Sometimes you can have too much of a good thing! In this case our 2009 SAUSD thread has so many comments on it that it is now running too slowly. So we are starting this new thread for the second half of 2009.
So far this year we have had plenty to write about. The State budget cuts have had a devastating affect in Santa Ana. Layoffs have ensued.
To top this all off, the SAEA cut a weird deal with the SAUSD that essentially cut benefits for all the younger teachers. And then the SAEA held elections.
Now more budget cuts loom…and all the other issues remain. I expect this thread will fill up too before long…
I have a question and I am not trying to be a jerk:
How do I get a teacher on “special assignment” job? I want “job security” and to be able to play cards all day. Maybe they make Starbucks runs for the people who actually work.
Also, maybe the “music” teacher at my school can help me pack, watch the kids, do cum folders, inventory my things, make father’s day gifts, and help me with my check off list since he hasn’t been doing anything since the end of May.
Mega Fedup, # 197
You have no need to apologize to me. Red is a moderator and poster for Art, but, like you, I’m just another commenter here. You have been commenting here at least as far back as April 29th so I would hardly call you a novice. However you did come in at the same time a lot of teachers did, along with the union hacks, so I can understand how you might have become confused in all the back and forth that has been going on since then. In re-reading your comments you have been pretty consistent on your feelings. With all the phony baloney multi-persona commenters it has been a little hard to separate the wheat from the chafe and I probably considered you one of the 3rd category of union hacks. You can go back up to my comment # 81 for an explanation on what that is. If I was wrong about you then I owe you an apology rather than the other way around.
Jill,
Out of curiosity and since I don’t know maybe you can tell me. What are the special assignments of TOSA teachers? You mention the music teachers off and on so should I assume these guys are part of the special assignment group or do they fall into some other weird category? Back in my day music teachers only showed up at elementary schools once or twice a week and were generally home based at an Intermediate or High School where they taught band or choir the rest of the time.
WHat is a TOSA? If the budget is so austere, why do we need to spend so much money on these positions (whatever they are)?
TOSA = Teacher on Special Assignment.
I think the BTSA team is made up of TOSAs. I must say, I’ve not heard one positive thing about that program.
On another issue…someone mentioned that Evelyn Carrig is no longer part of Saddleback admin. I’ve spoken with several SHS colleagues and not one of them confirmed it. In fact, they’re disappointed with the idea of her leaving (as if they want her to stay). I was quite surprised by their responses.
I also heard that Gomeztrejo is gone. Valley teachers appeared to have sighed a breath of relief.
Any updates about the musical administrative chairs?
Wow, that should have read “breathed a sigh of relief.” My apologies. Summer vacation approaches, and I’m clearly exhausted.
My principal mentioned today that the district had a presentation about the cost of subs for next year.
Apparently, they are worried that it may cost more to lay us off and have us sub than it will be to actually hire us back.
Did you hear about Chino Sch District? I heard they calculated the number of minutes inaccurately and now the kids have to go an additional 30+ days to make up for the error?
http://news.google.com/news?hl=en&q=chino%20%2Bschool&rlz=1W1GGLL_en&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wn
They will have to pay the teachers there as well. Wow, how would you like to go an additional 30 days due to someone’s error? They have to…it’s ed code.
#205
I’m not sure the BTSA group are TOSAs or not, but I agree wholeheartedly the “Bitsuh” program in this District is awful.
I’ve been part of BTSA programs in other districts where it is used effectively to support and encourage new teachers. SAUSD MISmanages the program to such a degree that they not only discourage, exhaust, and exasperate new teachers, they also “turn-off” veteran teachers like me who used to enjoy being mentors.
Carrig to McFadden. One of McFadden’s AP’s to MacArthur. Rene Rowan (MacArthur) to Godinez. That’s all I know for now.
To: Anonplus#162 and #188 Anon
Re: Misinformation about Sara Shorey and the Anger Management listing on Century Anger Management website
I have no allegiance to SAEA, I am a dedicated teacher and employee of SAUSD and I need to clarify the misinformation reported on this website regarding the issue of Sara Shorey soliciting business as an anger management provider. Sara recently finished anger management training at the direction of her SAUSD supervisor. The purpose of Sara attending this training was to be able to provide in-house training of the anger management program to SAUSD employees. Sara simply provided her district email and her home address to Century Anger Management so that they could send her the official certificate of completion. She listed her home address and her school email, because we all know that district mail can be “iffy”, especially in the summer, and her school email address that was requested on Century’s form. The Century Anger management organization simply posted her name and home address on the website from the information she gave as a contact and summer mail address. She never had any intention of soliciting outside business, she would simply be an-house provider to SAUSD individuals as requested by her supervisor.
