Power Corrupts ...

Consider this original quote ... 
"Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Great men are almost always become bad men", John Emerich Edward Dalberg, 1st Baron Acton (1834–1902)
Many educational establishments, operate a culture of fear; one where the tools of the network administrator can be turned against the staff who work for them. Taking care to avoid the facts, I was in conversation with a soul who used to work at a well known establishment. 

Whilst I do not intend to ever be drawn on the detail; their experience was quite an interesting one. A situation where a paranoid senior management would continually ask for staff to 'investigated'; having their email and web traffic recorded, monitored and reported on. 

If you trusted that this culture was based on genuine and realistic concerns. We may consider it to be appropriate. Protection of students, evidence in a possible disciplinary maybe or in the investigation of a crime taking place, sure. 

Yet something that was initially installed to track a staff member, in what was a situation where they were 'up to genuine misconduct'. Is now being used as a tool of a culturally imposed police state within this organisation. Casting those who ask reasonable questions about policy and practice; under suspicion in an attempt to undermine them.

What seems to be worse; if worse is possible is how the person responsible for the entire network infrastructure. Would conduct their own, off the record investigations of souls who they did not like or disagreed with. Much to the chagrin of those who worked for them.

How would you feel, to be an employee in this publicly funded police state. Trying to do battle with senior management, ofsted, students, awarding organisations and many other pressures. Only to discover that everything you do is being watched. By a watcher who works for their masters yet likes to have their own agenda.








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