A Not So Graceful Exit: Why I Left Teaching

Posted on November 26, 2015 by Poetic Justice

And we lose another great teacher – one who just cannot give one more test or hurt her students one more time.

#DoNoHarm

“Finally, please hope and pray that my kids get a qualified teacher quickly. One that isn’t jaded by the system, that loves them in spite of their challenges, and has the strength to withstand the foolishness that educators endure. I couldn’t be that for them anymore and the grief that causes me is suffocating at times. I will miss them every day. ” – Kara Reeves

karareevesblog

Yesterday, I quit. In the middle of the school year, I quit. After fourteen years in education, I quit. I. Quit. Quitting isn’t something I do, particularly when children are involved, so this is still quite difficult to think or talk about. It might seem an abrupt decision to some, but for those that know me well, you know this is something I have flirted with for a few years now. I think it started about five years ago…

I was teaching in an inner-city school in Memphis. I loved my principal. I loved my kids. I loved teaching. Now, of course, there were issues. Too much paperwork. Not enough hours in the day. Uninvolved parents. Disobedient children. District mandates that made no sense. Still, overall, I was happy being a teacher. I knew that I would either drop dead teaching or they would have to roll me out in…

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The Fear Factor – & its antidote

Posted on November 25, 2015 by Poetic Justice

The Fear Factor

is so real —-

it is like teachers are suffering from anxiety, PTSD, Battered Wife Syndrome, and Stockholm Syndrome all at the same time.

And … we can trust no one … not our unions, not our bosses, not our district, not our politicians, not even our friends – our friends do not get it – our families do not get it.

so …. we take meds …. we drink … we use drugs … we are sick – and we are dying.

The only antidote is unconditional love for our students.

unconditional-love-oscar-wilde-quote

Why Is United Opt Out Being “Frozen Out” of Narratives of Test Resistance? – by Mark Naison

Posted on November 18, 2015 by Poetic Justice

Poetic Justice supports the brave and powerful work done by United Opt Out led by Peggy Robertson, Morna McDermott, and the other brave UOO administrators and question why Fair Test would not include them in their narratives.

The following is Mark Naison’s blog post:

“It has come to my attention that the Monty Neill, the head of Fair Test, in issuing a statement about the Opt- Out Movement’s tremendous progress refused to list any leaders of United Opt Out as local contacts for the movement despite repeated requests by UOO leaders to do so. This comes several months after a leader of Network for Public Education produced a brief history of the Opt Out movement that tolally left out the contributions of United Opt Out and its leaders. I find this exclusion of United Opt Out from narratives of a movement they did so much to start and which they play a leading role in deeply troubling. Whatever the reasons for this “freeze out,” it is unconscionable and unacceptable. The uncompromising militancy of United Opt Out and the fierce integrity of its leaders is a tremendous asset to students, teachers and families facing well financed efforts to privatize the nation’s schools. I support them 100 percent. They are among the best fighters we have.”

It is our hope that Fair Test will remedy this obvious omission.