She is not soliciting business, never had any intention to do so and has received no monetary benefits at the present time or in the future.
My purpose in posting this is to expose the misinformation that needs to be corrected. We all need to be “fairandlogical” in our assumptions and investigate the circumstances of the issues at hand. I felt responsible to report the “fairandlogical” information that was incorrectly reported. I frequently read the blog and appreciate the information that is presented on this site; however, I think we all have a responsibility to verify the circumstances and report misinformation regarding individuals that are wrongly accused.
We all need to be diligent and responsible in our postings and verify information and sources before making any assumptions.
SAUSD has no money for Teachers but how about the construction dept.
Director Of Construction on the district web site $9000.00 a month to start with a high school diploma for education. WOW!
#210, fairandlogical,
Thank you for clarifying Ms. Shorey’s “business” with CAM.
I’ve known/worked with Sara for several years and know her to be completely honest.
Now the OC Juice knows too.
As I sit here and reflect on the fact that I’m going to be fired in two days and unemployed for the first time since graduating college, I’ve gotten past a lot of the anger and fear about being unemployed that I have felt. I am also past my attachment to my school site.
What I can’t get past, at least not yet, is the profound sense of injustice in all of this. I have given my heart to my students. I understand the curriculum and the standards, know how to present a lesson, reflect on my teaching, contribute to my grade level, and genuinely care. But none of this matters in this ugly process. Unfortunately, I know teachers not being laid off who don’t even know what standards are, who don’t even understand the difference between the standards and what is in the T.E. I know teachers who do all of their work — report cards, data input, lesson planning, you name it –while the kids are in class so they can arrive and leave with the students. I know three teachers who just this year took extended foreign vacations while school was in session, in one case two such vacations. Two of these teachers did not leave lesson plans behind. I know teachers who are racist against the population we serve. I know teachers who admittedly hate teaching but feel stuck because they can’t earn as large a paycheck somewhere else. I know teachers who really don’t understand the material they are teaching. And I know teachers who are burnt out and hanging on only so they can increase their retirement pay. I know teachers who many other teachers suspect of cheating on the CST. I even know teachers who have abused students and kept their jobs. All of these teachers are in SAUSD. How can it be that all of these teachers are retaining their jobs while I am losing mine?
This is not the district’s fault. As incompetent and mismanaged as the district is, the Ed. Code does not allow it to choose who to lay off. As much as I hate, despise, and distrust SAEA, it is not even its fault. SAEA did force the district to use the Bakersfield list rather than the credential list, but in neither case would most of the teachers I am referring to be laid off. [SAEA HACKS: SHUT UP. DAVID BARTON BRAGGED IN WRITING LAST YEAR ABOUT FORCING THE DISTRICT TO CHANGE TO THE BAKERSFIELD LIST TWO DAYS BEFORE THE HEARING. THE DISTRICT WANTED TO GO WITH THE CREDENTIAL LIST. IT IS NOT A TOPIC OPEN TO DEBATE. FACTS ARE FACTS.]
What I’m really getting at is that the problem is in the Ed. Code, and it is CTA and its lobbyists that wrote the Ed. Code. How can this ever be changed? Look at how CTA handicaps the schools in California. First, there is a two year probationary process. This is insane. In what effective business of any kind can somebody be guaranteed what is essentially a job for life — unless of course there is a layoff — after two years? Second, teachers, whether competent or incompetent, must be treated exactly the same. Merit pay is out of the question. Only seniority matters. How can this profession ever attract and retain the best and brightest under these circumstances? It is a farce. Most of the best and brightest will go where their contribution can be recognized. Do good teachers even make a difference under the current law? Is all the effort I put into motivating and challenging my students undone when the teachers in the next grade are more concerned about their foreign vacations than the students, or secretly hate them because of their race, or racing them out the door at the end of the day. I wonder. Third, it is almost impossible to fire a teacher even in the most extraordinary situations. The L.A. Times has recently documented this. Incompetence is protected and even rewarded with step and column increases. Fourth, teachers can’t bargain for lower pay in exchange for keeping their jobs. I and many others would be willing to temporarily take less. Why shouldn’t I be able to do that to keep my job? It certainly would benefit students. The only reason is that CTA through its cronies in the legislature has ensured that it control every facet of the teaching profession. All of this is for the benefit of CTA as an organization. It has nothing to do with individual teachers and certainly nothing to do with students despite protestations to the contrary. I have given just a few examples. There are many more.
