A "Hypothetical"

I was thinking through this "hypothetical" this morning while taking Aiden to school.

Let's say there's a Christian teacher who starts his teaching career at a Christian school.

Then let's say that someone high up in the Christian school took a dislike to him for some reason, and then organised things so that the Christian teacher would be overworked.

Let's also "assume" that this "hypothetical" Christian teacher has just had their first child, and has also moved cities in order to start work at this Christian school.

And let's also "assume" that this "hypothetical" Christian teacher was working between 60-70 hours per week, but was unable to do the work required.

And let's "assume" also that when he confronts his boss, that his boss loses control and begins screaming at him in her office ("assume" the boss was a woman).

And let's "assume" that this "hypothetical" Christian teacher is taken before the School principal and harangued for not performing up to the impossible workload they demanded him.

And let's "assume" that, behind his back, certain high up people begin to spread the rumour amongst other staff that this "hypothetical" Christian teacher had been caught downloading pornography on school computers.

And let's "assume" that this "hypothetical" Christian teacher had no knowledge of this rumour going around.

And let's "assume" that the stress this "hypothetical" Christian teacher was under caused him to become violently ill every day.

And let's "assume" that this "hypothetical" Christian teacher took time off work because of his illness.

And let's "assume" that the principal called him up one day and informed him that "teachers who can continue to work at the school while being ill with stress are looked on more favourably"

And let's "assume" that the "hypothetical" Christian teacher hands in his resignation, effective from the end of term (6 weeks).

And let's "assume" that, despite his resignation, certain high up people continued to pile pressure on him, and demand meetings with him and scream at him and threaten to dismiss him before his resignation date.

And let's "assume" that the "hypothetical" Christian teacher then sees a doctor, who says that he should go on two weeks leave because of the stress he's under.

And let's "assume" that, after two weeks, the "hypothetical" Christian teacher decides he cannot return.

And let's "assume" that, due to his illness, he decides to claim for Worker's Compensation.

And let's "assume" that, while all this is going on, rumours continually spread about the "hypothetical" Christian teacher's downloading of porn on school computers.

And let's "assume" that the downloading of porn on work computers is an offence that can result in a person's instant dismissal from their employment, regardless of whether their workplace is Christian or not.

And let's "assume" that the Christian school in question never confronts the "hypothetical" Christian teacher over his "supposed" downloading of porn.

And let's "assume" that, when the "hypothetical" Christian teacher makes an official statement to an insurance investigator, no mention is ever made, or any question raised by the investigator, about any apparent downloading of porn by the teacher.

And let's "assume" that the line of questioning taken by the insurance investigator is designed to show beyond doubt that the "hypothetical" Christian teacher does not deserve Worker's comp, and that his illness is his own fault, and his performance at the "hypothetical" Christian school was a result of his own incompetence.

And let's "assume", yet again, that during the aggressive questioning by the insurance investigator, no mention is made at all of any downloading of porn.

And let's "assume" that it would be far easier for the "hypothetical" Christian school to reveal to the insurance investigator the "hypothetical" Christian teacher's downloading of porn if it were, in fact, true... in order to ensure a good result for the school and the insurance company.

And let's "assume" that the reason certain people in leadership positions at this "hypothetical" Christian school did not reveal this information (downloading porn) to the insurance investigator is because they knew it was not true.

And let's "assume" that it is now common knowledge amongst many teachers at this "hypothetical" Christian school that this "hypothetical" Christian teacher left because he was caught downloading porn.

And let's "assume" that this "hypothetical" Christian teacher did not know about these rumours until a few years after he left the "hypothetical" Christian school.

And let's "assume" that whenever the "hypothetical" Christian teacher applies for jobs at other "hypothetical" Christian schools in the area, they choose not to even bother interviewing him because they have contacted this particular "hypothetical" Christian school and have had bad reports about him.

And let's "assume" that this "hypothetical" Christian teacher has, in his possession, an official transcript of the insurance investigator, proving that the "hypothetical" Christian school did not inform the investigator about any alleged downloading of porn.

And let's "assume" that the stress of this event causes the "hypothetical" Christian teacher to have a major depressive episode that eventually requires him to undergo therapy and medication.

And let's "assume" that, at the same time as he goes through this episode, another teacher at the school goes through a breakdown as well, but is looked after and given a weekly wage because they are favoured by people at the top.

And let's "assume" that the "hypothetical" teacher's boss - the one who screamed and yelled at him - has an acute anxiety problem as a result of this episode that forces her to take the following term off.

And let's "assume" that the "hypothetical" teacher's boss had undergone a divorce and a remarriage a number of years before this episode, and has subsequently divorced her second husband.



What would you do?