The General Rant/Bitch/Moan Thread.

Emmature wrote:

^Speak of educational-cut backs, today was very, very hard. I'm a full-time substitute teacher with the school district. I specialize in special ed, especially the very special. The teacher I was an assistant for today got fired right in front of me. She ran out of the room crying. They keep cutting staff (with no dent in the superintendent's car allowance, I should mention) to the point that I feel like our treatment of the severely disabled is sliding backwards to the Victorian era. Don't get me wrong, I'm down with corsets and mourning garb coming back, but I'm not okay with my beloved severely autistic kids sliding from their hard-fought literacy to scarecely being able to dress themselves. With fewer teachers working directly with the kids and managing their huge behavioral problems (if you don't believe me see the scabs and scars on my arms from scratches and bite-marks) you have two options- put them in regular classes where they will fall behind and cause others to fall behind because of their disruptions, or put them somewhere all together where they'll be out of society's hair but unable to advance any further. The later sounds awfully victorian, no? But some parents already complain to the school about inclusion measures making learning harder for "normal" kids. Sorry to b!tch so much, I just needed to vent.

Don't feel sorry Emma; I understand. I hear the same thing from other friends of mine who are also teachers. For what it's worth, even my boss understands the implications -- we've talked about this before too. We as a nation can't afford cutbacks in education -- it will only weaken us as a society, and give special-needs kids a malformed view of how life is supposed to be (because for better or worse, kids learn social values in school too, right alongside the now-paltry list of academics).

It takes a hell of a lot of strength to teach. I give you credit, Em.

^^On a related note: Today our mayor unveiled his budget for the year. There are going to be a lot of cuts, including the layoff of over 4,000 teachers! I think it's disgusting.

God damn it! What part of "after I finish my homework" does my husband not understand?! I got sh*t to do, leave me the f**k alone already!

^^A lot of people don't get that concept.

My thighs feel like they are on fire and very sore. All day yesterday and today they have hated me. I know I'm used to walking the same paths by now, so I don't understand why this is happening.

La Diva Carlotta wrote:

^^On a related note: Today our mayor unveiled his budget for the year. There are going to be a lot of cuts, including the layoff of over 4,000 teachers! I think it's disgusting.

That's a tricky subject, because firing teachers is sometimes a good thing. The union and the practice of tenure has kept a lot, I repeat, a lot of teachers who are racist, sexist, lazy, uncaring, selfish or irrelevant protected from ever losing their jobs. Many of these teachers who are simply unable to be be fired for any reason save a felony, are doing their jobs poorly (sometimes not at all), when hundreds of younger, better qualified, and caring college graduates are looking for a teaching job and can't find one.

Teaching is hard, and of course I chose a very hard time to go into it! But at least at the end of a hard day I come home saying "well, it was worth it," which I could never say about my old job at Target.

Unrelated subject... Can't stop being intrigued by that Endless post...

Spooky wrote:

La Diva Carlotta wrote:

^^On a related note: Today our mayor unveiled his budget for the year. There are going to be a lot of cuts, including the layoff of over 4,000 teachers! I think it's disgusting.

That's a tricky subject, because firing teachers is sometimes a good thing. The union and the practice of tenure has kept a lot, I repeat, a lot of teachers who are racist, sexist, lazy, uncaring, selfish or irrelevant protected from ever losing their jobs. Many of these teachers who are simply unable to be be fired for any reason save a felony, are doing their jobs poorly (sometimes not at all), when hundreds of younger, better qualified, and caring college graduates are looking for a teaching job and can't find one.

That's the thing - because of a stipulation in the teacher's union contract with the city/state, it's the newer teachers who will end up being let go.

^^The teacher cut-backs worries me also because my sister is just starting up her teaching career in Houston after a long stint of not being able to get hired anywhere because of these specific issues. Teaching is a hard job & it's something that is very rewarding & very challenging. I also agree that our nation can't afford to lose valuable teachers or programs, but I agree with Spooky about cutting back on teachers who are hindering student development.

RedAngel wrote:

DarkDreamer: I'm so glad you're OK! Self defense classes will be great: useful, and they will bring back your feeling of safety. I wouldn't object to carrying a weapon, though, as DCGG mentioned; might help you feel safer still. Just food for thought.

Madelchai: Thanks for letting me/us know what's going on. Glad you're getting the raise -- and it's really not your co-workers' business, so no one's got the right to ask you anyway. Great that your boss was at least somewhat reasonable toward you.

My rant, though I'm feeling better now: Just got back from the ER. Cut my arm on a piece of scrap glass I didn't even see. It felt a scratch, but when I looked, it was worse than it felt. Boss drove me to the ER; Gareth met me there. The nurse put me back together with surgical glue. Home now, glued up and trying to unwind.

Eep! Glad you didn't lose your arm, Red
Arm glue...that's pretty artsy/crafty

I love talking to my mom, but today she was a bit depressing. I got the pleasure of hearing how things are going to work money wise with her. I already know I'm losing all of my insurance by the end of this month. I know I'm going to have to pay $70 a month for my medicine. I already know my mom is going to ask me for help when it comes to bills.

I was told that she thinks after paying the bills she thinks she will just barely make it and not have enough money for food or gas. She said she is going to crunch the numbers and let me know later tonight.

Plus I'm just a little upset because I haven't heard from matt or my best friend in a few days and I really miss them. I wonder why they aren't answering me and whats going on.

When the TV falls off the wall or when you walk right slap bang straight into a lamp post just remember they were the happiest days of your life!

It's snowing, I'm starting to get a really bad headache, and certain people are really starting to hurt my feelings and putting my moral down.

I'm the only one in the house who has to go to work tomorrow

Damn Half Term and my stupid mumsy colleagues who get onto the holiday board first

DCGG- that is stressful. I hope things get better

I just spent the entire walk to and from class trying not to fall on my a$$ but I was finding it very difficult. Now I have to drive my car to class when it will be freezing outside and I will be driving on pure ice.

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http://www.darkrealm13.com/viewtopic.forum?t=1782