Louisiana Save Our Schools SOS

From Our Newsletter

Feelings, by an anonymous Louisiana educator

I walk down the halls and see my fellow teachers, paras, and other school staff members with the same expression that I see when I look into the mirror. Exhaustion, stress, anger, and even some tears.

That is the new norm for most of us. We are all those things and more.

The media throws insults at teachers and staff, the administration is never pleased and continues to add more and unnecessary work, and the parents refuse to listen to our pleas and offer help! When parents are contacted to speak about a negative behavior the blame automatically goes to the teacher. How we asked the student, how the student was spoken to, or how we said it. Even when praises are given to the parents of the student there is no reply. There are no repercussions for bad behavior of students, they are not held accountable for their actions, no matter how severe or detrimental the actions.

Teachers are physically abused by students, and mentally abused by administrators. We are threatened daily, either with write-ups or our jobs. When there is a situation that requires students to be removed from our classrooms, either help never comes or the situation is reversed to poor classroom management. Maybe we didn’t ask nicely for a student to sit and work on their assignment, or they just needed to be up one more time. Students may cuss or use foul language toward a teacher and that is acceptable, however, an adult speaks to a student in the “wrong” tone and corrective measures must be taken toward the teacher.

Assigned lunch and planning times are usually monopolized by grade level meetings, PBIS meetings, data meetings, parent meetings, and many other meetings with acronyms no one would actually understand. Lunch is eating while walking to pick up your classroom, walking back from a meeting, or while hoping to get the bathroom empty as there won’t be time later to use the facilities.

Aggressive administrators wait around the corner looking for a reason to give you a negative remark on your walk through or your observation. When they are in your room, they do not offer support, they ding you for not having students repeat a standard that you are teaching that day, not having student work on display, taking too long to teach a lesson., rules that are listed for your classroom are not stated in positive manners, no changing the curriculum unless it is written in triplicate in your lesson plans...yes, this list never ends.

Teachers literally get paid for the nine months we are in school. We choose to have our check spread out over non-working summer months so that we are paid. We are paid for 8 hours a day- however, our day as a teacher starts way before we arrive at the school and at times it doesn’t end until the late hours of the night. We put in way more time than 8 hours.

We see students struggling, we want to help them more than the time allots- but we have nearly 30students a class, we have different levels of students-some with paperwork stating they need certain accommodations. That is understandable but when do we get help to actually provide the accommodations? One of me vs 30 students with a curriculum that frustrates the teachers and the students.

We get a new curriculum every couple of years. How do we know if it works if we don’t give it time? How can teachers teach when it changes yearly on what is to be taught? Let’s be honest- if a student cannot read then ALL subjects are impossible. What happened to holding a child back if they could not pass that grade level? Instead, the state dictates how many times a child may be held back, no matter their understanding of the material.

Teachers are retiring early, leaving the profession at high rates. When is enough going to be enough? My family and kids suffer because there are days when I come home and literally cannot do anymore. I am literally sick with dread on the way to work but not just because of the students but administration as well. When you speak negatively to a person and never find something positive to reinforce with that person, they start to believe what they here- teachers ask, am I good enough?

Am I enough? Why bother?

Before you criticize a teacher, go sub for one week. Follow the lessons provided by the state and complete all tasks that are given to the teacher for that week-the ones they know about. That does not include what is thrown their way from meetings each day. Then, be completely honest and tell how it really is- if you were great and really enjoyed it then maybe you should take my place.

I have been hit, kicked, cussed, threatened and I am tired-tired of it all. Please listen and know that I am not alone in feeling like this! There must be a change and soon!

*Emphasis added by Louisiana Save Our Schools. Every word of this article was written by a currently teaching Louisiana educator

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