By Ronald Williamson and Barbara R. Blackburn
One of the biggest challenges faced by any school leader is pushback from teachers and staff that goes beyond the kind of disagreement that we can manage through civil discourse and compromise.
It may manifest itself through the voice of a single, highly vocal, resistant educator, or more subtly through the persistent negative chatter from a small group of individuals.
Not everyone who resists change does so because of ulterior motives. Often there is a conflict between personal beliefs and values and the changes being proposed. In Michigan, for example, many educators and parents opposed the idea of increasing the mathematics requirement for high school graduation.
A survey found that many of those resisting the idea were concerned that the new requirement would increase dropouts. Their motives were anchored in concern for students, not outright resistance to an idea. As the new requirements were implemented, much of the resistance faded as schools provided additional academic support, multiple opportunities to succeed, and fresh instructional approaches.
While some people resist JUST to resist, most don’t. They are genuinely concerned about the impact of proposed changes. They either don’t see the value in the change, or they have concerns about how successful the change will be.
Leaders must recognize these diverse feelings and concerns when they begin to work on any improvement plan. Most individuals follow a predictable pattern as they progress through the stages of change, but everyone will not move at the same pace or have the same intensity of feeling.
Anticipating the Toxic Teacher
Personal concerns about limited knowledge of the plans, or a conflict with personal values, or an attachment to past practices often characterize the early stages of change. As you begin to launch the plans, management concerns become more prevalent. Once you’re underway, teachers become more interested in the effects of the change on students and on their own classroom, and resistance gives way to scrutiny and reflection.
But occasionally there is one individual who continues to resist – and resists in a way that can disrupt the entire school and persistently detract from the work of other teachers and staff. These individuals are “corrosive” because they not only act out their own disgruntlement, they spread it throughout the workplace. This is not the teacher with whom you can “agree to disagree.” This can be a teacher willing to damage morale and your school’s reputation to oppose a change they disagree with.
What a Leader Can Do
Here are seven ways to manage the employee who is so disgruntled they become toxic.
- Dig Deeper – Always take a close look at the individual’s behavior and what might be causing it. It may be factors outside of school, unhappiness with colleagues, or lack of opportunities for advancement. This information may be used to coach the teacher or suggest resources such as the employee assistance program.
- Provide Direct Feedback – Toxic employees may be oblivious to their behavior and its effect on the school and other employees. Porath (2016) suggests that they may be too focused on their own needs and it may be necessary to let them know how aggravating they are. Schedule a private meeting. Be explicit and cite examples. Don’t allow the employee to control the conversation. In addition, Porath found that a small percent of people act this way because they think they can get away with it or somehow gain enjoyment from it.
- Explain Consequences – Let the teacher know about the costs of their continued destructive behavior. It may mean limited opportunity for professional development or travel to conferences or even transfer or dismissal.
- Understand That Some People Don’t Change – It’s always good to be optimistic and to support and encourage employees. But that doesn’t work with everyone. If that’s the case, you may need to talk with your human resources office about next steps.
- Document Everything – As with all personnel issues, be sure to document all of your conversations, your meetings, and your suggestions for improvement. This helps to establish a pattern of behavior.
- Isolate the Toxic Person and “Immunize” the Team – If the toxic behavior persists and the person remains in your school, you can isolate them and minimize their impact. Don’t assign them a role in your planning. Don’t include them in any groups planning implementation or professional development. If you organize work groups, minimize their role if any. You can rearrange rooms, schedule fewer meetings and lessen contact with colleagues. If other employees come to you about their toxic colleague, hold one-on-one conversations but be discreet and coach them on how to minimize contact and interaction.
- Don’t Get Distracted – Finally, a toxic teacher has a way of consuming your time and energy. Don’t allow that to happen. Find time to counteract their behavior by working and interacting with employees who are involved and engaged with improvement efforts. And, of course, take care of your own work-life balance.
The Focus on Students
It seems so obvious to assume everyone will think about students first. But we’ve found that – when complex and difficult issues arise – student interests often become secondary to the interests of teachers, parents or community. Part of the problem is that everything people want to do is framed as being “in the best interests of students.” Often diametrically opposed ideas are both described that way.
A principal we worked with in Hacienda Heights, CA led significant changes in his school’s program. He said that he always asked his staff, “How would you want your child to be treated? What would you want their program to be like?” He found that for many of his teachers those kinds of questions led them to consider the needs of their students through a “parental lens.” It changed the conversation.
Our Final Thought
Hopefully, you will not have a constantly negative teacher on your faculty. However, when you do encounter one (or more), you’ll want to address the situation quickly. Digging for the reasons of resistance, providing direct feedback including explaining consequences, realizing some people never change, documenting everything, isolating the person, and staying focused can all help you navigate this challenge.
References
Gallo, A. (2016) How to manage a toxic employee. Harvard Business Review. Retrieved online.
Porath, C. (2016). How to avoid hiring a toxic employee. Harvard Business Review. Retrieved online.
Dr. Ronald Williamson is Professor Emeritus of Educational Leadership at Eastern Michigan University. He is a former principal, central office administrator and executive director of the National Middle School Association (now AMLE). The author of numerous books on leadership, Ron is the co-author with Barbara R. Blackburn of 7 Strategies for Improving Your School (2019) and Improving Teacher Morale and Motivation: Leadership Strategies that Build Student Success (2024), both from Routledge/Eye On Education.
Dr. Barbara R. Blackburn, a “Top 10 Global Guru in Education,” is a bestselling author of over 30 books and a sought-after consultant. She was an award-winning professor at Winthrop University and has taught students of all ages. In addition to speaking at conferences worldwide, she regularly presents virtual and on-site workshops for teachers and administrators.
Barbara is the author of Scaffolding for Success (Routledge/Eye On Education, 2025) and many other books and articles about teaching and leadership. Visit her website and see some of her most popular MiddleWeb articles about effective teaching here.