The point is that unless and until the people of California rise up against CTA, pull it out of education, and rewrite the Ed. Code, I don’t see how California students will ever get anything other than a second rate education. It’s sad to say, but it’s true.
It’s obvious I don’t like unions. But I would think that even people who believe there is some place for teachers’ unions in education, would have to agree that the pendulum has swung too far and that it’s time to take power back from CTA and rewrite the Ed. Code in a way that benefits students. I wish more people understood and cared about these issues. I wish there was some leader who was advocating for this. I really don’t think it’s Obama. Unions have contributed hugely to him. He may make some inroads on merit pay, but I doubt he’ll rock the boat too strongly. Besides, this is mostly a California issue. I don’t think teachers’ unions in other states have the absolute power over education that CTA does in this state. And, ineterstingly enough, the quality of education in most of the other states is going up while California has gone from #1 to #50 in a couple of decades. CTA will say this is purely an issue of funding, but any rational analysis would establish that the problem is due much less to funding than it is to the stranglehold CTA has over public education. Throwing more funds at an inefficient and broken edcuational system might help, but it won’t fix the major problems.
Well, perhaps one day CTA’s claws will be forcibly removed from public education, the Ed. Code will be rewritten, and the system will be allowed to function for the benefit of students and the public. But I don’t even see that day on the far horizon. How sad for all of us.
Sara Shorey <–I can vouch for her. She’s harmless and not involved in any of the mess. Sweet lady, too! 🙂
Not really SAUSD related, but this just burns me:
LA County Plan: Put unemployed parents to work caring for their own children. I understand the saving part of it, but it’s just wrong.
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-calworks17-2009jun17,0,6294929.story?track=rss
What is America and California coming to when we are paying people to babysit their own kids? I say…if you can’t afford them…don’t have them in the first place. I am single without kids (by choice) and am taxed to death because of LOSERs who chose to have kids who couldn’t afford them and now people like myself have to pay for them. Wrong! I am going to write a book about all of this…including the SAUSD.
A few titles I am considering…The American Way or What REALLY Goes on at your child’s school that you should know about.
Happy Wed. One more kid day to go then we are freeeeeeeeeeeeee! 🙂 good thing right?
Rif- Sorry to lose such a clearly dedicated teacher, but your knowledge of facts is incom-lete and distorted. CTA did not write the ed code. History will show that unions are the only means of protection against abuse by owners- yes, they own your contract. You are chattel w/o the union.
Your mentality is common among OC natives and Reg readers. Indeed, I have found most teachers in SAUSD to be fundamentally opposed to unions. This may explain the ineffectiveness of the SAEA. Belief in a cause can affect the outcome, whatever the odds- ask the Marines.
Sorry to say, but I believe the failure of the district and the union is due to the teacher pool being filled with red-diaper Republicans(that means they were raised Republican),anti-government libertAryans, and store-front church attending American Taliban Christianists. They don’t believe in government or the public good and they will always fail at public education—because they do not believe in it. Belief changes outcome. Ask a Marine.
That said, the inherent and dismissive racism you mention is rife at my school.
I suggest you move out of OC and open your mind to the Big World Beyond. You will certainly land at a better district.
#216 And you post clearing demonstrates why CA is losing good teachers. I too know of SAUSD teachers that are incompetent, however it pales in comparison to the dangerous politics they play. Whoever thought teachers would unite together and force out a principal, teacher or class employee they don’t like. Susan Mercer is one of those individuals. She rallied teachers to wear black armbands in protest of their principal and promoted this tactic by distributing fliers at the school site. Mercer and her merry band of malcontents were successful, however that wasn’t enough. These greying gals followed the principal to her new school and made trouble there. SAEA deserves the officers it elects.
I’ve come to the conclusion a state takeover is the only way to rid this district of SAEA, the BofE and Superintendent.
Thanks! The black armbands were news to me. The last large organization to use them went out of business when the Allies entered Berlin.
