Flogged in Florida

BELOW IS A TEACHER WHO HAS LOTS MORE TO TELL. KEEP CHECKING BACK SINCE WE ARE REGULARLY UPDATING OUR STORIES TO MAKE SURE THE PUBLIC GETS THE TRUE FLAVOR OF WHAT TEACHING IS ABOUT. IT IS THE ONLY WAY WE WILL GET OUR SCHOOLS BACK FOR OUR KIDS. NAPTA

Last year was my first year of teaching, and maybe my last. I took a job as a reading teacher in a middle school. I was the third teacher in the position that year, and it was only October. My classes were horribly out of control, and nothing I tried could improve them (yes, I've had classroom management classes. Yes, I've read Harry Wong--no small amount of sarcasm in my tone). The school as a whole was so out of control--fights, vandalism, threats against teachers, you name it--that the teachers approached the union for a county intervention. The county did a cursory walk-through and declared that the teachers needed diversity training.

At the end of the school year I resigned. I was showing extreme anxiety and my doctor had me on anti-depressants and anxiety medication.

I applied for other teaching jobs and attempted to apply to a neighboring county. I was told by the county that they could not hire me because of the extremely poor reference the principal gave me. I can't get full-time work in this county either. I'm back to subbing.

The union was weak and treacherous. Always sides with the county or the administration. Talked to me as if I were a child or a pariah. Rumors are that one of our union reps. reports all union activity to the principal.

This is a brief summary of my experience. There is much, much more, of course.

I googled for a few days before I came across your web site. Using words like "violence" against teachers, or "danger" only brought up extreme news articles about pedophiles and drunks. OK, I said, so this is how the world sees me. Accessing teachers' web sites (Teachers.net) only brought up cheery little suggestions on lesson plans and the insidious face of Harry Wong, looking at me as the failure I must be for not succeeding with his suggestions. Ha! As if Harry Wong would last an hour in any of my classes!

Platitudes, platitudes! They enrage frightened and bereaved people!

I intend to support you any way I can. I will send you a much more detailed version of my story, warts and all, when I can compose it thoroughly and properly. I will let you use my name.

By the way, I am not young. I am fifty-eight years old and I had hoped that teaching would be my retirement career. I became suicidal during my experience, and had I been a twenty-two year old, I might have carried it out. I shudder to think how many young people are in my position.

I want to tell you that your organization has been a god-send. I awoke this morning without fear or shame for the first time in over a year. God bless you!

Kristine Halleran Smith

Top

BACKGROUND