Since it seems to be break the rules week, we might as well get in a good discussion. Something’s bugging me.
The youngest came home with news yesterday that one of her favorite educators was tossed a pink slip. I tried to explain that this game happens every year. The board swears they are running out of money, a couple of dozen teachers across the district get the axe, and then around the first of June, the board magically finds enough extra money to hire everyone back. I also mentioned there might be extra drama this year because I hear contract negotiations aren’t going well.
And that’s my beef. Aren’t you guys professionals? Both the board and educators – do you think you can find it in your heart to leave the students out of it this time?
I remember several years ago we had some problems because the teachers actually picketed! They stomped around wearing buttons saying they weren’t available for extra help. They quit writing letters of recommendation for college.
I was one unhappy parent.
God Bless him, Greg DePue smiled his way through it with a button that said something along the lines of “ask me, I can help.” There’s a reason that man was so well promoted. I’m darn sure there was a reason he left Elmbrook.
Time to grow up and lead by example. Otherwise I’ll issue you all crowns and capes and you can prance around like the divas you’re imitating. You leave the kids out of it, or I’ll take you out with my magic keyboard.
Oh, yes, I will.
3 responses so far ↓
1 Anthony // Feb 16, 2010 at 5:19 pm
Here’s the thing. A lot of my teachers on the first day of class told us that they were devoted to helping kids, since that’s why they went into the field. If teachers are on strike and saying they won’t help kids, then it looks like they didn’t go into the field to help kids, did they? They went into it for the cash and the benefits!
I understand you can complain about your workplace and all, but don’t take it out on the students. Bad workplace or good, we still need to learn. That’s why we go to school! We’re there to learn!
2 The Lorax // Feb 16, 2010 at 9:06 pm
Greg DePue is a terrible person–and hardly an educator. Nicolet is trying to get rid of him, you know.
3 The Lorax // Feb 16, 2010 at 9:10 pm
And Anthony, that logic is fine. That is, until you see that districts are leveraging educators’ passions and guilt over them by seeing how far they can push until they will actually walk out of the classroom. It’s a classic tactic. Teachers take so much crap in hopes that they can just do their job.
At some point, you have to step back from this simplistic argument and realize that teachers can only serve their student’s in the best way if they are well-paid and treated.
Why do you think so many teachers are burning out and leaving the profession? It seems like the only teachers left are the ones who don’t care about rolling over to administration year after year.
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