assume duty on Monday, 19 June 2016. At that moment, I felt agony and pain as I had to lose one of my effective principals in the Keats Drift ward. I asked him why he did not wait until I returned from the University of Kwazulu-Natal and engage me in that ‘transfer project’. My boss exclaimed that the rank of ward manager was not in South African Schools Act of 1984 and therefore, the buck stops with him. Indeed, I realized that mine was to comply and do as told by my bullying line manager. Furthermore, I appealed to my line manager to allow the principal to finish later because schools would close the following week and then he could assume duty in the third term in July. Surprisingly, he was reluctant to change his mind and rescind judgment on the matter. That is to say, my line manager refused to defer the transfer project. Suffice it to note that the governing body of Nogida High School was disheartened by the unilateral decision to transfer their principal. At that juncture, I felt
enough was enough. After observation and reflection of recurring patterns or trajectories, I came to the conclusion that re-locating was the only panacea at hand.
(2) Complication stage – submission of displacement letter
• 1st September 2006. After exploration and reflection, I then decided to blow the whistle about the manner by which my bullying line manager bss was leading through fear with an iron hand. Put in another way, I was sick and tired with the harassment and humiliation.
Ultimately, I submitted letter for displacement from Msinga Circuit on 1st September 2006.
In response, he exclaimed that I must not forget that I was digging my own grave. That was a puzzling statement.
As a result I had to stay at home on full salary until the investigation was concluded in terms of Human Resource Management Circular No 12 of 1997, as amended by HRM Circular No 2 of 2008.
• Monday, 23rd April 2007 and Tuesday, 24th April, the name of the game changed when we began to receive anonymous telephone calls and text messages with death threats.
Essentially, those private calls via the cell phone or landline came at a pattern of intervals, for example, from six and seven in the morning, and 14h300 to 16h00, and 22h00 to 23h00. Suffice it to note that those call inflicted tormenting agony and excruciating pain on both my wife and I. By this I mean that it was communiacted that if persisted with the matter of displacement there would kill me. On the second day my wife received death threats that if she continued working at Merton Primary School, they would either ambush her car or shoot her whilst teaching in the classroom As a consequence, we were compelled to leave Msinga.
• Wednsday, 25th April 2007 We went to Pietermaritzburg in order to open a death threats case. My line manager appeared in court accompanied by his attorney and the case was dropped due to insufficient evidence that it was actually him who was harassing us.
That is to say that both of us then took up residence at KwaMashu, in Durban (1 year for her and 2 years for me).
• 26th July 2007. Ntuzuma Magistrate Court issued a Peace Order and Warning Notice to my line manager as to refrain from harassing and humiliating me. Since then, we never received death threats anymore until the time of my line manager’s passing.
• 14th March 2008. Ultimately, the Kwazulu-Natal Department of Education (KZN DoE) appointed the Jenkin Commission of Inquiry to investigate circumstances that led to my displacement from my workstation at Msinga Circuit as from 1st September 2006.
Eventually, findings of the commission declared that my displacement should be deemed as application with just cause in terms of the Provincial Chamber Agreement No 2 of 2008. In essence, the prescripts sets clear-cut guidelines for processes in respect to allegations of intimidation or violence experienced by school-based and office-based personnel.
• 9th March 2009 Examination and Assessment Sub-Directorate.
The Jenkins Commission recommended that the Kwazulu-Natal Department of Education explore and reflect on the feasibility of a transfer from the Umzinyathi District precisely because evidence showed that the relationship between my bullying line manager and I had degenerated to acrimonious levels. However, the Employee Relation Sub-Directorate overturned the findings and recommendations of the commission and then instructed me to report for duty to the Examination and Assessment Sub-Directorate at the Umzinyathi District Office.
(3) Complexity and turbulence – deduction from salary.
• 1st September 2009. Recovery of leave without pay.
Additionally, the period 1st January 2008 to 31st December 2008 was deemed to be leave without pay because I had refused to assume duty at the Examination Section as instructed on 10 December 2007. To add salt in the wound, the Department of Education started deducting an amount of R6 023-90 per month, over a period of 60 months. I had to pay back an amount of R361 434-00 over a period of five years:
1. 1st September 2009 to 15 August 2010 = R72 286,80 2. 1st September 2010 to 15 August 2011 = R72 286,80 3. 1st September 2011 to 15 August 2012-= R72 286,80 4. 1st September 2012 to 15 August 2013-= R72 286,80 5. 1st September 2013 to 15 August 2014= R72 286,80 6. 1st September 2014 to 15 August 2015= R72 286,80
As a result of technical delays between the National Teachers Union (NATU) and KwaZulu- Natal Education Department (2006 to 2010) I thereupon explored the possibility of litigation and solicited the assistance of my attorney in order to take matter to the labour court to challenge the constitutionality of the sanction. To that end, litigation dragged from 2011 to 2017.
• 7th September 2013 My bullying line manager passed away after a short illness. At the memorial service that was held at Bathembu Hall, I whispered to one of the officials and asked for a three minutes slot and he conceded. At about 15h50, I went to the podium and expressed my condolence to the bereaved family. Thereafter, I pointed out that although my wife left her job at Merton Primary School due to death threats and stayed at home for one year, I forgave my supervisor. Second, I pointed out that although I left my job as ward manager at the Msinga Circuit and stayed at home for two years, I forgave my supervisor. Thereafter, I concluded my slot by citing Michael Foucault (1980) who speaks about the power of telling the truth. To conclude, I extended my appreciation and gratitude to family members who mediated peace and reconciliation with the deceased September 2010 so that I could drive to Msinga without fear of vengeance and retaliation. When the prayer was over, some of family members approached me and thanked me for courage and fortitude to reconcile and forgive what had transpired between us. I felt deeply humbled and empowered spiritually as I shook hands with other educators who never expected that I would participate in the funeral of my line manager.
