Teacher dramatically quits job of 18 years after 20 minute request is rejected

EXCLUSIVE: Teacher dramatically quits job of 18 years after 20 minute request is rejectedMother-of-two Ianthe Brown felt as if she was juggling 'grenades' when it came to balancing her work and personal life - but a sad moment led to her breaking pointCommentsNewsNiamh Kirk Lifestyle Writer08:00, 04 Apr 2026View 4 ImagesIanthe Brown quit after her simple request was refusedAfter 18 years of juggling her work and life balance one simple request pushed her to breaking point.‌Ianthe Brown, of Southampton, was trying to manage the demands of the classroom at the same time as raising her two neurodivergent daughters at home when she reached breaking point.‌With her husband also being a teacher, finding a balance felt like an uphill battle for the couple, who were paying over £1,000 a month for external childcare. No breakfast club or after school care available at their children's school, so when Ianthe requested just 20 minutes of flexibility at the start of the school day so she could take her children to school, the flexible working request was denied.‌READ MORE: Teacher shares abuse that forced her to quit - from parents as well as childrenView 4 ImagesIanthe was teaching at the same school for 18 years (Image: Ianthe Brown)The mother-of-two appealed the decision, but was left in floods of tears and said: "That was devastating. I'd given 18 years to that school and it felt meaningless. It felt less like a conversation and more like I was on trial."The pressure had been building for Ianthe, 41, who began her career as an English teacher, gradually taking on more and more responsibilites over the years. She became the Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead, the school’s Mental Health Lead and a qualified trauma practitioner supporting pupils facing significant personal challenges.‌"My priority has always been the child. I wanted to advocate for them and support them however I could," she said, but her workload just kept piling up. I...