I need to rant!!!

So, whatever happened to teachers being the building block of our children's futures? I am BEYOND infuriated with how Arizona and many other states, including Illinois, treat their teachers! Shouldn't education be at the top of our budget priorities, not the bottom?!?!? We all know what happened last year when I received my RIF letter. I was devastated. I had been teaching in AZ for 3 years and yet they felt it necessary to let a teacher go who was dedicated and knowledgeable and (in my opinion) a damn good teacher!!! To make matters worse, right after the RIF letters were handed out - it was Teacher Appreciation Day/Week and a lot of teachers really needed to feel appreciated. What did the administration do? THEY FORGOT!!!! Seriously? I understand that I was later called back and offered another job (which I am SO glad that I didn't accept) but do they have ANY idea what that does to a person's self-esteem and sense of self-worth? I knew it was nothing personal (I just happened to fall in that margin) but still, was I not worth keeping? It was horrible! And this year, my old school district is giving RIF letters to everyone who was given one last year AND MORE!!! Ridiculous!

Now... while that is completely crazy, do you want to hear what is even MORE crazy?!?! Yesterday at the first school that I taught at, the administrators told 8 very qualified and VERY GREAT teachers that they were being involuntarily transferred! Most of these teachers have been at this school since (or before) it was opened 5 years ago and know all the kids and parents. When they asked how they were chosen, they were told they had to pick good teachers who could transition well! BS!!!!! If you really thought they were good teachers, wouldn't you want to keep them at your school? HELLO??? No, they were targeted! One of them is currently on maternity leave - that one is obvious! Two others are engaged to be married (dating within the work place is frowned upon) and have voiced issues with the administration in the past, and others who have ever made any remark about the administration! How unfair is this???? I only know 4 out of the 8 that were screwed over, but those 4 teachers are some of the most awesome and dedicated teachers at that school. How do they think this will help morale or the children? What happened to caring more about our children and their education than how the teachers view the administration? Jackie - grow up and quit taking your bad managerial skills out on the kids!!! It is the kids who will suffer in this case!
While trying to keep it in perspective, yes, those teachers still have a job - somewhere - but why on Earth would anyone want to stay in a district that treats their teachers that way? Why would anyone want to stay in a profession that treats them that way? While I desperately miss the kids and the amazing friendships I made with my fellow teachers, I don't miss the way teachers are treated!! I love and respect EVERY person out there who continues to put up the injustices that teachers and children continue to face in this country! We wonder why kids act the way they do today and why they don't value their own education.... THEY GET IT FROM THE GOVERNMENT and anyone else who doesn't see the value in funding a good education for ALL!!!

OK, sorry, I had to get that off my chest. Hearing about what happened to some of my good friends yesterday brought back ALL the feelings I suffered through last year. Marisa, Joel, Rachel, and Sarah... I feel for you and I'm praying that you will all find something SO much better than Sunset Vista! To all the teachers out there - Keep doing what you love! There are people out there who still care for, support, and admire you!