TheSocRes has undertaken many covert research studies with many facets of society observed, partaken and recorded in. For this blog example; one of TheSocRes’ ethnographic studies was for a researcher to partake in a becoming a teacher in order to understand what these civil servants experience in their civil service field.
To competently partake in researching teaching - this included undertaking qualified teacher training course, recording all the terrible breaches of safety and lack of professionalism on behalf of the training college and the actual schools who acted in a very poor manner.
With some time involved in supply teaching; recording the vulnerability supply teacher culture, a more long term role was gained in a very challenging school which led to uncovering some highly unethical events. All events were recorded and regularly assessed, yet not reported to the authorities as they too would later come under scrutiny.
Although in many industries, some brave individuals will step up and report illegal and negative activities; those referred to as ‘whistle blowers’ who attract media and government attention to very wrong-doings – TheSocRes ethnographer found it a necessity to record how far the rabbit hole went and no legal action would be considered until the conclusion of the ethnographic work.
With a long overdue change in management, when so many high expectations – the research predicted a change with which to end the long term ethnography study on a positive note and give examples of how a poor performing school can be turned around. Sadly the school went into a continual degrading curve and the ethnographer had exhausted all options and departed professionally and discreetly.
Utilising mixed methods of research including [detached] pure observation, participant observation and interviewing some highly unethical events had been recorded into the daily journals that had been maintained. Although regularly consulting with the core research organisation, one must ask when one must break with covert research and report terrible things to the Government.
· A head teacher who lied regularly to their staff – yet although the staff’s rebukes were well documented; no one took any action for fear of reprisal. Careers destroyed and short term stress and long term illness becoming very apparent amongst many staff.
· Inspections were incompetent in their undertaking not to be able to undercover the ‘living lie’ that the staff told the ethnographic researcher, what they felt the school was. The inspectors left on the Friday, the children were back in charge of the school on the Monday morning.
· Frequent observations made of when violence or trouble escalated frequently with challenging teenagers, the head teacher was frequently seen disappearing leaving the remaining staff to deal with problems.
· When the staff were sent to occupational health, doctors or unions were brought in, the problems were made to disappear yet no real remedial actions were taken by the school management. Sick people were made to feel inferior or inadequate in their tasks.
Had a legal action been taken, the councils would have stood firm with the management who would have all conspired together to protect the lies. It is plausible the law would have stood on side of the lies – This is mainly based on fear of poor media attention and financial loss, the council losing face as they had backed the lies of a highly unethical professional bully. It is little wonder teaching is stated as being in crisis.
Can the publication be made? The end result will be all identifications and locations would be altered, not for fear of reprisal that negative characters can threaten action – yet to protect the majority of good people who were sadly forced into difficult situations throughout their professional careers.
There is no agenda to any ethnographic research. Majority of ethnographic studies have no particular closed end result, nor is it funded by Government bodies or industry. The public have a right to know and equally each country have a citizens’ duty to stop decent public servants falling into unpredictable and unnecessary situations for which they will never be given fair support.
Although such research may suffer a backlash from certain forces who wish to conceal what they have done. It is the right and honourable thing to do to report, as it is in the general publics best interest to have knowledge of what has been researched and recorded.
Although such research may suffer a backlash from certain forces who wish to conceal what they have done. It is the right and honourable thing to do to report, as it is in the general publics best interest to have knowledge of what has been researched and recorded.
There are things that occur in society that continue to erode our common decency and culture. Only by reporting academic and media (transparent) reporting – without agenda can the public make their own decision based on good information.
Society has a long way before it is truly transparent. The research that TheSocRes undertakes wishes only to support our better cultural aspirations. Together we all make our humanity evolved to a better standard.
