Horrible Boss Rant (sorry...long) [updated 6/24, post #100] About This Page:

[joelsmom]

Really, for a long time now I have known that our school's principal is not good to the staff, but Friday was the icing on the cake for me, and I am at my wits end.

A little background...I have been teaching middle school for 25 years, 15 of those in my present location. Literally 23.5 of my 25 years (save the first 1.5 years when I was starving and would take any job) I have taught social studies. I am tied for seniority in my department within our building, I've taught 6th, 7th, and (currently) 8th grades. I don't brag. I don't complain. I show up on time (i.e. early) and prepared. My students' test scores have traditionally been among the highest in our county, in a school where they have every reason not to be. I work hard to do a good job. However, I also keep my head down and try to stay away from the drama that seems to fill our front office. Nobody worries about me, because they know I'm solid, and my co-workers love me, and vice versa.

Now, fast forward to Friday, March 11, roughly 3:28 PM. The principal came to me and asked if she could have ten minutes of my time before I left for our week of spring break. I told her I was in a bit of a hurry, because I had to get my son from work and then head to my second job (trying to get my kid through community college without debt). "Ten minutes, I promise." "Okay, but that's really all I've got."

I beat a hasty path to her office as soon as the last student was out the door, feeling a terrible sense of dread. She assures me I shouldn't worry...liar. She proceeds to tell me that she "needs" me to move back to 7th grade...okay, not my preference, but I can deal with that. She's not done. She "needs" my strength, my organization, my leadership on a newly created team consisting of me and two teachers currently in their first year teaching...me and two second-year teachers? I'm not so enthusiastic about that. Ah, but the best part is still to come. The final shoe drops with the news that I would not be teaching social studies, but science. What? I don't know how that could be. The last time I opened a science book was in college. I won't bore you any further with the details, but suffice to say that technically I am "highly qualified" to teach any academic subject in middle school.

I, the least likely crier I know, cried on my way out of the building. Then I got angry. How dare she do this to me? The simple answer is because she doesn't care about me (or anyone else), and she has the power. I certainly expressed my feeling that I don't want to do this, and it isn't actually a done deal yet, but she told me something had to be finalized the first day we go back after our week off. I gave her many reasons why this isn't a good move for me or the school, but ultimately the decision is hers, and I am not optimistic.

So, of course my head is spinning with the what ifs. All I can do for now is wait. If she insists that the move is necessary, I intend to exhaust every resource at my disposal to secure a transfer. If none of that works, I am considering applying to be the director of my church's daycare. It would be a big cut in pay, and my son would probably have to drop out of community college for the next year and earn more money. The irony is that if it comes to this...I apply for and get the daycare director job...said principal is back to square one looking for another strong, organized leader for her new team. All I know is the only circumstance under which I will be teaching 7th grade science next year is if I have no other full-time job available to me.

There are just so many potential dominoes to fall. I think if we could tighten the purse strings, then maybe I could get back into the school system in a year or two and finish my 30 years for full retirement. Oh, yes, I forgot to mention that, didn't I. I am only five years from retirement, and my principal wants me to learn an entirely new subject matter!!!!! All I want is to do my job for five more years and then retire in peace. Is that too much to ask?

I need to stop before my head explodes. If you made it this far, thanks.