Ughh Vent/Update on my life

Whippet8 · February 2010

OK...so I dont think I've talked to much about this on here (or at all for that matter), but pretty much here is the story: (cliffnotes on the bottom)

On January 5th (yes, three days after the wedding, and my first day back to school), our board of education presented its proposed budget to the public. In this proposal, it suggested that close to 100 jobs be cut, including a lot of certified teachers. This included 17 high school teachers (we have 2 high schools). Great. I was THE ONLY high school teacher hired in the school district last year, which puts me really close to the bottom of the seniority list (according to the seniority list, i am the 2nd most recent person hired in the whole district). Pretty much I had just gotten married, and my job was on the line.

Everything in the town was thrown upside down because of the entire budget-- our students created a massive facebook group, were on the news, our students were creating petitions, writing editorials to the newspaper...and the parents were outraged in general. Everything has calmed down since then because it was only a proposal...but Monday night the proposal was passed. Now it has to be approved by our mayor (who is a major douche, and everyone is predicting that he wants to cut MORE).

So Tuesday morning, right before I had to teach precalculus, the principal comes in and hands me my pink slip. Along with every other non tenured teacher in the school. Pretty much they gave out 100 pink slips yesterday in the entire district--to every non tenured teacher.

Now, this isnt set in stone (I'm a math teacher, and they might not cut from math), because they want to cut 80 teaching positions, and now only 14 high school. However, they proposed to cut the department head positions, which would mean our dept. head would be a teacher, bumping me.

bleh. pretty much, this is all a spark to something horrible that is going to blow up. class sizes are going to increase, teachers who coach will no longer be able to coach if they get other jobs, students wont be able get the support they need, and the ripple of all of the "bumps" could be crazy.

This sucks.

Cliffnotes: I found out a few days after the wedding that my teaching job was in danger, and I, along with 99 other non tenured teachers, recieved pink slips yesterday. I might still not lose my job, but I was the only high school teacher hired last year, and its very likely. This is the school where I want to retire.

jrsygrl10 · February 2010

first: i like that you did a cliffnotes for your own post. highly amusing for me, and highly effective! though i did read your post in full (i know how much i appreciate when others read my WOT's).

i'm so sorry to hear about what you're dealing with, and at such a time in your life when you're on such a high. i know what it feels like to be let go (let's face it, i tend to suck at working. i'm in the wrong jobs for realz), and it's never fun. but my silver lining is this: you're still young so if you end up actually losing your job with this school district there is plenty of time for you to go elsewhere and then return to the school you want to be in long before you retire. i am sure that school officials would take in to consideration the fact that they let you go years before when considering you for a position, that just makes sense. think of it as a stepping stone in the long run. you never know what another job position can teach you that you might not have learned otherwise. if you have to look elsewhere, take it as an opportunity and a learning experience. and make it a goal to return to your preferred school district down the road. who knows, you may end up finding out that you prefer another school district that you never considered. just food for thought.

in the meantime though, i'm sending lots of hugs and vibes your way. and remember that whatever happens can't be helped or changed and that it will all work itself out in the end. promise.

pandasquishy · February 2010

This really sucks. I agree with jrsy that you're young and you have a bit of time. I like her thought about it being a stepping stone. There must be other districts in your area, but up your resume and if it worse comes to worst, you can get into subbing until something more permanent turns up (right? I think that's how it works?)

BUT, I cannot believe the principal handed you your pink slip right before class began. That's not professional at all. I would have been a mess and unable to teach! Buh, that makes me mad that he did that.

eskamo · February 2010

Oh, I'm so sorry. T&P for you, hopefully everything will work out for the best.

musgral8 · February 2010

My T&P are definitely with you! This may be an over-simplification but maybe it's a good thing that it happened after you were married. It's hard to support two people on one persons salary (that's where DH and I are now), but it's even harder to support yourself on no salary.

And ditto Panda - that was a real jerk move!