u/Turbulent_Bowler6242

Resources for ALTs experiencing power harassment

Here are some resources that ALTs and I had sought out and used before deciding to make the previous post. Know that they come with varying levels of helpfulness and most take some time. Stay patient. For other ALTs hailing from different prefectures, there should be your area's version available to you. Just replace "Kyoto" with your prefecture name to see what comes up when searching. May you never have to use these resources, however.

Internal:

Kyoto Board of Education Human Resources (it is not recommended, but this is a resource that you should be aware of, nonetheless)

• +81 075-222-3779

External (more effective to a certain degree) :

AJET Peer Support Group (counseling)

• https://www.ajetpsg.com/

Bengo4 (list of attorneys)

• Bengo4.com

CLAIR counseling (Provided by your Prefectural Advisor [PA] or in the CLAIR newsletter)

Department of JET Programme Management at CLAIR

• +81 03-5213-1733
• gyomu@clair.or.jp

General Union (union of English teachers)

• https://generalunion.org/consult/

Houterasu (has English interpreters)

• +81 0570-078332
• https://www.houterasu.or.jp/site/english/officelocationlist.html

Kyoto Bar Association (you could request the assistance of Houterasu if you need an interpreter)

• +81 075-231-2378
• Whistleblowing consultation: https://www.kyotoben.or.jp/soudan13.cfm

Kyoto City International Foundation (Consultations. An English interpreter is provided)

• +81 075-752-3511

Kyoto City Legal Affairs Bureau Headquarters (you can ask Houterasu for assistance with interpreting)

• +81 075-231-0131

To preface, this post was made to inform the public of the power harassment that so many others (besides myself) have experienced with the ALT staff and other members of the General Education Center / Board of Education.

A compilation of documents, images, recordings, and transcripts was shared to the appropriate organizations, and that compilation satisfies the following:

1. It was created for the interest of the public; to warn incoming JETs of the aforementioned points.
2. It was made solely for the benefit of the public.
3. The facts are proven to be true or at the time of publication had reasonable grounds to be believed to be true.

No violence/doxxing/malicious acts against anyone (GEC/BoE, ALTs, etc) are condoned. Once again, this post was made for your information.

At least two of the five supervisors known as the "ALT staff," as well as their own supervisor, engage in power harassment of varying severity over the years, affecting over 40 ALTs within Kyoto City.

• Disclaimer: the fifth most recently joined ALT staff member has nothing to do with this post.

Examples of such harassment, contributed by said ALTs (some of which have been extracted from previously circulated mass complaint forms and reworded to maintain anonymity ), include but are not limited to:

A) Inappropriate and Hostile Communication (Verbal and Electronic)

• Using unwarranted harsh language, threatening tones, and a raised voice when addressing ALTs, resulting in intimidation.
• Engaging in excessive yelling during confrontations with ALTs.
• Responding to perceived issues with immediate, abrasive, and accusatory reactions, causing distress to ALTs, without verifying facts, clarifying the situation, or obtaining evidence of wrongdoing.
• Frequently suggesting that ALTs are neglecting their work duties without providing proof.
• Verbally attacking ALTs for minor mistakes or inconsequential matters.

B) Provision of Unsolicited Advice and Comments

• Offering inappropriate comments regarding ALTs' physical and mental health.
• Giving typically unhelpful or harmful instruction to ALTs who are ill, despite having no medical license.

C) Disregard for and Lack of Empathy towards ALTs undergoing difficult situations.

• Making harsh comments and persistently harasses ALTs who are experiencing hardship or are taking time off work due to disability, ongoing sickness, or mental illness.
• Being the cause of ALTs going through hardship via severe power harassment.

D) Invasion of Privacy and Unprofessional Disclosure of Private Matters

• Discussing ALTs' private matters and issues with other ALTs in the workplace during work hours.
• Contacting ALTs’ doctors and inquiring about private information without the ALTs' permission.
• Disclosing negative information and grievances about other ALT staff members to ALTs while doing nothing to fix the issue.

E) Targeted and Discriminatory Treatment of ALTs

• Frequently sending condescending and hostile emails to ALTs with little reason.
• Exploiting ALTs' limited knowledge of certain policies and Japanese laws to unfairly impose punitive measures.
• Coercing ALTs into signing letters of resignation under threat that they cannot work unless they do so.
• Spreading damaging rumors about ALTs to others outside of the workplace, such as an exclusive party amongst favored ALTs.
• Intimidating ALTs into disassociating with certain ALTs under threat of having their work/social life hijacked.
• Enforcing unwritten policies subjectively to negatively impact specific individuals.
• Criticizing ALTs for utilizing their legally allowed paid leave.
• Discouraging and reprimanding ALTs for taking menstrual leave, despite the suggestion of punitive measures in response to its use, is illegal under Japanese law.
• Demanding ALTs use paid leave instead of menstrual leave, despite Japanese law prohibiting the restriction of an employee's right to take menstrual leave.
• Pre-emptively ruining the school workplace environment for ALTs by making damaging phone calls and emails to the school administration.

F) Manipulative Wording to third parties (ie attorneys, etc) when inquired about their Power Harassment.

• Downplaying their actions to avoid liability.
• Exaggerating or lying about ALTs' words and actions to shift the conversation away from their own behavior.
• Aiding in attempting to hide information from ALTs that is legally required to report.

Currently, the ALT community is fragmented by partial stories, fear-mongering, and isolation.

Most ALTs fear retaliation from higher-ups, therefore they rarely speak out against any unfair treatment they experience. Personally I want to say to those who have shared with me or others what they were going through, that you are brave. To the ones who are still struggling silently, there are always steps you can take as well as appropriate organizations that can make sure you are heard.

Edit: You are definitely free to interpret this post how you like. Please understand that the complaints and experiences were gathered from many ALTs rather than just myself. Also note that evidence cannot be freely handed out to the public (ie reddit) due to regulations surrounding that.

I removed a part that caused the tone of this post to sound more vindictive than informative, so my apologies on including that in the first place.

For many, this post is yet another example of what lots of ALTs have to go through. For those who had a great time with no issues, that's genuinely amazing and I hope that means your students got all what you could teach them.