Title
Taking Back Control: A Quantitative Study on Teacher-targeted Bullying
Date of Award
4-1-2019
Document Type
Restricted Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctorate of Education, Ed.D.
College
College of Education
Department
Education
First Advisor
Julie McCann, Ph.D.
Second Advisor
Michael Hollis, Ph.D.
Third Advisor
Laurie Wellner, Ed.D.
Abstract
Teaching is a profession involving the sharing of knowledge with others but unfortunately, many states report challenges in recruiting new educators to the classroom. Even more concerning, educators are leaving the profession in such alarming rates that core courses in schools often lack experienced and appropriately trained teachers. This study explores a phenomenon that has received little focus in education, yet partially influences the retention and recruitment decision of educators: workplace bullying. This well-documented problem affects many fields, and is increasing within the American workforce. This quantitative survey study of K-12 educators in Texas had three aims: (a) to determine if demographic characteristics of the educator could predict victimization; (b) to determine if demographic characteristics of the educator could predict the frequency of bullying; and, (c) to evaluate the relationship between school culture and educator retention to a school, school district, or profession. The data analysis found that the demographic characteristics of gender, age, and tenure were not predictive of victimization; however, gender was significant in determining the frequency of bullying. Similar to other workplace industries, educators experiencing workplace bullying contemplate leaving the school, the school district, and the profession, thus highlighting the importance of the school culture in retention decisions. The findings of this study highlight the need for further research to understand the extent of the issue in an effort to implement successful strategies for decreasing workplace bullying and retaining classroom educators.