Not throwing anyone under the bus

In response to a comment about how another group of students with some difficulties are outperforming my own, I might have noted that the group in question was regularly studying the test on the day before the test. That should improve any group’s performance. My best chance to survive the current regime may be to adopt this practice.

Sigh.

Eduhonesty: The honest truth is that honesty may not be my best policy.

In a climate of bullying, in a time of “Do it or else!” when no one will listen to me, the best policy may be resignation, especially since my elderly parents are in rather desperate shape. This job is taking an extraordinary number of waking hours and I am neglecting my own household and my own family. I love my students, but I am feeling a) futile and b) as if I may be attacked for random indiscretions at any time. In the meantime, my blind father and memory-deficient mother are barely managing. He can’t see and she can’t remember what mail she has picked up or where she might have put that mail. She keeps driving to doctor appointments, with him telling her where to turn in the town where she has lived for almost her whole life.

There are too many garbage compactors out here. The bilingual department wants me to strongly encourage students to get the scores necessary to exit the bilingual program. I got castigated (hell, excoriated) for telling these students they needed to exit the bilingual program if they wanted to go to college.

But it’s true, or true for almost all of them anyway. Bilingual students in my district can’t take honors or AP classes. If they don’t master the English necessary to pass the bilingual exit test, they also won’t be able to write the papers demanded in college courses. Still, I was clobbered for showing a lack of faith in my students with this presented as one piece of evidence.

I think I’ll pick this up later. I’ve a great deal to say, but classes to prepare as well. As always, I intend to be ready for tomorrow. I’ve never abandoned my minions yet.

However, I’ll have a resignation letter in the glove box of my car. There’s a first time for everything. I’m not sure I’m doing any good out here with all these countless hours of work anyway. If I am, admin sure does not seem to be noticing.