State takeover?
The new fuhrer, Arnold, has shown only scorn for teachers.
On another note, if a teacher has not signed a contract for next year, can we file for unemployment till we do? We have no real guarantee of employment…
A Godinez AP goes to Saddleback and there we have the full circle back to fill Carrig’s spot. The district has angered a few with these shifts though. Word is the McFadden and MacArthur principals aren’t real happy about all of this.
219 – it’s sad that the garbage just gets passed around and ruins another school, but isn’t that what they’re doing to Bishop by passing him off to Sierra.
#216 – Please don’t characterize me and insult me by describing my mentality or religion. Whether or not I am a Christian, a Republican, a native of Orange County, or read the Register is irrelevant. I am smart enough to independently think on my own, and I have concluded that CTA has destroyed public education in California. I carefully explained why. You didn’t respond to anything I said. Instead, you tried to stereotype me and attacked me and other teachers who don’t share your vapid political views. I can’t believe that you won’t even acknowledge that CTA wrote the Ed. Code with politicians to whom they contributed large amounts of money. How can you deny that? Just think about it. Would CTA allow the portions of the Ed. Code I mentioned to be changed? Of course not. The Ed. Code is just how CTA wants it.
And what planet are you from? Just about every teacher in SAUSD I know supported Obama, supports nationalized health care, and espouses generally liberal political views. I saw plenty of Obama stickers in the school parking lots at election time. I did not see a single McCain bumper sticker. And I’m sure the few who did support McCain did not choose to do so because McCain is Aryan. There are a few racist teachers, but racism is hardly rife. Isn’t it time to drop that silly and childish word play you seem to be so proud of creating? Didn’t you used to post under another moniker?
I hear the Godinez man is a piece of work from some of the teachers that teach there. Doesn’t sound like they will miss him!
The CTA did not write the ed code its more than several pages long. Its a hodge podge of court rulings and legislative action.
You blame the politicians supported by the unions. What a wing nut repub talking point. I suppose the Jews drove Germany to destruction between the wars.
And yes, I will continue to call out the right wing hacks who permeate this site just as much as the union hacks. You both need some schooling. I recommend Zinn’s People’s History of the U.S.
May I quote you? “I know teachers who are racist against the population we serve.”
Well I know lots of racists at my school. Thanks for the back up.
My site is also loaded w/ wacko Xtians. What a coincidence.
Defend your suburban lawns all you like. Ya I enjoy blathering, back to the sandbox! And Mickey weeps!
#221 rif rif …Bravo
Sir Count: My arguments are too strong to refute so you just attack, sterotype, and mischaracterize. I don’t respect you because you can’t respond substantively to anything I have said. I’m not wasting more time with you. I’ll close by saying that I think Ambrose Bearce had people like you in mind when he said the following: “Contempt is the emotion we feel for an opponent whose arguments are too formidable to refute.” Bye-bye. Have fun blathering in the sandbox. Maybe somebody there will think you are smart or worth listenting to. I sure don’t.
What arguments, rif? You repeat commonly available right wing talking points against unions w/o regard to any matter at hand except your rif. It’s the contract, the district, and the weakness of the SAEA that are tossing you, not Ed code.
I am simply recommending that you read more broadly. History is a cruel mistress.
#213 Rif Rif
I am feeling many of the things you are feeling. I get upset with the Ed Code as well. I get tired of people having to have a clear while others can have an emergency. It’s hard to get through this, but I completely feel your pain when you write. 20 years of teaching down the tube here because of the Bakersfield act and because I switched districts in 2002. I am really amazed when teachers are bitching about what rooms they have to move to when other people are being laid off. Anyways, keep your chin up. Everything makes us stronger and something BETTER may be in store for you, honestly.
I don’t think this is going to be that bad. My number is 59 and I will be back in (in no time) if I choose to be back in. I may tell them to take a hike if something better comes along. We also get regular rate of pay to sub +retro is what I heard. That’s why the district is up in arms now…it is going to cost them a pretty penny to have us all sub and ED CODE is going to force them to call US first to sub.
The district needs to figure out how to make good decisions. If they are budgeting millions of dollars more in sub. costs to pay us our daily rate, which they are in their latest budget presentation, how in the world could that ever work? Obviously, they are going to have to find positions for those who stick around. Maybe their game is to pressure as many of us to leave as they can before they hire whoever didn’t leave back. But at what cost to stability, consistency, and morale? It’s not worth the price. Will they ever learn?
