They make me sick to my stomach.
Those of you who know me pretty well know that I am not an empathetic person (Melissa has even gone so far to tell me that I have a "raisin heart"), but with the current state of California education and the sheer amount of teachers who are getting pink slips rising daily, my empathy is flowing.
I even started crying today at the elementary school when a 7th year teacher was telling me about her pink slip. Yes, I know, elementary school is making me soft.
I know that everyone in the state in every profession is being effected and laid off from their careers; I understand that teachers whinning about being laid off is slightly annoying to the general population. The part that I don't think the "general population" understands about teacher layoffs is that they aren't done in a logical/rational way, they are done based on seniority ONLY. Evaluations and job performace is not a factor, nor is productivity and qualifications.
The teachers that are being laid off in RUSD have been teaching for 4-6 years, with some going all the way back to 1997! They are "younger" teachers, but they are not young. They are considered vetern teachers, they are the department chairs and site leaders. They are the force of change in our crummy system.
Again, seniority is the only deciding factor in layoffs, so that crappy, grumpy, "old" teacher who should have been FIRED (not polietly laid off) years ago...
Oh yeah, she has a job firmly in place.
And guess what...
She thinks that furlough days are pointless and could careless how many jobs because hers isn't going anywhere no matter how bad she is at it.
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Speaking from the General Population--- I happened to be woken up from a nice nap by screaming and honking cars yesterday, but when I found out that it was because high school students were holding up signs that said, "save our teachers!" were standing on the corner "protesting" recent lay-offs, I was okay with it. It makes me really sad because I have friends who are teachers and are worried for their jobs. Its not like you guys have enough to worry about with the State breathing done your neck regarding test scores! Sheesh! Hang in there!
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