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liberalhistorian

(20,904 posts)

26. The ONLY good thing about my

Reply to proud2BlibKansan (Original post)

Wed Mar 14, 2012, 12:19 PM

Mar 2012

retired-teacher stepfather being in a nursing home with dementia and not knowing anyone or anything anymore is that he doesn't know anything about the trashing, demonizing, scapegoating, and ripping apart of the profession to which he wholeheartedly dedicated decades of his life. Morale and teacher treatment was bad enough during the decades he was teaching (there weren't even any unions when he and my mom began their careers in the early 60's and pay and conditions were horrible), I can't imagine how much it would hurt him to see what's happening now and to see his life's work being denigrated and demonized. It's hard enough for mom, although she's damn glad she's retired now. Both of them worked their asses off for decades and got little for it, both in appreciation and compensation. And now most of what they did get goes to the nursing home for his care.

And people wonder why I never followed their footsteps and went into education myself. It's because I grew up seeing the bullshit they endured, and now I'm very glad I didn't go into it, much as I respect and admire the profession, those who practice it, and their importance.

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Teacher Morale Lowest in 20 Years [View all] proud2BlibKansan Mar 2012 OP

I know several professors that have left or changed careers they were getting so fed up with RKP5637 Mar 2012 #1

Gee, I wonder WHY??? Odin2005 Mar 2012 #2

So true! Well reaoned out. If there were Auntie Bush Mar 2012 #3

In the history of the profession, this will be known as the Obama-Duncan era. Smarmie Doofus Mar 2012 #4

We have our kids in a spectacular charter and the teachers love the school and other teachers are Pisces Mar 2012 #5

Are they ( the teachers) allowed to have a union? Smarmie Doofus Mar 2012 #7

Not sure, but I would guess no. The teachers are very happy, and there is a back log Pisces Mar 2012 #10

Key word - "some" proud2BlibKansan Mar 2012 #13

I don't disagree. I guess it doesn't have to be all or nothing. I would not advocate for every Pisces Mar 2012 #20

I'd guess you're probably right. 95 % of charters are non-union. Smarmie Doofus Mar 2012 #18

I think our teachers balance the time off, extra pay and less bureaucracy with being part of a union Pisces Mar 2012 #24

How long do you think it takes to put supplies away?? proud2BlibKansan Mar 2012 #27

This is not an accusation. Just an observation of the friends in public school with 30 kids bringing Pisces Mar 2012 #32

So why do they get to flaunt the law and ignore testing MattBaggins Mar 2012 #21

They don't, they still give the test, they just don't teach to the test. Pisces Mar 2012 #25

My daughter is a teacher in fantastic charter school RebelOne Mar 2012 #33

Charter schools are not popular on this board, but there are some good ones out there. I support Pisces Mar 2012 #34

I would think the fact that at any time one of the animals they are teaching might pull out a gun RB TexLa Mar 2012 #6

Wow " animals" ? Not sure this is appropriate language to describe children. Pisces Mar 2012 #9

Please tell me you're not a teacher. proud2BlibKansan Mar 2012 #12

Animals?! That's a disgusting choice of language. knitter4democracy Mar 2012 #14

Actually no. Starry Messenger Mar 2012 #15

It's the RB TexLa show!!! flvegan Mar 2012 #16

I don't alert with you. Dr. Strange Mar 2012 #29

I imagine that how we ourselves may refer to students implies more about us LanternWaste Mar 2012 #28

So if the parents of Daniel Parmertor called the student who shot their son something you'd tell RB TexLa Mar 2012 #30

That is one isolated incident and you are singling out the parent. I would tell others not Pisces Mar 2012 #35

Not going to change the fact that I, as I'm sure many others do, make sure my car doors are locked RB TexLa Mar 2012 #37

Anecdotal evidence is not evidence. LanternWaste Mar 2012 #36

In Florida, in the panhandle, where I live, the teachers tsuki Mar 2012 #8

I am friends with a bunch of Florida teachers on Facebook proud2BlibKansan Mar 2012 #11

Probably not. If I go east to Tallahassee, everything starts getting tsuki Mar 2012 #19

Why wouldn't it be? flvegan Mar 2012 #17

How does this compare with the morale of other workers? FarCenter Mar 2012 #22

I think that corporate assaults are wide-ranging and varied these days, woo me with science Mar 2012 #31

we left our radio waves to proud idiots who obviously don't like to be taught anything certainot Mar 2012 #23

The ONLY good thing about my liberalhistorian Mar 2012 #26