HELLO from an old fart/out of the attic ... a BATvocator
Sept 23, 2013 17:28:38 GMT -5
ladywclass and momof2 like this
Post by BATvocator on Sept 23, 2013 17:28:38 GMT -5
I am so old that I had a 3rd grader ask me (in 1983) "in your day 
was a dime worth very much?" THAT was 9 years into my teaching career!
I told him we INVENTED dimes.
I am still passionate about education - TEACHING - maybe even more so now than ever before, because I personally FEEL in my gut the wrong turns we've been on. I absolutely believe to my core that good teachers create all other jobs; that we ARE many kids' "second chances" at having a decent childhood. And now that I have former students whose ages range from 6 through 51, I have essentially been part of the nurturing of numerous generation.
I've fought the system since the beginning. I was born with a rare disability. At one point, the college dean (1970) thought I shouldn't go into teaching "because of your 'problems'..." (My 'problems - a rare syndrome - wasn't formally diagnosed until I was 22). THAT didn't work (friends went ballistic) and so I taught (successfully!) for the next 21 years in Lutheran education. I developed disability awareness stuff, taught outdoor education, even coached girls' sports (ha!).
I finally followed my heart and went into 'special' education in public schools, naively believing that the camaraderie I experienced in one school environment would intuitively be in another. Everything on the surface seemed 'OK' but... I was hearing about deep burnout from other teachers ... It didn't take long to sense why - public school teachers had no Voice. There was ADMINISTRATION way over >>>>>THERE and teachers way over <<<<<here. (In Lutheran schools, we all share the load...)
My second year - I become an advocate when the system moves my preschool kids using wheelchairs to the middle school, with no bathroom (staff men's room), no water, no cafeteria access, no playground, no age mates. When I commented on all this, the administrator said "Sandy you are politically incorrect - the children are guests of the district."
?
That didn't sit too well. I read the California law and it said something else entirely. So I filed with the state, and the
employer says "what's the problem - we have it everywhere!".
They were going to shine it on, seriously... So I wrote a letter and sent it to 33 disability rights/media groups (including LA Times, La Opinion, 60 minutes, THEIR Board of Education, etc.) and POOF! a week later I have a new classroom AND a new principal.
And when the Director of Special Ed said "you'll NEVER get a wheelchair accessible bathroom" ... and even California goofed - it didn't invite me, as complainant, to the 'walk through' for the new classroom ... I filed with the Feds. The feds found them 'out of compliance' - and they had to write a memo and send to everyone on earth.
That was in 1996 - 1997. Oh there have been more things ... deep-shit ones. I have learned the yawingly deep recesses of PTSD. I haven't even STARTED to get into the truly deep-shit stuff ... Seriously, it's not very complex. Things like...
ME: (to Director of Special ed and ADA Title I director) "Who is your ADA Title II director?"
THEM: "We don't have one. We don't need one. You can't tell us to get one because you're an employee."
ME: (to Director of Special ed and ADA Title I director) "You need one. It's the law. If you don't get one, you can lose ALL your federal funds."
THEM: silence... A week later, I get an email - they hired someone. We connect - she thanks me for my advocacy - she starts telling my 'story' as she presents the ADA requirements.
I still filed (3rd filing, of 4 ... doing 4th and 6th as we speak) - and my employer now has a glorious ADA notice in each building! PLUS a few more things.
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I love teaching. I'd do it as a hobby ... actually I think many of us are workaholics (seriously!)
NEXT TIME - I will share on California EC 56046 - "teacher intimidation in special ed". Deep-shit retaliation OH MY!
was a dime worth very much?" THAT was 9 years into my teaching career!I told him we INVENTED dimes.
I am still passionate about education - TEACHING - maybe even more so now than ever before, because I personally FEEL in my gut the wrong turns we've been on. I absolutely believe to my core that good teachers create all other jobs; that we ARE many kids' "second chances" at having a decent childhood. And now that I have former students whose ages range from 6 through 51, I have essentially been part of the nurturing of numerous generation.
I've fought the system since the beginning. I was born with a rare disability. At one point, the college dean (1970) thought I shouldn't go into teaching "because of your 'problems'..." (My 'problems - a rare syndrome - wasn't formally diagnosed until I was 22). THAT didn't work (friends went ballistic) and so I taught (successfully!) for the next 21 years in Lutheran education. I developed disability awareness stuff, taught outdoor education, even coached girls' sports (ha!).
I finally followed my heart and went into 'special' education in public schools, naively believing that the camaraderie I experienced in one school environment would intuitively be in another. Everything on the surface seemed 'OK' but... I was hearing about deep burnout from other teachers ... It didn't take long to sense why - public school teachers had no Voice. There was ADMINISTRATION way over >>>>>THERE and teachers way over <<<<<here. (In Lutheran schools, we all share the load...)
My second year - I become an advocate when the system moves my preschool kids using wheelchairs to the middle school, with no bathroom (staff men's room), no water, no cafeteria access, no playground, no age mates. When I commented on all this, the administrator said "Sandy you are politically incorrect - the children are guests of the district."
?That didn't sit too well. I read the California law and it said something else entirely. So I filed with the state, and the
employer says "what's the problem - we have it everywhere!".They were going to shine it on, seriously... So I wrote a letter and sent it to 33 disability rights/media groups (including LA Times, La Opinion, 60 minutes, THEIR Board of Education, etc.) and POOF! a week later I have a new classroom AND a new principal.
And when the Director of Special Ed said "you'll NEVER get a wheelchair accessible bathroom" ... and even California goofed - it didn't invite me, as complainant, to the 'walk through' for the new classroom ... I filed with the Feds. The feds found them 'out of compliance' - and they had to write a memo and send to everyone on earth.
That was in 1996 - 1997. Oh there have been more things ... deep-shit ones. I have learned the yawingly deep recesses of PTSD. I haven't even STARTED to get into the truly deep-shit stuff ... Seriously, it's not very complex. Things like...
ME: (to Director of Special ed and ADA Title I director) "Who is your ADA Title II director?"
THEM: "We don't have one. We don't need one. You can't tell us to get one because you're an employee."
ME: (to Director of Special ed and ADA Title I director) "You need one. It's the law. If you don't get one, you can lose ALL your federal funds."
THEM: silence... A week later, I get an email - they hired someone. We connect - she thanks me for my advocacy - she starts telling my 'story' as she presents the ADA requirements.
I still filed (3rd filing, of 4 ... doing 4th and 6th as we speak) - and my employer now has a glorious ADA notice in each building! PLUS a few more things.
---------------------------------------------------------------------
I love teaching. I'd do it as a hobby ... actually I think many of us are workaholics (seriously!)
NEXT TIME - I will share on California EC 56046 - "teacher intimidation in special ed". Deep-shit retaliation OH MY!