My professional history as a Circuit manager/Ward manager has led me to explore and appreciatethe phenomenon of bullying and whistle blowing prevalent among managers, educators and learners. As a result, I draw my insight on the scholarly work of Madeline
Church,(2004) along with Alford (2001) cited in McNiff and Whitehead (2009: 171) who have examined implications of bullying and whistle blowing.
• 5th August 2016. The Labour Court Order of South Africa instructed parties to settle their dispute out of court. Thereafter, parties agreed on following points:
1. The parties agree that an amount of R72 286, 80 claimed by the applicant has prescribed. That is to say that in terms of Section 12 (1)of the Prescription Act 68 of 1969, provides that prescription shall commence to run as soon as the debt is due.
Therefore, the period 15 December 2009 to 15 November is now more than 3 years old and the right of the applicant to it has prescribed
2. The Respondent will pay the Applicant an amount of R289 147- 20 on or before 31st October 2016
3. The Respondent further pledges to pay all legal costs.
(4) Dissipation stage – resolution
• 24th May 2017. Payment of leave sanction. Ultimately, the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education made payment through my attorney an amount of R255, 11,57 (after administrative costs deductions). I felt vindicated and it was an ecstatic experience.
• 09 February 2018. Payment of legal costs. In addition, I have received an amount of R31, 337,97 (after administrative costs deductions by my attorney). Bullying and whistle blowing goes to the heart of my narrative self-study inquiry
Eventually the matter was laid to rest.
In the interim, I was ‘suspended’ from my work station at Msinga on 1st September 2006 due to bullying by my supervisor. As a result I had to stay at home on full salary until the investigation was concluded in terms of Human Resource Management Circular No 12 of 1997, as amended by HRM Circular No 2 of 2008. My wife also began to receive anonymous telephone calls and cell phone messages with death threats. Consequently, both of us then took up residence in the large, sprawling township of KwaMashu, in Durban (1 year for her, and 2 years for me).
Ultimately, the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education (KZN DoE) appointed the Jenkins Commission of Inquiry to investigate circumstances that led to my displacement from my Workstation at Msinga Circuit as from 1st September 2006. Eventually, findings of the commission declared that my displacement should be deemed as an application with just cause in terms of the Provincial Chamber Agreement No 2 of 2008. In essence, the prescript sets clear-cut guidelines for processes in respect to allegations of intimidation or violence experienced by school-based and office-based personnel.
The Jenkins Commission recommended that the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education explore and reflect on the feasibility of a transfer from the Umzinyathi District, precisely because evidence showed that the relationship between my supervisor and I had degenerated to acrimonious levels. However, the DoE overturned the findings and recommendations of the commission and the Employee Relation Sub-Directorate then instructed me to report for duty to the Examination and Assessment Sub-Directorate at Umzinyathi District Office.
Additionally, the period 1st January 2008 to 31st December 2008 was deemed to be leave without pay because I had refused to assume duty at the Examination Section as instructed on 10 December 2007. To add salt in the wound, the Department of Education started deducting an amount of R6 023-90 per month, over a period of 60 months. I had to pay back an amount of R361 434-00 over a period of five years. I thereupon explored the possibility of litigation and solicited the assistance of my advocate in order to take matters to the labour court, to challenge the constitutionality of the sanction imposed by KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education.
My professional history as a circuit manager/ward manager, has led me to appreciate, first- hand, the phenomenon of bullying prevalent among the cohort of managers, educators, and learners, and this led to my considering this phenomenon as an overarching element of my
research topic. In pursuit of this inquiry, I drew on the scholarly work of Madeline Church (2004), who examined the social phenomenon of bullying and I regard my doctoral journey as a catalyst for my development of mindfulness about the phenomenon of bullying in the school context as well as in life.
My interest in management and leadership emerged and developed through involvement with a Non-Profit Organization (NPO), namely the Institute for Partnerships between Education and Business (IPEB) in 2003. A cohort of 120 superintendents, subject advisors, principals and heads of departments participated in the initiative.
The journey of my academic-personal-professional growth and development has led me via the work of many major theorists and theoretical concepts including: the theory of congruence between ‘words and deeds’ (Irwin Deutcher, 1973); The ‘Espoused Theory’ versus ‘Theory- in-Use’ (Argyris 1988); Schon (1995); Quinn, 2000); ‘Discursive Practice’ versus ‘Discourse- in-Practice (Foucault, 1980); ‘Praxis’ as a moral commitment to embodiment of theory (Paulo Freire, 1973); and Martin Buber’s (1970), ‘Thou’ versus ‘I’ notion of a reciprocity of perspectives, has allowed me to embody in my practice the art of being a reflective practitioner.
In addition I have been introduced to the concepts of ‘living values’ and ‘living contradictions’
(Whitehead, 2008), and the notion of language games in life and in the workplace: ‘language- at-work’ and ‘language-on-holiday’ (Wittgenstein, 1958).
This self-study enquiry started when I began to work as a teacher, principal and circuit manager/ward manager at various workstations in KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education from 1977 until the end of 2016. My core business was to implement policies and procedures in the public school context. For example, learner attainment of positive educational outcomes remains the main task of public school domain. This research project is my own expression of concern about what causes diminishing levels of learner attainment of positive educational outcomes despite regular visits, monitoring and analysis of both learner and school performance conducted by officials of the Department. My enquiry explores and reflects on the implications of asking and answering questions such as: ‘How do I learn, improve and sustain my professional practice and that of others? How can I make a positive impact on the social formation of schools and other organizations, or even on government policy?’