Week 5 Discussion - Conference with Staff

In this scenario, the principal of a school has asked me to sit in on a conference with a member of the cafeteria staff for the purpose of note taking. At the beginning of the meeting the staff member demands that they don’t want me in the meeting. The staff member would be well within their right to request I wasn’t there but they cannot make demands that I leave if the principal has requested me being there. The only reason I could imagine them not wanting me there would be in the meeting was a disciplinary meeting or a meeting that discussed sensitive subjects that the staff member was uncomfortable with others hearing.  At that point in the meeting, I would explain what my role was, or ask that the principal explain my role, and explain that I would not be discussing the events or topics of the meeting with anyone else outside of the room. I think engaging in dialogue with one another and explaining the importance of confidentiality would be essential in moving forward.  I think that if the principal felt it necessary for me to be there, they should explain their reasoning to the staff member. I also think the principal would need to figure out why the staff member was demanding me to leave. 

It can be strange to go in for a meeting and see an extra person you didn’t expect there. If the meeting is a standard meeting and isn’t discussing personal information, my suggestion is that the meeting continues as planned with all parties involved following an explanation by the principal. Perhaps, if the staff member is truly uncomfortable for a valid reason, the meeting could take place with just the staff member and principal and the principal would have to take their own notes. I can understand why a staff member might be hesitant but I don’t think it is right for them to make demands. Much like our discussion question about demanding a student be removed from the class, staff members must understand that the principal is always doing what is best for the school overall and therefore the staff member should understand the difference between requests and demands.