One more thing. It is not just our daily rate the district will have to pay. It is also our benefits. On April 12, 2006, David Barton sent out a letter to the employees facing rifs at that time to advise us that if we sub. after being laid off, the district would have to provide us with benefits or reimburse our COBRA if we chose that option. I assume that is still SAEA’s understanding, and I would hope they would help us with this if it comes around to that.
Back to the classified issue. Several who received lay-off notices a while back were told today that they have a job in the fall, only the job is for 4 hours a day with no benefits. This notice comes just in time to make sure that they can’t receive any unemployment benefits. I checked it out and it appears as though the amount of money they will be making at four hours combined with the formulas for unemployment are a net gain of 0 unemployment benefits.
Regarding unemployment–Is being told you have a job by general delivery mail the same as signing a contract? Should all employees who have not signed a contract file for unemployment?
Can the unions answer this question? Given the state’s status, who can we believe?
231 – 4 hours a day is with benefits. 3.75 hours a day would be no benefits. I’ve been 4 hours this entire school and received full benedfits and unemplpyment on top of that to make up for the reduction in hours from previous year.
Anon,
Really? You can collect unemployment and still be working? How many hours per day can one work to still get it? I have never gotten this before. I am filing this week so I get begin receiving the payments over the summer. Hey I think I am liking this. No wonder people flock to CAL E 4 NEE A. I have never in my life gotten paid to do nothing. Thanks SAUSD for once.
Keep up the good work!.. they will listen!
234 – I received full unemployment benefits last summer because I was reduecd from 8 hours a day to 4 hours a day for the new school year. When I returned to work at the beginning of the new school year my employment was significantly reduced to reflect the fact that I was at least working part time. There were many of us in the district working a reduced work week and receiving a small amount of unemployment.
Fair and logical, # 210
Thanks for your reply regarding the questions of Sara Shorey using her district e-mail as it relates to Century Anger Management (CAM) provider training. Response by proxy is always interesting especially when done by another anonymous commenter. Since Shorey wouldn’t post her own response outlining the appearance of impropriety and it took someone else 5 days to come up with any type of rationale for this apparent violation of district policy, room for doubt remains.
I have no personal opinion of Shorey and had never heard of her before finding her district e-mail address on the CAM site. Although you, an anonymous commenter, have managed to come up with a plausible answer reportedly with district backing by an anonymous supervisor (Something Anon #188 seemed to speculate would happen) you have diluted all of this justification by misrepresenting at least one fact, possibly more.
Forms for CAM enrollment request any e-mail address, NOT a specific school e-mail address. Shorey could have provided her personal e-mail as others did, or obtained one from the dozens of free providers rather than using her district e-mail. This course is provided to any number of career non educator specialists, so while it is convenient to blame CAM your claim that CAM enrollment forms requested Shorey’s school e-mail address is untrue.
No one made any assumption. What was presented was and still is fact. Shorey’s district e-mail address is being used on a CAM marketing page designed to attract potential paying clients in a specific geographical area. In this case that area is Costa Mesa, not Santa Ana or even just SAUSD. District policy does not indicate any exceptions for use of the e-mail system. Whether Shorey is using her district e-mail for personal business, or to operate a personal business doesn’t matter. The policy is what it is and those of us, including myself, that have been written up for using it for personal e-mail are obviously going to question why the exception here.
Your explanation that CAM posted her information without her knowledge would be acceptable IF she had corrected the listing once becoming aware of it. Apparently changing the information is very easy to do as Isensee and Miller proved.
I used the term galactically stupid for a reason. Those who are above district policy, or SAEA rules for that matter, should not leave themselves open to criticism by those of us who must follow the policies. This is the sort of thing that leaves open the appearance of impropriety whether it exists or not.
Since one of the few commenter’s on the OJ that uses her real name (Jill) vouches for Shorey then I’m willing to accept this dubious explanation but don’t shoot the messenger when facts, not assumptions, are put here. Now we can just wait and see when or if the district offers anger management counseling or training to other district staff.
#197 MEGAFed-Up,
I tend to be to the point and realized that maybe I came off too harsh. My apologies for any hard feelings created by my admonition. As you probably are aware by now, we get a lot of nonsense from some posters and I wanted to make sure that you’re following along. As you’ve mentioned, there is a lot of crazy/corrupt folks in charge. It’s breathtaking, really.
