Dealing with a Difficult Coworker: Am I the Jerk for Ignoring Him?

Some coworkers can make a job feel like a slow burn, and this one did not start subtle. OP, a 21-year-old recess aid at an elementary school, had been getting through her days just fine for months, until her 42-year-old coworker turned every interaction into a power trip.

The kids were manageable, the workload was fine, but the coworker was nonstop bossy and patronizing, barking orders like he was her supervisor. During one stretch of lunch cleanup, he commanded her to clean tables, she ignored him because she already handled it before, and then he confronted her like she committed a crime.

By the time he sneered at her, OP had hit her breaking point, and the question became: was she the jerk for finally reporting him?

Original Post

So I (f21) have started working as a recess aid at an elementary school and have been there for about 10 months now. The kids and workload is fine, I don't mind it at all but what has been irking me is my 42 year old male coworker who is an actual pain in the ass.

He's bossy and incredibly patronizing whenever he gives me the honor of hearing his d**n voice. I would like to say that I have been tolerant these past few months since I don't want any bad blood or anything like that but I have actually reached my breaking point this time.

So we were supervising the kids as usual and he basically commanded me to go clean up some lunch tables (keep in mind, he is not my supervisor- just my fellow coworker) but I ignored him since I had already done it multiple times while he hasn't even picked up a d**n cleaning rag yet. After the kids went back to their classes, he came up to me all pissy and said "Why didn't you clean those tables like I told you to?" I told him that I was occupied with something else and he has the audacity to say "Well, I told you to do that so you should've just done it, jesus.." then sneered at me.

Anyways, that whole interaction genuinely pissed me off but I don't know if i did the right thing so AITA? (EDIT) I also wanted to add that he doesn't treat our other coworkers like that and I'm also the youngest out of all, so i dont know if his dislike for me is part of that.

(UPDATE) I reported his a*s today n got him sent to the principal's like a lil baby. He has officially began ignoring me which is the best outcome to me fr.

Thank yall so much for the advicee

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This is similar to the AITA about a woman refusing to split the estate with her half-sister.

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Right after he ordered her to clean lunch tables and she ignored him because she had already done it multiple times, the tension snapped into something personal.

When he marched up after the kids went back to class and asked why she did not do what he told her, it turned into a full-on confrontation, not just workplace chatter.

Then he doubled down with the “jesus” attitude, and OP started wondering if it was because she is the youngest and he does not treat other coworkers the same way.

After OP reported his behavior today and he got sent to the principal, he immediately started ignoring her, which is exactly what OP wanted.</p>

What do you think about this situation? Let us know in the comments.

Now he’s the one stuck wondering if he really was the problem.

For another “am I the jerk?” family fight, read whether she should share her inheritance with her aunts after they claim her dad updated his will.