No Teacher Left Teaching...

I've been busy these last few weeks, not only at work, but personally as well. Last Monday was my wife's 25th birthday, and this past Monday was our 1st wedding anniversary. Everything went wonderfully on both occasions, and overall I'd have to say the state of the union is strong.

One thing, however, has tried to ruin our summer: A certain school district in Arizona where my wife is employed.

Due to some paper-shuffling bullshit, my wife was in danger of losing her job last week. As a matter of fact, they chose to inform her of this on her birthday. So, last week was a scramble to assemble papers, certifications and correspondance to send to the district, which turned out to be fruitless, as everyone was off for the ENTIRE WEEK before the 4th of July.

Finally, on Monday (our anniversary) when she got a hold of her "teacher development counselor" (fancy name for HR director), he was rude, terse and unempathetic. Naturally she was upset, and I was livid. Here's an excerpt from the e-mail I helped her write to the district, sent to said "counselor" and copied to her principle, vice principle and the district superintendant:

Dr. X,
I would like to take the chance, through e-mail, to explain to you my situation regarding my provisional certification to teach in Arizona. Allow me to start at the beginning:

I was hired, by you, at a job fair in Seattle, Washington in the summer of 2007. I spoke to a few districts located in the Phoenix-area at the time, but your attitude and your positive description of the X School District won me over. I was led to believe that X School District was an organized, motivated, caring institution that would help me begin my career in teaching.

[8 paragraphs of explanation and grievances]

I was excited about beginning my second year of teaching, and I was under the impression that X School District was very interested in keeping me around for years to come. Now, I am doubting XSDs commitment to their employees, and I also am doubting that the beauracratic and unappreciative culture of the entire education system is really for me. I moved out here to teach, and I feel like I have been cut down at the knees every step of the way. I did not spend 4 years and incur tens of thousands of dollars in student loans in college to be yanked around by a second-rate school district that is so rife with patronage, infighting and apathy that the state is forced to consider a full-on takeover.

I do not know whether at this point you are interested in helping me out or not. I would be happy to continue teaching next year, but if you do not thing X School District is fit for me, I will seek employment elsewhere in a field where employees are treated with trust, respect and appreciation.

Kind Regards,
Norf's Wife

Guess who got her job back ASAP?

Guess who's still going to several interviews for alternative employment in the meantime?

I mourn the downfall of the American educational system...