People Cost Money - A Follow Up

[Suji to Seoul]

On March 7th, I wrote a long piece about my mother: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x7861186

I wish to continue this story with a brief follow up.

Her retirement was approved by the District's governing board. Since then, she is the model of being checked out. Completely, mentally checked out. Her grades have lagged, she arrives late, leaves right at the bell before the buses and does just enough to "maintain face." Just like Nick Nolte from "Teachers," she is now famous for her three-day weekends. This week she will take a five day weekend (the district takes off Good Friday, so she will take off Holy Thursday and the first day of Passover). It's nothing horrible. She has 23 days of sick and personal time earned, and if she sells them back to the District, they will pay her one day for every four she turns in.

My mother has become very honest with the principal, her worthless department chairman and parents. She exploded on a parent last week, tell the parent that if he thought he could do a better job, he can take her dry erase marker and teach. If not, he should go back to making missiles are Raytheon and live with himself that he makes his money "off the corpses of dead babies and civilians around the world, you worthless, ghoul." When he threatened to go to the principal, my mother said "get my name right."

As for the kids, this once, dedicated and still highly decorated and extremely experienced teacher realized they turned against her the second they did not take their benchmark tests seriously. She used the benchmark tests as part of their marking period grades. The students did not like that, so they revolted (and in this district, most of the students are revolting sociopaths, just like their worthless parents). She barely puts in any effort.

She has 40 days left and counting, including 23 days of paid sick and personal time.

Why is she like this? Because in June, she hops a one way fly to my city of Shijiazhuang and must decide between teaching University history and English in Fuzhou (in Fujian province), Nanjing, Suzhou and Wuxi (in Jiangsu province) or teaching at a teacher's university in my city of Shijiazhuang (in Hebei Province). American teachers like my mother may be worthless to American schools, but when someone like her:

BA - History/Political Science (Dean's List)
MA - History (published Master's Thesis)
25 years Experience
84 Graduate Credits
TOEFL/SEI Certification
Community College Certification
Two State (NY and AZ) Certification
Higher Education teaching experience

:Comes in front of Universities here in China, they are highly valued and richly rewarded.

My mother may have seen the glue factory in America, but thanks to a very dedicated soon who has taught in China the last 15 months, she will land on her feet.

[rfranklin]

1. Good luck to your mother in her new career...

That was pretty cool what she said about the Raytheon guy!

[RKP5637]

2. Thanks for posting this... sadly, I think, many experience similar in the US today,

no appreciation of their education and skills. It is so sad... I have friends in hi-tech with several degrees that can not find work simply because of their ages.

I have other friends with several degrees that are teachers that have quit the teaching profession simply because they are fed up with the educational system today in the US. They retired early.

I was lucky to be able to retire a little early, I did that because I am fed up with what corporations have become today in the US, and when the last company I worked for fell apart because of their own doing I ended my career. I also have advanced education.

Many in the US today are experiencing the same. I find it quite sad.

I am glad your mother is doing well, that is wonderful!!!

Thanks for sharing her story.