While working in the public school system, I was amazed at how much indifference and partiality prevailed among the staff and faculty.
Believe me, I”ve never seen so much incompetence congregating in one place before. The particular school that I worked at was dominated by unqualified teachers, clueless counselors, conflict managers and a principal who never seemed to be around and yet, was always there long enough to incur income on the paycheck.
For a long time, even when I was a child, I thought about teaching in public schools, grades K-12 and made it a goal to finish my education and do just that. However, to be absolutely honest, I no longer have the desire to work in government-funded schools among those particular age groups and not because of the students, I really had no issues and greatly enjoyed working with them, but because of the staff and all the politics involved.
Here was a day in my life at a public school: Every morning I would arrive and unlock the classroom I worked in; prepping my materials for the day. After walking into the teacher”s lounge to make photocopies, I would have no choice but to listen as many of the teachers sat around drinking coffee, talking about how much they hate their classes and particular students; often times blaming the religious views of the student”s family as a catalyst for some hyperactive or disrespectful behavior.
After this was done, I would patrol the playground and found some, not all mind you, teachers standing around talking instead of monitoring the students safety.
When the bell rang, I would return to the classroom and then fetch my first student for a one-on-one session. After repeating this same routine for a couple of hours, recess would be called and I would once again walk the playground, if I saw a conflict arise, I would stop it and then have to report to a teacher or the principal, if they happened to be present; then watch as they would assure me it would be taken care of and then do nothing. Next, I would serve as an aide in a kindergarten/first grade combined class, which believe me, is not a good idea.
After being cursed out and “verbally threatened” by a 4-year-old boy for telling him to sit down and to follow along with the rest of the class and boy I tell ya,” I?ve never heard such colorful language come out of a drunken biker let alone someone who still wears Velcro shoes, I tell the kid he”s going to the office, which is what I”m instructed to do when children are getting violent; he was threatening to hit another student with a tray, then threatened to hit me with it and said he was going to “kick everyone”s (expletive).” I was told by the teacher not to send him to the office, because the kid”s family has threatened to physically harm members of the staff before for “falsely accusing their child.” Better just let this one go and avoid an unnecessary confrontation. What? Did I miss something? The thing that irked me the most about that school, was the sheer lack of nerve among the staff. All the teachers seemed to be afraid of the students or the students” family.
Once, there was an incident where a student dragged another into the bathroom, had his friends pin him down and proceeded to urinate all over him and yet, the bully was not punished for what he did. The reason why? The parents of the bully were notoriously violent themselves and had assaulted and vandalized members of the staff before.
When the parents of the victim found out that their child was instead receiving a suspension for walking the halls without a pass and the bully who attacked was not, they came to the school to confront the principal about the situation.
After much arguing the parents of the bully were called in and a verbal fight ensued with the bully”s parents threatening the other parents.
I”m happy to say, that the victim”s family was not intimidated and proclaimed so to the staff, telling them that they needed to get a back-bone and stop being pushed around.
A sheriff was called to mediate and the bully ended up being suspended. It was the most ridiculous scene ever. Need the faculty be reminded that when the children are in school they are expected to be respectful to those around them and the agreement that parents and students make with the school, is if the children fail to keep it, they can be excused from attending.
Yet, the staff allows the children to continue to harass their classmates and teachers rather than contact the parents and bring this destructive behavior to their attention.
Well, maybe I ought to show the whole picture. It”s not just cowardice of confrontation; it also has to do with money. Teachers get paid based on classroom size and student attendance. If a student is constantly suspended or sent home they”re out dollars.
I”ve seen way too many teachers leave work early crying because the students are harassing them, too many counselors trying to boost self-confidence instead of approaching the real problem, too many principals looking for excuses to leave campus to avoid confrontation.
Hey, for all you parents out there who are in a position to do so, enroll your kids in home study or a charter school; believe me, it”s a lot less drama.
When Michelle Berger is not writing, she”s usually re-enacting famous fight scenes from Kung-Fu flicks. Reach her at mberger_om@yahoo.com.
