Having rumors spread about you at work can be very hurtful, and can cause a lot of issues.

How would you react if other people in your workplace were claiming that you were having an affair with a married man?

That is what the lady in this story had to deal with.

Let’s take a look at how she responded.

AITA for telling my colleagues to “stop talking about me” and “worry about their own boring lives”

I (23F) work in a school, and recently I was told by a close colleague that there is a rumour being spread around staff that I am having an affair with a male teacher, let’s call him Jim (30-35yrs).

That is pretty childish.

Apparently, the rumours started when we went out as a group for ‘end of year’ drinks a few months ago, and we (myself and Jim) had one conversation, which I don’t even remember the topic of.

And a group of women I work with, who are known to be the gossips of the school, saw this and created this rumour.

I know it’s them because they make it a point to ask me about Jim at random times and walk away laughing when I don’t give a response or tell them to stop as it makes me uncomfortable.

This is escalating quickly.

This has escalated to rumours about us kissing, myself and his wife having arguments (even though I’ve never met her) and the most recent one is a few weeks ago people at work went out for drinks again and I didn’t attend, and apparently neither did Jim, which made people jump to the conclusion that we were sleeping together.

Of course, this spread like wildfire.

Keep in mind Jim is married with a newborn child, and I have no romantic interest, we only ever talk at work and when we do it’s about work.

However, next year the Principle has decided to mix up which class staff teach in, and I have been put in Jim’s class, which I have no issue with as we get on well at work.

But when this was announced the group of women found me after work and started to make ‘jokey’ remarks about how ‘happy’ I must be, and how I can ‘enjoy some alone time’ with Jim.

That is a mild response compared to what they deserved.

I was just so sick of being made fun of and spoken about so I said (kind of shouted) to them “will you just shut up, stop talking about me and worry about your own boring lives”.

I don’t usually stoop down to people when they’re being mean but I’d had enough.

2 out of the 3 women started to cry and say how my comments were undeserved and rude and they were only making jokes.

They walked away and I got called into the deputy principal’s office the next day as they had reported me.

The administration is taking the wrong side here!

I made her aware of all the things going on and how I had asked them to stop repeatedly, but she just said that I need to understand that it’s all jokes and to not let it get to me and that I shouldn’t have shouted at them.

Don’t get me wrong, I can take a joke, but when it turns into making out that I’m a homewrecker, that’s crossed the line in my opinion.

AITA?

Wow, that sounds like a terrible work environment!

I’m sure the comments have a lot to say, let’s take a look.

Document everything!

They should go as high as needed to get results.

Saying it is just a joke is the real joke.

Yup, this is way beyond joking.

Yes! Explain it for me!

Come on teachers, just grow up already!

I would be beyond sick of this nonsense.

If you liked that story, check out this post about an oblivious CEO who tells a web developer to “act his wage”… and it results in 30% of the workforce being laid off.