Betsy DeVos’ confirmation really bummed me out yesterday. It’s not like I was particularly thrilled with the direction the Obama administration took with education policy, but the idea of that ignorant asshat taking the reins of education reform in this country makes me want to cry.
Elizabeth Warren being silenced on the Senate floor actually did make me shed tears.
And the Trump administration’s attack on judicial review is freaking me out.
I really don’t know how to keep giving a shit when it’s just one monumental cluster fuck after another.
As you can probably see, I’m struggling to crawl out of this #fuckeverything attitude I’ve fallen into.
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I’ve been thinking a lot about next year, considering “ideal” schedules I might propose to my principal when we meet later this month. It’s becoming clear to me that leaving my husband to manage the mornings alone just isn’t tenable. Not without a second car. My daughter’s school just starts too early (7:50am!), and is too hard to get to on public transportation (two buses, one of which only runs every 25-30 minutes) to put that on them. Getting one adult and two (ornery) kids ready that early would make them all miserable. I don’t think I could manage it myself with the car. Even if I could, I wouldn’t want to.
I’ve been considering asking to stay at the other school next year, but not in a co-teaching position. This would allow me to take my daughter to school AND teach more 7/8 classes. Both of those are very good things, and they would offset the obnoxiousness of being at two schools.
I was actually feeling pretty good about it, because I know this is an ideal scenario for the district. They get a Spanish teach at both campuses without having to hire someone else! It’s a win-win.
Except this week it has been really rainy in the mornings and it’s taking me over an hour to get to work. Monday I was 10 minutes late and yesterday I was 20! And this was with me leaving my daughter’s school earlier than normal. I can’t, in good conscious, ask for a first period class at that school when some simple rain makes me that late. The traffic is just too bad for me to get there on time.
So now I’m not sure what to do. It seems like I can’t continue teaching in my district now that my kid is at school in the city. At least not with my new principal, who won’t accommodate my schedule like they did last year (when my prep was first period and I could arrive before 2nd). That means I REALLY need to find a new job, and it needs to be one that starts at 9pm.
My co-teacher suggested I ask if I could have first period prep at my school and teach three or four periods there, and finish the day at the other school. My principal originally said that I he couldn’t “justify” allowing me to come in during a first period prep (like they did last year), but maybe if I were teaching at two schools that would be grounds enough to “justify” it. Lord knows no one else wants to teach at two schools; I can’t imagine anyone would bring up equity issues about it (no one did last year that I know about, and our school is such a rumor mill, I’m SURE I’d know about it).
That would be a doable solution, since my school is closer and 2nd period at my school starts much later than 1st period at the other school–I’d have plenty of time to get there. Also, my school starts earlier, so going from my school to the other campus is easier (there is about 25 minutes between the end of 5th period at my school and the beginning of 6th at the other). Also, we’ll have the same schedules next year so there won’t be a time when I have classes at both campuses that overlap.
So yeah, that is my current plan, I guess? Of course I’ll still look into finding a new job, but I honestly can’t imagine being offered on that makes the $25K pay cut worth while, especially not when I’m looking ahead to my dreamed of year abroad, which will surely require a significant amount of savings. Also, the new job would need to have a later start time, or be closer to the city (I can’t look for a job in the city, as that would require an even bigger pay cut).
It’s hard, this balancing family and a job thing. And I don’t even have a job I like all that much! I’m just trying to pay my mortgage, feed my family and be able to drop off and pick up my kids (in a very high COL area, to be fair). I can’t even imagine the sacrifices people have to make when they are are actually working a job they are passionate about. Blerg.
As I said before, #fuckeverything right now. Seriously.
I always told myself that if the time came where I needed to stand up to a dictator, I would do it. I’m doing what I can. It isn’t much but it’s better than nothing. I find hope in that. But yes, it is so frustrating.
My new job is about a $20k/year pay cut but in a cheaper place to live and it’s part time so I get to see my family again. It was a struggle to decide on that change but we are really excited about the change. So I guess I’d say that you need to figure out if there are any creative solutions to the money crunch and don’t limit yourself to the usual ideas. Maybe there are ways to make those dreams more affordable like teaching somewhere while abroad that includes housing.
You are looking at the 25K as pure income. Reduce it by taxes you owe from getting that money. Look at remainder. Look at budget and costs. COULD you pay someone to come to your house early 5 days a week, help your husband get both children ready and take one of the children to school? Yes, it costs money. But would it allow you to be on time, establish a relationship with a caretaker/babysitter that you could hire on other occasions, make everyone’s day less stressful? You work for money so let that money help you be able to work.
Because it sounds to me like you really need help in order to keep both the jobs your family relies on.
Politics. Talk to your husband and plan together what you two jointly can do. As he works in city government he should have some good ideas and information. If he is unaware I expect you can google some obvious words and see several sites/organizations/apps/programs that give you information so you only spend 5-10 mins a day on being politically active and asking your news media for the stories and coverage you want. Tell Yahoo News that Kardashian coverage is of less interest to you than every action from the Fed. Dept of Education and the person who is afraid of grizzlies in classrooms eating children and who is unaware of federal laws about disabilities. HANG IN. We are holding your hands.
I can’t even imagine what it is like as a teacher, with this news. And today with Sessions. It’s all so much. Remember when people were eager for 2016 to end? What the fuck were we thinking? Sending solidarity and also feeling your hashtag.