Has anyone else noticed how crabby school secretaries seem to be?

I think I’d be crabby if no one respected me and the hard work I do.

At my old high school, our secretaries were nasty beings. Just nasty. I don’t even know how they got their jobs.

If I had to guess I would imagine it’s tough to anticipate and meet the needs of a large group of kids & their parents. Most parents are probably only concerned about their own child, and goodness knows children can be very self centered. Add to that a principal also trying to make everyone happy and that sounds like a recipe for grouchy. I know if I stand in the office long enough I hear them field many calls and talk to parents/kids about kids being absent, complaints about teachers, missing homework & forgotten lunches. Definitely sounds like a thankless job.

@hug_of_war I am a huge advocate of public education and a former secretary (though not at a school). I respect the secretaries and the work they do. I have always approached them with respect and kindness, but it does get pretty difficult to continue being respectful when they are nasty from the jump.

…and it would be way better than being the janitor; those kids are so messy in the bathrooms, cafeterias, etc.

!! No! All the secretaries at my schools were awesome! There was one who tried to pretend to be a cranky old lady, but she totally loved us and was so easy to charm.

Ironically, most of the janitors seem quite good-natured.

We had awesome janitors, too. Super Dave! and Dickie. Best guys ever.

They are constantly in demand by administration, parents and kids popping into the office frequently and randomly. The main things I remember from being an office assistant in high school are they need to call their parents (for frivolous things) or they lost their lunch money. The secretary has to be the disciplinarian for minor issues way too often. If they are told no about anything they whine and or argue. Secretaries field all of this and still have to find time to get their work done. It’s frustrating.

Poor dears. The secretary at my K-8 school had a smile on her face all day long. Our principal was her BF. He was the hotness and he adored her. She was… not hot, to put it mildly. The other single women who worked at the school were very jealous of Miss K. And so were some of the 8th graders, me included. How can ya fantasize about a hot dude when his GF is making the lunch announcement over the PA system?

Part of the job description? Inducing terror in all alike, regardless of age or place in the hierarchy, is a career skill in some professions.

The secretary at my school is one of the most wonderful, giving, caring people I have ever met. She couldn’t be crabby if she tried. This thread is making me appreciate her even more!

i’ve never noticed really cranky secretaries at my school, but really i only remember my elementary school one, who was a lovely lady. but i would imagine that the ones that are crabby are that way because they often deal with parents with major attitudes, and annoying kids. i don’t know. haha.