So here goes...
I teach biology at the very high school I graduated from 9 years ago. Last year our district had a serious budget shortfall. Several positions were "cut" but most of them were just empty positions. The budget crisis continues this year and more actual teachers are being cut. On top of that, the group of freshmen I had this year were *very* challenging. I worked harder this year than my past two years combined trying to engage these difficult students.
February 12 I was called into the office and told by the head principal (who may have spoken to me a total of 3 times in three years) that the Assistant Principals on my campus felt it would be best if I didn't return next year. My jaw nearly fell off my skull. This news came out of nowhere. I had a stellar end-of-year evaluation at the end of the previous school year (from one of those Assistant Principals no less) and now they were forcing me to resign. I had managed to lose my job -for no justifiable reason whatsoever- in the worst economy possible.
Because of the contract I signed, there's not much I could do. Your first 3 years in the district, they essentially don't have to have a reason to get rid of you. My teachers union pretty much just shrugged their shoulders, and I decided not to try a lawyer on my own because I didn't want my name dragged through the mud.
My students were incredibly upset. Parents of my students were incredibly upset. Fellow teachers were incredibly upset. Even my department head was angry about it. My heart was broken. It's incredibly difficult to continue to go to work every day for more than 3 months knowing that you won't have a job come June 5. But I did it. I came to work every day and continued to teach my butt off.
Through faith and numerous prayers from supporters, I had finally come to terms with all this painful mess. I was in the process of trying to let go of the lies that were told about me. But then I found out yesterday what I had speculated all along was indeed true...
They are essentially going to move the wrestling coach (who currently isn't doing well teaching English *at all*) into my spot. I've been awake since shortly after 5am trying to decide what (if anything) to do and how to feel. I'm not surprised, but I didn't expect it to bother me so much.
Sorry for such a long post, but if I don't talk about it, I'm going to spiral down to that dark place I was back in February. Tomorrow is the last day of school. I'm going to miss my kids *so* much.
A final note to parents... Schools are operated like a business. Administration doesn't care about your kids. They care about funding. I lost my job because I'm not a coach. It has nothing to do with a teacher's abilities or how many lives they touch. In the end it was all about money.
Thanks for reading...
I teach biology at the very high school I graduated from 9 years ago. Last year our district had a serious budget shortfall. Several positions were "cut" but most of them were just empty positions. The budget crisis continues this year and more actual teachers are being cut. On top of that, the group of freshmen I had this year were *very* challenging. I worked harder this year than my past two years combined trying to engage these difficult students.
February 12 I was called into the office and told by the head principal (who may have spoken to me a total of 3 times in three years) that the Assistant Principals on my campus felt it would be best if I didn't return next year. My jaw nearly fell off my skull. This news came out of nowhere. I had a stellar end-of-year evaluation at the end of the previous school year (from one of those Assistant Principals no less) and now they were forcing me to resign. I had managed to lose my job -for no justifiable reason whatsoever- in the worst economy possible.
Because of the contract I signed, there's not much I could do. Your first 3 years in the district, they essentially don't have to have a reason to get rid of you. My teachers union pretty much just shrugged their shoulders, and I decided not to try a lawyer on my own because I didn't want my name dragged through the mud.
My students were incredibly upset. Parents of my students were incredibly upset. Fellow teachers were incredibly upset. Even my department head was angry about it. My heart was broken. It's incredibly difficult to continue to go to work every day for more than 3 months knowing that you won't have a job come June 5. But I did it. I came to work every day and continued to teach my butt off.
Through faith and numerous prayers from supporters, I had finally come to terms with all this painful mess. I was in the process of trying to let go of the lies that were told about me. But then I found out yesterday what I had speculated all along was indeed true...
They are essentially going to move the wrestling coach (who currently isn't doing well teaching English *at all*) into my spot. I've been awake since shortly after 5am trying to decide what (if anything) to do and how to feel. I'm not surprised, but I didn't expect it to bother me so much.
Sorry for such a long post, but if I don't talk about it, I'm going to spiral down to that dark place I was back in February. Tomorrow is the last day of school. I'm going to miss my kids *so* much.
A final note to parents... Schools are operated like a business. Administration doesn't care about your kids. They care about funding. I lost my job because I'm not a coach. It has nothing to do with a teacher's abilities or how many lives they touch. In the end it was all about money.
Thanks for reading...
