When I was five or six I proclaimed loudly to my father about the unfairness of something; what it was is lost, but at the time I felt deeply some slight, I'm sure. He told me, as all parents do, that life isn't fair. He must have been amused by my overly dramatic response and laughed. I cried, "It's not funny!" He said, deadpan, "So life's not fair and life's not funny." It stuck.
This week has brought home the sentiment. It's pink-slip time in the world of education and someone I teach with got one. It can't have been a total surprise - there have been warning signs - but no one enjoys being told they aren't good enough, and that's what pink-slips do. They proclaim to the world that you have had a major "Fail." Circumstances, nuances, and behind-the-scenes goings-on don't enter into it - you've been fired.
I hope the young teacher finds a job soon. She has a small child and like all of us, needs to work. But the work environment hasn't been good for her for awhile, and just knowing she doesn't have to go back there should mean something. Once she's had a chance to regroup I think she'll see this.
Another non-tenured teacher, who is abysmally dreadful in almost every aspect of her work performance, did not get a pink-slip. I'm sure she's gloating and all self-congratulatory, but she needs to watch her ample ass. The winds of change will blow this year at good ol' Hick High - people are being watched by someone other than the God they all claim to worship. A new assistant principal who won't take any shit, from anybody, but certainly not someone like the admin in charge right now. The teacher union and a new superintendent are aware of problems in our happy little home.
Things are about to get interesting, and my Daddy's old saying is about to be made relevant, again.
We should be advocates for screwed over teachers everywhere. I wanted to punch her in the face at the awards ceremony today. I'm quite sure I could knock her on her ample ass.
ReplyDeleteLet me go on record as saying I fully understand why she was pink-slipped. She really is weak. But come on - she had no support from admin - ever - and certainly none since the cheerleading debacle.
ReplyDeleteWhy don't we have a mentoring program in place for new teachers, especially new, YOUNG teachers.
Nah, it's easier to throw them to the wolves, expect them to perform extra-curricular tasks they aren't up to, and pick up the leavings when they fail.
Geez.
I am with you on that...in fact, hindsight, I expressed my worry about the 8th graders eating her alive. I did mention that she would probably do better with lower grades. I never wanted her to lose her job.
ReplyDeletePEPE by a GOOD administrator could have really helped her. Such a shame. I gave her class management advice whenever I could.