Why Keyboard Warriors Are Damaging Themselves And Their Colleagues

There's generally at least one in every school. They are the colleague who sees something that they think is wrong and promptly takes to email to "put things straight". They usually have a valid point and they mean well. The problem is that they have a tendency to go straight to the top with their communications without realising the damage that they are doing.

Damage? I hear you ask. How can communicating clearly when something is wrong cause damage? Surely it is the responsibility of all staff to do so?

Well yes.

And also no.

Think about it for a minute. If every member of staff did this, SLT would be swamped by the personal opinions of staff who would then feel slighted if they were not responded to in the way they were expecting. How much time do we want SLT to spend on individual gripes? Or responding several times to the same opinion? And even if the keyboard warrior believes that they are expressing the views of a group, what do they think gives them the moral authority in the situation? Do they REALLY speak for everyone? 

If they want the authority to speak for a team, then they need to take on a role which gives them the authority to do so. But here's the kicker. I have never met a keyboard warrior who wanted responsibility themselves.

Keyboard warriors are rarely playing with the full deck. There's always a bigger picture which classroom teachers do not always see. You may think that nothing is being done about the child who swears at teachers or runs amok at break and lunchtime - and there is a point to be made that it is important for those dealing with the situation to communicate clearly that something is being done - but in the background all sorts of things are probably going on. Why are you not told everything? Because a) if you knew everything about every child you would be swamped with information and b) because it might very well be confidential and/or sensitive. 

If that frustrates you, then find out who you need to talk to and go and seek the information you need. Do it in person though - not by email. Nobody can discuss sensitive issues via email, but in person they can give you the reassurance you need and deserve.

Without meaning to, the keyboard warrior damages their team leader. Can you imagine being called into the Head's office to be told that a member of your team has bypassed you to come straight to SLT - or in some cases the Head themselves? I can tell you from personal experience that it a far from comfortable position to be in. The implication is that the keyboard warrior does not feel that they can come to you or that they believe that you are not doing your job or that you are not capable of doing your job. In other words, a member of your team has completely shafted you to your boss. 

Keyboard warriors rarely have any idea of how they are viewed by senior colleagues or that they are actually damaging themselves. They come acoss as ill-informed, inconsiderate and disloyal. These are not the qualities you look for in an employee.

So, if you are a keyboard warrior - STOP. 

You DO have a responsibility to make you school a better place if you can but stop trying to run the school from your computer. or fomenting discontent in the staffroom or team base. Talk to your team leader about your concerns calmly and at a time when he or she has time to listen. 

Don't ever go behind their back - unless you want to blight their career and your own.