Well, at least it’s recorded here. You just never know who might want to take SA as a pet project for turn around. It would be a prime experiment in education, I would venture a guess 😉
That is interesting information about Sara Shorey. I see the people are claiming that she is honest etc… however, she might just be incredibly stupid.
Or maybe you guys think that CAM is busy forcing people onto its website, even using inappropriate emails culled from applications or other sources? Century Anger Managment certainly seems to lack any kind of standards at all. Sara Shorey being associated with this group still reeks of odd doings.
#213 rif rif,
I appreciate your reflections and the time it took to share them with all of us. Your writing is clear and effective. You’ve made your points during a very difficult transition time. I wish you and all the teachers facing the firing squad, the best.
#217 Anonymous. Could you please email me? Anonymity is guaranteed. I have some additional questions, if you would be so kind…..
rvixen@gmail.com
#222 Teacher44 – do you have specifics? Many of the worst have habits and predictable abusive styles that can be shared with others as a warning of what to look for.
#236 Anon – This is valuable information for other employees to read. Thank you for sharing at OJ.
#237 Anonplus,
Thanks for your responses here. You save me a lot of text typing because you hit the mark on so many of the issues. Sara Shorey remains suspect, imo. At the very least, she is in tight with SAEA insiders who have hooked up with CAM. Her quazi- administrative position should also be a little alert to the “just regular teachers” that there might be a whole lot of shifting of these specialized positions back into the classroom at the expense of regular membership.
This is what I have heard:
M. Cochran to Davis as principal
Davis Principal to Lincoln
Lincoln Principal to Esqueda
Esqueda Principal to be Director of HR for classified
Have you heard anything else?
http://www.ocregister.com/articles/layoff-employees-budget-2387926-state-year
Fermin Leal updated this. Make a copy of it and sort it like I did so you have it for the future.
Have a great summer. Apply for unemployment NOW so that you get it over the summer. This is great…I’m loving this!
I’m pretty satisfied too after all. Collecting unemployment will be a boondoggle for us. We’ll make more than we would have if we hadn’t been laid off because chances are we’ll be called back before school starts. I hope it’s the last day before school starts so those unemployment checks can come in the whole summer. And even if we’re not called back, we’ll be paid our daily rate to sub. Bring it on. I’m loving this too. Thanks for all you have done for us, Jill, and for your empathy. Same to you, RV. I hope you both have a great summer.
Just have a question and I need to get something off my chest.. hope you can give me advice
If you are classified and got a lay off notice..then you find out you have bumping rights and they place you at another school in August -can you still file for unemployment for the month that you are off..? People are telling me I can but I don’t know if I should. I also feel bad that I am displacing someone from their job. I’m going to be seen as the person that is replacing someone who I am sure they like. I know I can do the the job but how do you go into another school and not be the bad guy. I’m sorry I just needed to get that off my chest. I guess I should be glad that I have a job but I still feel bad.
#242
From one classified to another. Based on what I’ve seen, and this is only my opinion, if another classified dude could bump you, he would for the same reasons you will. You have a family to feed and obligations to meet. Most of the other people you will be working with understand that. You can tell them if it makes you feel better that you didn’t have a choice, but they already know that too.
As for the unemployment, I’m not sure but I think you can sign up for it for the time you are layed off. Benefits should be able to confirm that with a phone call.
#242 Classified dude,
I would say go with your gut feelings on how to go forward. Trust your own instincts and keep aware of all the options. Do what you can to not get blindsided again by anyone -district, union, position u hold….
Unemployment is there to be used. The feds have pumped additional money into unemployment to help people make it thru this extremely unusual and difficult time. Take it. sign up now for it. of course you will have to discontinue it when the time comes. But for now, you are entitled to it and you should think of your family first before putting any kind of guilt trip thoughts that are out there on your mind. Do not do things against your own self-interests based on some kind of airey-fairey principles. The “system” doesn’t care about you. It is a tool for just this situation. Save as much of those wages as you can. Be grateful.
