item-10.-bolton-college.-questions-about-my-suspenion.-14.09.09

Phillip Vere
96 Withins Lane
Breightmet
Bolton
Lancs.
BL2 5DZ

The Principal
Bolton College
Manchester Road
Bolton
BL2 1ER

14th September 2009

Dear Ms Bannerman

BTEC NAT. CERT. ART & DESIGN (19+) 2009-2010

Thankyou for your letter of the 14th September 2009. I have noted your
reluctance to get involved in the problems of the above department. However,
you did say that “you will receive a written response as part of the normal
working of the Complaints Procedure.” Peter Griffiths made a similar
promise. Having waited patiently for a month, no such written response has
been received. All I have received in the attached (rather peculiar) letter from
Gill Woodcock, which simply reinforces my impressions of a dysfunctional
department whose staff are in denial – the malaise, apparently, flowing from
the highest level of management.

Meanwhile, my progress on the course has been further damaged by
Ms. Woodcock’s decision (if it is hers to make) to declare a peremptory
suspension – apparently for my not turning up to a meeting called at two
days’ notice at a time when I am not available – even though I gave other
quite cogent reasons for not attending. I honestly don’t whether to laugh or
cry at this almost farcically unprofessional behaviour, but in view of the fact
that these people are being paid from the public purse I believe the time has
come for someone, somewhere, to bring the staff in this department under
some kind of control. Perhaps you will be kind enough to inform me if and
when this comes about.

Yours sincerely




Copies to: Peter Griffiths, Gill Woodcock, Dolores Logan

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