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Tuesday, October 14, 2008

Wednesday's teacher is full of woe

Ah, precious Tuesday... Enjoy it while you can, Dallas teachers. May I humbly suggest that you check out this week's Mr. Teacher column on education.com, titled "Benchmark This!!" It is of course all about the frustrations of district benchmark testing, which we underwent last week.

Also, for anyone who has not yet signed it, I've got a really nifty piece of gadgety Guestbook down at the bottom of my page. All you folks coasting in to read, please sign it before you head out!

Now down to brass tacks...

Tomorrow is going to SUCK. It is going to be atrocious. Hellacious. God-awful. Battlefield Earth-esque.

Tomorrow is the day that the news comes down about who stays, who moves, and who loses their job.

The other day, one of the kids in Mrs. Math's class asked her what was going on, since his parents had been talking about the news. So Mrs. Math explained how the district had made some mathematical mistakes when adding money. The student said, "But we've been adding money all week! Why can't THEY add money??"

There's been a lot of speculation and rumors about how things are going to play out. They range from the wildly fanciful --

"I heard that teachers will be taken down to the principal's office, told they're out of a job, and then beheaded right there!!!"

"I heard they're breaking out the tar and feathers!"

"I heard that they would be fired and then forced to eat those Halloween Circus Peanut candies, which I swear are just orange spray painted styrofoam!"


To the mundane --

"Teachers will be told and then they have to go right back to their class and keep teaching."

To the utterly ridiculous --

"Teachers that are reassigned to another school are expected to be at that school, teaching their new class, on Thursday."

I know someone at another school who says that teachers who are let go will be escorted from the building right then and there, subs will cover those classes, and the teachers will not be allowed back until after school.

I hate to think that these poor teachers (who have done absolutely nothing wrong other than to work for a district that can't handle money properly) would be shown such little dignity or respect, but it may just happen.

For anyone NOT going through this right now, please keep us in your thoughts and prayers...

____________________________________________

Update:

Tuesday night: 7:30

Got an email through the district server that says they've decided to push the layoffs back a day to Thursday. So all that stuff I said above? Yeah, just take it and reapply it to Thursday. Only throw in Parent-Teacher Conference Night for good measure.

As Seth Meyers and Amy Poehller would say, "REALLY, DISD?? REALLY??"

20 comments:

Anonymous said...

You're in my thoughts, Mr. Teacher.

The feds are expecting all kids to be competent by 2014, but the bean counters and suits at central office STILL aren't there?

I was also a little disturbed about how much I wouldn't mind being laid off right about now...

Anonymous said...

I am so so sorry. I've worked in DISD, so although it's awful, it's not unexpected that the 'system' they are using is so flawed. I hope it is not as awful as it sounds, but it's hard to imagine anything but.
Wishing you, your colleagues and the kiddos good thoughts for tomorrow.

Mike in Texas said...

Good luck Big Guy

Almost American said...

I can't think of anything adequate to say, except you're in my thoughts.

Mrs. T said...

Don't you guys have like, a contract? That's legally binding? That guarantees you a job for this year?
You are in my thoughts and prayers.

Simply Sublime said...

Just read my district e-mail... they are waiting yet another day to make these decisions. The day of parent/teacher conferences. Really? Really? What in the world are they thinking. Let's just get this over with and move on... pleeeaaasse.

Simply Sublime said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Ms. Longhorn said...

My really good friend teaches in DISD, and she is pretty sure she is going to be losing her job tomorrow. My brother teaches in DISD as well, but I think he'll be safe. We'll see. It is such a screwed up situation and there really is no good way out. The unfortuante part is that DISD is going to lose a lot of good teachers right now and in the future. Can you honestly expect people to be lining up at your job fairs to work for the district after this?! I'm so glad I work in the 'burbs.

Ms. Longhorn said...

P.S. Keeping you in my prayers... let us know ASAP.

Unknown said...

Wow, I just can't believe this. I am thinking about all of you, please let us all know asap.

Unknown said...

DISDBlog has the RIF list posted. They have blocked out the names, but school and certifications are listed, so you should be able to figure out who is safe on your campus.

Anonymous said...

I had a feeling that they were waiting for PT Conferences and grade cards to be over before they RIF'd. Have the report cards gone out yet? You're in my prayers, sir.

The Bus Driver said...

i loved the comment on "we've been adding math all week" Give that kid a GOLD star!! Oh wait, the district cant afford it. Seriously, i hope all turns out well for you!

Mister Teacher said...

Thanks, everyone, for your support.

Katie, the list shows what positions are being eliminated, but it doesn't have anything to do with levelling. Like who's staying at our campus and who's being reassigned to another. Or even who's staying but changing positions at our school.

Anonymous said...

Mrs. T,
We *did* have, but then spineless people on the school board followed the brainless superintendent and declared that HIS financial incompetence meant that OUR contracts should be invalidated. Let me just say the school board election is far too far away for me. Looking into running after I take the voluntary RIF and no longer work for this disaster of a district.

Nacho Lover said...

what an awful situation. i'm thinking good thoughts for you and your colleagues!

Anonymous said...

You have GOT TO FREAKING BE KIDDING! Incredible. I hate that district. Not the kids. Not the teachers, but the FREAKING ADMINISTRATION. Parent Conference night in the middle of this? Way to stretch it out, DISD. Arrgh. So sorry. So very sorry.
Anonymous from 10/14 at 6:33

Mrs. T said...

The teachers in my district would have "blue flu" so fast in the wake of this - we'd have a huge number of teachers become "ill" suddenly on the night of pt conferences. That's so completely uncalled for. Way to leave no child behind- jack around with teacher firings/hirings in the middle of the school year. How about if they shave some money off the top?

loonyhiker said...

This was absolutely unbelievable! Wonder what parent night will be like! Keeping y'all in my thoughts and prayers!

Unknown said...

Good luck with the parent teacher night, ours has been bumped to next week, since we don't have any parking while the state fair is going on.
I really feel badly for the kids with the whole reassignment coming. This far into the year the kids are pretty attached to their teachers. That is going to be rough all around.