General Discussion

dumbcat

(2,161 posts)

29. No, I think the article is pretty clear

Sat Jan 10, 2015, 11:41 AM

Jan 2015

The mother of a disabled eight-year-old boy named Finn, Bolin rushes in late to the lobby—she'd offered to give me a tour of her workplace. Her red hair is pulled back in a ponytail, and red electrical tape is wrapped around the left temple of her black geek-chic glasses; they broke a few months ago, and she can't afford a new pair. Bolin dressed up for the occasion: a black vest (from a thrift store, she'll tell me later), jeans (also thrift), and a brass anatomical version of a heart dangling at her throat from a thin black string. This is a rare and coveted evening off for her—Finn's father's fiancé agreed to babysit—but so far she's too agitated to enjoy it. She just learned that the woman and Finn's father, a blacksmith, are getting married in a few weeks, and they won't be able to take care of the boy during that time. It's all on her, again.

Her son's father is the blacksmith.

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Highlight:

This College Professor Has a Master's...And Is Living in Poverty [View all] xchrom Jan 2015 OP

K&R Starry Messenger Jan 2015 #1

Message auto-removed Name removed Jan 2015 #2

you win the internets for Gross Thinking. nt xchrom Jan 2015 #3

Enjoy your stay. Katashi_itto Jan 2015 #4

Good God! Did I finally make in in before somebody got tombstoned? ladyVet Jan 2015 #6

i know, right? xchrom Jan 2015 #8

I got to do him in! WOOT! Katashi_itto Jan 2015 #12

Wecome back! eom MohRokTah Jan 2015 #7

Sometimes you have to put the dream aside madville Jan 2015 #5

Never put your dreams aside! meaculpa2011 Jan 2015 #9

I was referring to turning your dreams into a career madville Jan 2015 #78

That's my point. meaculpa2011 Jan 2015 #82

I always dreamed of being a pro golfer madville Jan 2015 #83

I still dream of breaking 80. meaculpa2011 Jan 2015 #84

LOL ... 1StrongBlackMan Jan 2015 #127

So no one should teach? daleanime Jan 2015 #66

Of course they should madville Jan 2015 #80

I'm trying to make a polite response.... daleanime Jan 2015 #88

If fewer people were trying to, adjuncts would make a lot more money (nt) Recursion Jan 2015 #98

Adjunct professors are among the poorest paid teachers out there Warpy Jan 2015 #102

I know a Dr. that lives in an RV ileus Jan 2015 #10

+1 Liberal_in_LA Jan 2015 #86

Well, at least she's still young... Blue_Tires Jan 2015 #95

Did make a passing mention about the father exboyfil Jan 2015 #11

Unless he's dead jberryhill Jan 2015 #21

Since the OP said the child's father is getting married... Ino Jan 2015 #59

Good to know he's feeling better now jberryhill Jan 2015 #65

LOL! (nt) Ino Jan 2015 #92

The father is a blacksmith. BubbaFett Jan 2015 #24

That's her father, believe the reference was about "her" child's father. Fla Dem Jan 2015 #27

No, I think the article is pretty clear dumbcat Jan 2015 #29

You are so right, but I do have a touch of vertigo Fla Dem Jan 2015 #33

Works for me dumbcat Jan 2015 #36

actually, smithing is more in demand and good money these days, thanks to NewDeal_Dem Jan 2015 #60

I know two smiths who make good money making stuff that hipsters buy Recursion Jan 2015 #99

self delete TransitJohn Jan 2015 #32

Horrible Depaysement Jan 2015 #13

yes it is exploitation marions ghost Jan 2015 #50

could not agree more.... mike_c Jan 2015 #75

Sadly there are winners and loser in the academy game. aikoaiko Jan 2015 #14

"mere" master's level. hahaha. RadiationTherapy Jan 2015 #16

On one hand it is an accomplisment, of course, but I work at a 3rd tier state university, aikoaiko Jan 2015 #19

Not in achedemics. You need a PHD and maybe yeoman6987 Jan 2015 #35

Even PhDs don't protect one from poverty. a la izquierda Jan 2015 #121

I've seen them defy the laws of supply and demand. RadiationTherapy Jan 2015 #126

In engineering it still is, not so much in other fields Recursion Jan 2015 #125

As a 13 year uni employee: Get used to it. Uni is a wealth generator for the campus 5%. RadiationTherapy Jan 2015 #15

Console yourself with the knowledge pscot Jan 2015 #23

Separate funding, but you knew that. yeoman6987 Jan 2015 #37

Athletics programs usually net profit. RadiationTherapy Jan 2015 #39

rarely net profit d_r Jan 2015 #57

Because of title nine joeglow3 Jan 2015 #101

Unless one lives in Iowa where Ferentz (the UI fb coach) is getting closer to $4 million per year... xocet Jan 2015 #97

Thank you. JDPriestly Jan 2015 #107

Now that this article is published, maybe she can do a kickstarter campaign oberliner Jan 2015 #17

Apparently no one told her she needs to earn money... Historic NY Jan 2015 #18

I know a music PhD working at the local Target Prism Jan 2015 #20

Message auto-removed Name removed Jan 2015 #22

She studied avant-garde poetry. Shemp Howard Jan 2015 #25

I believe one of the reasons she hasn't gotten a "full time" position is because of child care. Fla Dem Jan 2015 #28

