ahhh...the bureaucracy of the public school system. Fresno Unified is laying off....oops wrong word...."releasing" 400 highly qualified teachers (HQT to you acronym-mongers) because of budget cuts--and yes, I am one of them. Now, according to my principal, there will be students here at the school in the fall....but they can't guarantee me my job. If I can hold out til the first of June (or the first of September...depends upon whom you talk to), then maybe they can offer me a contract. Mind you, Central Unified, Clovis Unified and Madera Unified are all hiring and signing contracts now for the fall, so take a guess where many of these "HQT's" will end up. So the fall will arrive, and Fresno Unified will be in the predicament (again) of stocking classrooms with long-term subs and/or teachers without the proper credentials; which will make them out of compliance with Mr. Bush's "plan" to educate the masses. But think of the money they'll save by only having to pay $100/day (no benefits) for a sub.
Meanwhile, at many schools, teachers that sleep in class will stay. Teachers that yell and belittle students will stay. Teachers that have been using the same lesson plans for 40 years will stay (so glad that heart surgery is not done the same as it was 40 years ago....). But teachers that are current with the new pedgogy (see, I do know some big words :} ), teachers that are willing to be involved in the comminuty, the school, and with the student are being forced to seek employment elsewhere...or play the "waiting game"
Ahh...great place to blow off steam. Those of you who know where I work, and/or know my "real world" name, please stay mum. I don't mind ranting and raving, but I do need to eat. :}
3 comments:
APJ... I know how you feel. I'm looking for a new gig myself.
This whole NCLB is being done ass backwards and apart from the local mess... its one more fuse to creating a gigantic train wreck
NCLB: leave no CONSULTANT (not child as we all thought) behind.
So if something is being done ass-backwards that means you're leading with your ass...and we all know that when you lead with your ass, all can become quite stinky, yes? no?
but on a lighter note, less stinky: working on some days in May for junkologists to come visit. That WILL be a bright spot.
Thanks for the empathy!
APj
Oh dear. This job thing seems to conspire against doing any useful work. I've recently jumped ship, got a little work to tide me over, and am going to start contracting thereafter so that I don't have to listen to any more people who couldn't manage their way out of their own asses tell me how much they need me to get on board, when I'm already swabbing the decks, stoking the engines, navigating the channel and being the cabin boy! Oooh, I'm so cross.
Hope there's a good place waiting for you somewhere. Good luck -_-
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