Wednesday, February 07, 2007

No Such Thing As Free Lunch


Principal Suit came into the cafeteria while I was there today. He was enjoying his favorite perk--free lunch. The lunch lady told me he never misses a day. When he was an AP, she told me he used to come in and get lunch, pretending it was for the principal. I guess that $3 was really going to break him. Anyways, that is not the subject of this post, but I refuse to pass up a chance to write about one of his more interesting characteristics.

The reason I am writing is that I have really had it with his attitude towards me. He hates me. The friend I was sitting with could feel the venom seeping out of him because he had to stop near me to talk to her. He's hated me for a long time. Why? Because I refuse to see his vision. I don't agree with his educational policies and I won't bow to him or to anyone else. I am a good math teacher. I get great results. Last year, 27 out of 28 of my seniors passed the math A regents, even though up until that point they had only passed one math class ever. Over 90% of my kids pass the AP exam with an average grade of almost a 4. I come in on school holidays and weekends to tutor the kids (without pay). I stay late and give up lunch and preps. I even sit on the floor in the hallway to work with him when there are no other quiet places available. The kids like me. The parents like me. He cringes whenever he hears anyone say anything nice about me. I don't care. I've decided to stay on as long as I want. I'm going to do the best job I can and enjoy being the pimple on his butt while I do it. Last year, he suggested I transfer to another school. I told him "good school, near home, easy to park, tenure!" and I walked out. We haven't spoken since. The irony of this is that there is a guy in my department that all the kids and parents hate. He fails 70% or more of his classes every term. He's never been told to transfer. There are teachers with discipline problems up the kazoo. He's never told them to leave either.

He hates me. I hate him. We don't have to eat lunch. I help make the school a good place to be. I help get him performance bonuses. He needs to put his personal feelings aside and start respecting what I do for the school. He needs to know that when he will be paying for his lunch by looking at me whenever he comes in for it.

6 comments:

CaliforniaTeacherGuy said...

I love your response to the principal's suggestion that you transfer: "good school, near home, easy to park, tenure!"

No wonder he hates you! (And ain't that just too damn bad!) Stay where you are!

ms. whatsit said...

Good for you for standing your ground! You would think that he would love you for all that you do. My guess is that he was probably an ineffective educator (hence the need to go into administration!)

It must suck to go into work every morning knowing that this guy doesn't appreciate you. My heart goes out to you.

NYC Educator said...

I can't believe he doesn't pay for lunch. That's simply sleazy. If I were him, I'd pay just for appearances.

It's amazing what some people in this system do and do not appreciate.

Nic said...

In my experience, admins come and go so damned quick (since so many of them sucked in the classroom, and suck equally in the front office) that who the hell cares what they think, really?

Pissedoffteacher said...

It bothers me more the way he treats other people.

He was an ineffective guidance counselor. I don't think he spent too much time in the classroom.

NYC Educator said...

It's true, though, that a lot of failed teachers go into administration. Naturally, they administrate just as badly as they taught.