Four for Four

If I was in the business of baseball, I'd have retired and been inducted into the hall of fame by now with that average. Dag-nabit, I picked the wrong career.

I've been questioned lately about my commitment to teaching. Colleagues ask, "It's so hard to be laid off every year. Why do you still do it?" Others exhibit the same frustration with it that I have, but end up frustrating me even more because their frustration is misplaced. It's not the district's fault they have to lay off 1656 of us educators (and countless other valuable employees!). At least, they shouldn't have to stand alone in shouldering the blame. So please, if you know me or even if you don't, if you're ever 'on the record' or talking to me in a conversation, please do NOT lay sole blame on one entity. I have plenty of others you can lament about.

SDEA has, on countless occasions now, refused to sit down (literally) at a (literal) table and (literally) talk (yes, just talk...literally) to the district about (possible) concessions. Come on people, this isn't the Treaty of Paris, and the district isn't the American victors here. No one is "winning" anything at this point. We're all losing, and it's most certainly NOT about who's losing more.

I recently gave an interview on my opinions regarding concessions. Below are some of the major points:

While I believe that the union should DEFINITELY be making concessions, on a personal level, I don't even agree with the idea of an obligatory union on principle. Some may say I'm jaded by my experience so far, seeing as though I'm a new teacher, and am often asked to sacrifice the most for the common good. I am laid off each year so that my more senior counterparts can retain salary or benefits. I definitely think that the Union should be at the table, making concessions, along with the district, however I don't think that all teachers are being considered in these concessions.

I could tell you how hard it is for me personally, but being laid off isn't personal.

Being laid off isn't personal, but it should be.

That being said, having a husband who has been laid off at the same time as I have been has been hard. Making the smallest salary in the district and paying the highest price for it (being laid off), has been hard. But teachers like myself don't teach because of the salary or benefits. We do it because it’s what makes us think we are making something of a difference in this world. It gives us a greater purpose.

And every time we're given a pink slip, it feels a dismissal from someone who doesn't understand the sacrifices that the teacher made just to make it through the last three years of layoffs. It often feels like my voice as a new teacher is ignored by the Board and the Union both.

It feels personal, but I want to make sure that other wounded teachers hurt because it's not personal. It's just not. It's all about the inadequacies in the system, not within our teaching.

Here's a shot with me and my TWO layoff notices. Yes, the district packs two thick envelopes, has one delivered to me at school, then another sent via certified mail to my home. This is the first time I've ever been home to accept it! Wowza!