Saturday, March 20, 2010

Top Ten Reasons For Being Pissed



1. I am pissed that people think I have a superiority complex because I am pissed. Anyone who knows me knows I could be the picture going with the words inferiority complex on Wikipedia.

2. I am pissed that people think I should be able to find the solutions to the problems I write about. I never claimed to be anything more than a lowly math teacher. Problem solving, unless it is a mathematical problem is not my area of strength. There are many mathematical problems I can't solve either.

3. I am pissed that people like Obama, Duncan, Bloomberg, Klein, Rhee and even Gates, are now making decisions about education although they know nothing about education and the people they go to for advice probably know less than they know.

4. I am pissed that teachers are becoming the scapegoats for all that ails education.

5. I am pissed that education is taking a big hit because no one can do anything about the main problems this country is having, like a war on two fronts and a crappy economy. Teachers are being picked on as a diversion from the real issue.

6. I am pissed that people write comments on this blog, insulting me, when they don't even know me. I am not pissed when I get to delete them so no one else will be able to read them.

7. I am pissed that there are people walking around with clip boards, writing teachers up for things they know nothing about. I am pissed about the way administrators are chosen to do the jobs and the power that they are given. (It's happening all over the city, Packemin included. Read about two other schools here and here.)

8. I am pissed about schools that are so overcrowded teachers have to sit in hallways to work.

9. I am pissed about kids who want and need help but have overworked and incompetent guidance counselors who do nothing to help them. I am pissed that kids that could possibly be saved are falling through the cracks daily.

10. I am pissed about kids who fart twice and are given four credits towards graduation and graduate early. I am pissed at a system that supports a slam-bam-thank-you-mam education.

11. I am pissed about a government that not only supports, but encourages the
slam-bam-thank-you-mam education.

12. I am pissed at a union that does not support and represent its members.

13. I am pissed at a government that is trying to do away with unions. As a colleague of mine always says, "instead of asking why teachers have certain benefits, why not ask the reason they don't have them?'

14. I am pissed about innocent teachers sitting in a rubber room for years, teachers who have been vindicated but are still being punished.

15. I am pissed about guilty teachers sitting in a rubber room and getting pay checks. Why doesn't the city do what is necessary to get rid of them after due process?

16. I am pissed because even when I have an answer, no one wants to hear it.

17. I am pissed that kids who can't read or do basic math are forced to take high school level courses. I am pissed that they made it this far without any interventions.

18. I am pissed that there is no real help for kids who can't read, write and do basic math.

19. I am pissed that there are no programs available to help kids who are not academic.

20. I am pissed about the way money is wasted in this city and around the country, money that could be used to make a real difference.

21. I am pissed because this was supposed to be a top 10 list but it went on and on and would prbably keep growing if it was not so nice out today.

10 comments:

ChiTown Girl said...

I hope getting some of that off your chest made you feel a little lighter. Things in Chicago have been equally as infuriating lately. I should send you some links to some articles, but then again, you have enough to be pissed off about. ;-)

Chaz said...

Boy, now I know why you are Pissed Off!.

You forgot idiot administrators that don't take student discipline seriously but just can't wait to call in investigators when a student complains about a teacher.

Mrs. Chili said...

"19. I am pissed that there are no programs available to help kids who are not academic."

Yeah. I've got a kid who wants to be an auto mechanic. Making him sit through my Literature and Critical Analysis class is torture for all of us.

FidgetyTeach said...

#7- Thanks for the links...they should get top billing! I am equally pissed off at those principals! Good job. Keep up the great posts.

Anonymous said...

I applaud you for blogging to others the reasons why you're pissed.

I am your greatest supporter. Please don't stop being pissed off.

As a math teacher in this system for over 21 years, I, too, join you in the pissed-off brigade.

Thank you for being you! Your honesty and forthright is what makes this blogsite worthwhile to read.

Matthew said...

I agree with your list in every detail. Well said.

Anonymous said...

I do admire your reasons for being so mad. Very well said. Especially the part about people in the rubber room that are being rewarded for their terrible behavior... benefits and all. Like you said, the system should just get rid of those deserving it. Education money should be spent on actually educating kids.

FidgetyTeach said...

To anonymous: I don't believe that when "Pissed Off" was expressing her frustration with the "Rubber Room" that she meant teachers are being rewarded. No teacher in the rubber room is being rewarded. Under the constitution, No one is guilty until proven innocent. I believe that she is frustrated that teachers are being harassed and pulled out for trivial and minor infractions- (often without charges) by inexperienced principals who have been given too much power. They use the Reassignment process to get rid of top salaried and experienced teachers in order to meet their budgetary demands. Teachers linger there for prolonged periods of time because the DOE denies them their due process rights. The DOE does not follow time lines. This denies the Union Members their rights to either be returned to their school or receive a timely and fair hearing. Pissed Off, please correct me if I am wrong.

Pissedoffteacher said...

I do want everyone to have due process but we all know there are teachers that should not be in the classroom. Those are the ones that give everyone there a bad name.

Principals absolutely abuse their power and put teachers there without any wrong doings. Those pricnipals should be in the rummber room.

And NO, the rubber room is not a reward. It is a demeaning, humiliating place to be. No one deserves that kind of treatment.

Anonymous said...

It's not easy, that's for sure. But consider this. Many years ago one young teacher unwittingly gave a Suicidle boy hope. It wasnt much just a hug, a smile and a few quiet chat's but it made the world of differance and 43 years on that little boy searched for 5 years, found his teacher and hugged her back. When the days get tuff and you think your just not making a differance, have faith you just may be doing more than you realise.
lloydmills@xtra.co.nz