You're right. nt Shemp Howard Jan 2015 #31

Conservatives at this point leap in and say "get married if you have a child" Recursion Jan 2015 #100

If this country had health care, social safety services and child care like Europe- Sweden, Denmark, appalachiablue Jan 2015 #128

And "PRO LIFE" conservatives to boot. alp227 Jan 2015 #130

An adjunct, ad hoc teaching position is NOT a professorship. Jackpine Radical Jan 2015 #38

I like the way you said that marions ghost Jan 2015 #52

Amen.... daleanime Jan 2015 #89

"What do the Columbia elite say about that?" mahatmakanejeeves Jan 2015 #58

She's an adjunct. That's not a professorship. Iris Jan 2015 #111

MFA's can be professors in a lot of places Recursion Jan 2015 #124

You're right. Iris Jan 2015 #132

She needs to find a job. Adjuncting is not supposed to be a regular job. Vattel Jan 2015 #26

You make a point, however... Shemp Howard Jan 2015 #30

I agree that some universities have been hiring fewer fulltime professors Vattel Jan 2015 #43

The administrators whose jobs are often unnecessary usually get high salaries. JDPriestly Jan 2015 #109

Well said. Respect and support teachers if we want strong young people for the future society. appalachiablue Jan 2015 #129

A PhD is not required to be a full time college INSTRUCTOR MillennialDem Jan 2015 #54

This is true and not quite right at the same time. Igel Jan 2015 #74

I've been working part-time as an adjunct for years now The Velveteen Ocelot Jan 2015 #34

I agree with you on the spending priorities exboyfil Jan 2015 #41

I wonder how much she'd be making if YarnAddict Jan 2015 #40

If she'd majored in accounting or engineering, The Velveteen Ocelot Jan 2015 #42

exactly n/t librechik Jan 2015 #47

Bingo. Starry Messenger Jan 2015 #62

Not everyone PasadenaTrudy Jan 2015 #45

English major here. YarnAddict Jan 2015 #51

Yes, I read the article....n/t PasadenaTrudy Jan 2015 #68

I agree she could have made better choices Skittles Jan 2015 #96

Yes, it sucks YarnAddict Jan 2015 #114

OMG marions ghost Jan 2015 #55

That poster WAS an English major marle35 Jan 2015 #61

Preach! n/t PasadenaTrudy Jan 2015 #69

Yeah, YarnAddict Jan 2015 #70

"Every American thinks they're a temporarily embarrassed millionaire: I am no exception." n2doc Jan 2015 #44

*capitalists technically alp227 Jan 2015 #131

She has really nice Ratemyprofessors ratings and comments. aikoaiko Jan 2015 #46

Wonder what the football/basketball coaches make? Vinca Jan 2015 #48

pretty standard story these days. our adjuncts make half of what bolin makes Doctor_J Jan 2015 #49

"It wasn't supposed to be this way." Trillo Jan 2015 #53

Most of us never get to do what we want to do. nt valerief Jan 2015 #56

I really wish you were around to tell me this 15 years ago Blue_Tires Jan 2015 #94

Ah, you must be youngish, raised when everyone got a trophy and when everyone valerief Jan 2015 #118

Any job worth doing ought to pay a comfortable living wage... hunter Jan 2015 #63

Empathy's pretty hard to come by on DU these days. smokey nj Jan 2015 #77

Especially since so many think the economy is doing great Man from Pickens Jan 2015 #110

Income inequality is becoming the biggest issue of our time. Initech Jan 2015 #64

The problem is demographics more than YarnAddict Jan 2015 #71

Does she have an MFA or MA? Adrahil Jan 2015 #67

Like others here, I have sympathy for this woman, SheilaT Jan 2015 #72

Thank you for brining that up davidpdx Jan 2015 #104

While I sincerely believe the fathers need to be vastly more responsible than they are, SheilaT Jan 2015 #115

The Adjunct situation is Blatant Exploitation daredtowork Jan 2015 #73

She got a highly academic degree from a nowhere university and chose to make it her profession. Dreamer Tatum Jan 2015 #76

This is what stood out to me... sundevil2000 Jan 2015 #79

You've never been poor marions ghost Jan 2015 #85

Um, that was my point. sundevil2000 Jan 2015 #108

A Masters in English is what it is. MineralMan Jan 2015 #81

It used to allow you to walk into middle management Warpy Jan 2015 #103

Long, long gone. Hekate Jan 2015 #113

It's all part of the devaluation of language. MineralMan Jan 2015 #117

you dont get to have a career in academics with a master drray23 Jan 2015 #87

That's why I asked if she is an MFA... Adrahil Jan 2015 #93

Chicago public school teachers starting salary is more than $50k riderinthestorm Jan 2015 #90

Re: There aren't jobs, etc. bloom Jan 2015 #91

I have heard academia is tough in the United States davidpdx Jan 2015 #105

That's terrible Kalidurga Jan 2015 #106

Getting that management position is a lot about personal politics Fumesucker Jan 2015 #133

I've heard of lecturers patching together a living at 3 or more colleges; "freeway flyers" Hekate Jan 2015 #112

I usually try to avoid reading comments after stories like this My Good Babushka Jan 2015 #116

K & R !!! WillyT Jan 2015 #119

I forwarded this article for my son to read steve2470 Jan 2015 #120

If you really wanna live in poverty, go for a PhD oberliner Jan 2015 #122

After Marta got her Masters she was asked to do the adjunct thing Omaha Steve Jan 2015 #123