We’ve witnessed many a manager defend the actions of their employees whenever they’re just doing their jobs. However, some bosses can also rub employees the wrong way. One example can be seen through a resurfaced viral video that eventually made its way to TikTok, which showcased a school principal speaking condescendingly to a janitor after he left the building a few minutes early.
The Karen Daily TikTok account reposted a video in which a school janitor, named Jonathan Holley, was called to the principal’s office after it was discovered that he opened the doors early to help assist the fire department.
The principal, Susan Opferman, asked him what his working hours were when he was about to leave the building at 2:52. Essentially, she didn’t like the fact that he was going to leave 8 minutes early. She then berated him for assisting the fire department and had no right to open the school 15 minutes early, even if it meant not helping the fire marshal.
This conversation continues in part 2, where Holley is seen accusing the principal of “always yelling and screaming” toward him. He also accuses her of harassment, suggesting she is “picking him out.” It was later revealed that he was forced to resign and claimed it was done for “their own personal reasons,” not because of the altercation between him and the principal. He also said that he could no longer get a job in Fulton County.
According to r/videos on Reddit, the events that unfolded in this video happened back in 2016 and went viral on the platform. This recording has some longevity, with the conversation being a constant reminder that there are people out there whose behavior could be described as “toxic” or “bullying,” even if they’re your boss.
Forbes advised that you can tell if a leader sounds condescending by the tone of their voice and how they’re speaking to you. One of the easiest signs to detect is if the person in question communicates with you like you’re a child or someone new. Unfortunately, there hasn’t been any news whether this principal was removed or was forced to step down, especially due to the numerous times this video would resurface on social media. Thrilling.com reported that Opferman received the title of “Best Assistant Principal” in 2011 and has years of teaching under her belt.
Many people agreed that this principal was being rude to this janitor, and the fact that he was forced to resign (related to this incident or not) was just another low blow. Some alleged Opferman didn’t respect Holley based on the tone of her voice. While this video is old, let it be a lesson on how to detect and deal with these types of people, and how sadly, these types of bosses exist in the workplace.