Oh no! You’ve discovered my secret identity!
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It should be your new avatar!
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If you have a computer in the office, you could leave it recording and lock the screen/ turn off the monitor (assuming the abuse is happening in the office.)
If you need to “accidentally” walk in recording him, it’s not that hard to hold you phone in a way that looks like you’re looking at it (but actually recording) or, more naturally, just carrying your phone while it points in the general direction of your boss. Flip your phone over (so the camera is closer to the floor than your head) and pointing slightly upward so can catch what’s going on) and hold it down at your side like you’re lazily carrying it with your arms swinging around. It might take some practice, but this sneak recording ability has saved me in quite a few instances where video evidence of criminal behavior was needed.
It’s not legal to physically abuse kids in Taiwan, period. The law is the pretty much the same as the US, but it’s a matter of who wants to enforce it (nobody), which allows it to be far more obvious in places that you wouldn’t expect people to be so obvious about their abuse.
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No, he isn’t approving the behavior by staying. I don’t know what I’d do, but if I thought a crime was happening I’m pretty sure the right thing to do is escalate.
That’s not what I said or meant.
That’s what I said and that’s what I meant.
Talk to the parents and ask them to check for wounds or bruises on their kids. If they go home with bruises and battle wounds, their parents would pursue this further and eventually expose your manager’s acts. Child abuse is a common problem in Taiwan. As economy gets decimated with covid19, stress and tension often escalate to domestic violence and work place aggression. Kids are innocent and cannot protect themselves. You will regret not stepping in and do something about this.
Writing is tricky that way. Maybe that isn’t what you meant, but that’s what I read. Perhaps signalling is not a synonym for indicating, but that’s a fine hair to split.
‘Signalling to the parents that everything is OK.’
Everything is OK , as in nothing is wrong. If you are signalling, or indicating/gesturing, that nothing is wrong, while you believe something is, I believe that is tacit approval. Tacit approval that I read you indicated his presence suggests in your post about the signalling. If you didn’t mean that - OK!
In any case, I mean that his continued presence does not signal; intimate, suggest or indicate, that everything is OK.
The issue is most parents do not speak English. & the one’s that do know more English I’ve noticed have less problematic kids that I cannot imagine my manager targeting. He’s gone for kids who probably have weaker family bonds and influence. So far it’s only his own family member, and three in my class - one of which I’m sure he physically hurt. I’m going back into work tomorrow so it will be something on my radar. My first action will probably be to tell him I don’t want him taking kids out of the room unless I have a say in it. He can’t just take a child from the room because they personally upset it. Also that how can he expect me to show him any respect when he’s abusing children? He expects respect but at this point that’s difficult. I believe he is manipulative too as he’s treated me as if I’m unable to reflect on my own teaching abilities to improve. If it’s something I can handle by speaking to him and I see the situation improve, good, but I’ll plan further action if necessary. It’s a tough position to be in but I certainly cannot live like this and worry for my students safety. & I live in a quite distant location, so up and leaving isn’t an option, unfortunately.
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I get your point.
I think the question is how far out do you want to go.
If teachers stay, they signal to parents that things are Kosher.
However, that signal doesn’t imply that teachers agree with or acquiesce or approve of the bossman’s horrendous behavior. I admit, some people will make that jump. I know the business a little better than most parents do though. So no. IMO teachers stay because they get paid. Period. They put up with a LOT of sh8t, shake it off and go home. If the boss makes the kid cry, the teacher’s job is to sho sho the kid and get him or her back into ABSHeeD.
So, I personally do not agree that Teachers signalling “everything is OK” = teachers “approve of the bossman’s behavior.” YMMV
Ok.
I disagree with ‘If teachers stay, they signal to parents that things are Kosher.’ because it’s more complicated than that. It may or may not signal any number of messages, of which this may be one of them, but that would not be my first or primary read on why a teacher stays.
Yes I agree; how far to go is a damgood question.
I think that if you feel that there is criminal/reckless/abusive activity going on, like what the OP is describing, you’re obligated to engage and/or escalate. If not me; who? The right choice is often the difficult one.
Exactly, if not me, who? Another issue is knowing that even if I say something that makes a positive change at school, what would the family member continue to go through at home? I’ll update later this week – I need a mental break, not that I might get that at work. We’ll see.
You are an advocate. That’s what advocates say. 
And then get sued for libel or public insult. Or at least fired. Parents, assuming they speak English, are going to go to the boss. And lots of parents don’t know how to talk to their kids.
And OP, before you try any of this amateur KGB stuff with cameras, you’re a lot more likely to get yourself in trouble. Go to the police without unimpeachable evidence, and you’re likely to get sued. Just keep it simple, collect the information I said, dial 113. It’s anonymous. They’ll talk to the parents. If the situation continues, you can decide if you want to be a hero or not. Until then, keep it simple. If you see someone get hit by a car, you don’t start doing surgery. You call 119. When you see this, you call 113.
I really think that’s the wrong call. You’re just going to get on his radar and when nothing changes, he’ll suspect you if you finally do call the hotline. And standing up for your students doesn’t help the family member who has it worse.
And can you imagine any scenario where confronting an abuser would work? I mean, without a threat you can back up. A person like that doesn’t change because an employee tells him to.
Welcome to Taiwan. Respect the boss, full stop.
Just get the kids names, elementary schools and uniform numbers, call 113, and give them all the details.
I can try to get information, but my kids often don’t show up in uniforms. So that in itself could look like snooping if it’s difficult information to get. Plus, I would expect him to suspect me regardless if I say anything. I do plan to record sound if I can-- we don’t have a clock in the room so it’s normal for me to carry my phone. Will I do anything with a recording? I don’t know, but it’s better to have especially if it persists and is easy to obtain. I pretend to respect him for the sake up shit not blowing up. In my mind, he’s an abuser first and manager second. I get the culture and I hold my tongue often because of it, but this is some next-level bullshit that I’m having to walk around. As long as I do my job right he’s getting the cold shoulder because it’s hard to pretend to give a fuck about what he has to say in the first place. But thank you for your contribution, I will make it my first priority if I can access the necessary information.
They should wear them a couple times a week. I don’t know if they come to your class regularly or straight from school, but any of their elementary books should have their Chinese names. If you’re alone with their schoolbags for a few minutes you can do it. Or make it a class activity. Have everyone write their Chinese names next to their English one for some activity. Teach them romanization or something.
He can suspect you, but it’s one thing to suspect and another to know. If you’re not familiar with Taiwan’s libel laws, you can get yourself into trouble. Even if there’s no proof, it can take time and lawyer money to prove their’s no proof. If you confront him, you’re pointing the arrow at yourself. Do it anonymously, and you’re one of many suspects, and you have the power to play innocent and ignorant.
And that’s besides job trouble.
After collecting information, I would get some proof it is the boss doing the abuse, like have the phone recording while you’re teaching and the family member is wailing in the background. That sounds cold when I say it, but you’ll have some safety in case the parents respond legally and the boss accuses you. Leaving your name with 113 might help, but since they are anonymous I don’t know if they would give information to the police in your defense.
Okay thanks for the extra information. He is highly involved with classes and the school so I will try to plan my actions accordingly.
The OP asked to close this at this point, no harm no foul.
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