You are bumping someone. It sucks. It’s not your fault. The district, union and system have decided that this is the only way to treat people. Is it fair? Nope. But you somehow were spared. Only stupid people are going to “blame” you for taking a colleague’s position. You have no say in this. And even if you somehow were tricked into NOT taking that position, there will be someone else a little further down the line that will be the bumper. So it sucks, but you have nothing to do with it or the un/fairness of it. It’s sad, but you have seniority this time. Let the guilt go. You are not responsible.
Understandably, you feel bad. This whole slash and burn approach by the district/state is horrible. It strips away so many dreams from so many. Give gratitude that you were spared right now. Make sure you do all you can to build up a warchest of savings, because you never know if you’ll be facing this same situation in the coming months/years.
Congratulations on keeping your job. You are most fortunate and I know you’ll have empathy and a deeper knowledge of what it means to retain your job in this very sad time of cuts and bumps and unemployment. It’s almost as if war has been declared against workers. Be battle ready going forward.
rif rif, Jill and everyone else who is affected: Have the best summer you can. Hope to see all you guys back in full force in the Fall.
😉
Please check out my post about:
12 Compelling Reasons to Ditch Stress from Your Life
Find ways to keep yourself as stress free as possible. This, too, shall pass. Better times will prevail, so stay healthy and clear minded.
Rv–
Thank you so much! I have been in this district a long time. You guys have helped unload a bunch of doubt on my mind. I am going through the same thing as classified dude! I am able to bump and I am going though this guilt. But you are right as everyone at my job told me “if the show was on the other foot they would bump you too” I loved my job and now I am going somewhere new. I am grateful I still have a job and I will not take it for granted. Have a great summer all.. and I will be ready!
Anon Plus, Red Vixen, Classified Gal- Thanks for the input. I do have a family and you are right. I won’t let guilt get me. I appreciate your words. Have a great summer all. I also will be ready for whatever this district will be throwing next. Hey! I’m feeling stronger already.
To all Classified Personnel,
Please understand that no one, absolutely no one, blames you when you are displaced or bumped into a position. Please don’t expend a second of your energy or guilt thinking that something you have done is wrong. We love our classified colleagues and understand the difficult position they are in lately. I would also ask that you try to understand that we are all doing the best we can under difficult circumstances and we will work with you as best we can, even though we greatly miss those that came before you. Every school is different, I know you guys can understand that. Unfortunately, many of our reassigned administrators have to learn this the hard way. For my first 8 years at my site, we had very little turnover. Since then, virtually every key classified position has changed hands and not of the person’s choosing. This is just another way that Santa Ana perpetuates lack of growth in the schools. They underestimate the incredible power and commitment the classified staff has to each school and as they shift these people (and lay them off), they also change the success of the school itself. Over time I have seen many of the classified staff commit themselves to fundraisers, clubs and many hours of extra time as volunteers because they were also a part of the community, they lived in the neighborhood. The fact that they have been laid off, ripped from their sites and basically treated like a commodity has given them a much more callous attitude towards their jobs. They feel disconnected and unwilling to do anything extra, much like the certificated staff. It is very sad for the community and the students.
There is some very wise advice here for anyone to read.
AND this is the one place that Anonplus and I get a chance to take off the boxing gloves towards each other 😉
sub lists:
I’m not sure why I’m bothering but here I go: First you need to have your name placed on the sub list: it’s not an automatic thing. It’s not a speedy happening and usually only occurs once a year….in late September. I had to actually interview for the position. Even with all those recently laid off their names need to make a list, and then the list must hit all the school sites. Most secretaries will then input the subs into jobs available. Do they know about you? You are a sub. Is the secretary that always placed you into jobs still at the school in that position? You get casted into the ethereal of the sub automated call list. There was a problem a few years ago which stripped the descriptions of the job classifications from the teachers at the school sites on the automated system. The office managers were supposed to call back in and place descriptions of the teacher’s jobs; but a lot of the schools didn’t so the jobs are cast out as either 6 through 8 with no knowledge of what you are picking up or 9 through 12! It could be girls pe (you are a male) It could be art, without any warning it is also an eld class of english. The very sad fact is the teachers of these classes don’t know why their classes are never picked up by the sub system. They have no clue the people who are contacted have little to no clue what type of class they are picking up and are a bit wary. Too often you are classified at one school when you are at another, and unless you know this your sub shows up at the wrong school. Or you could be headed for what you thought was an elementary school and find yourself with a two block period of algebra; repeated 3 times for the day. This is a sub’s job. You are rarely thanked and often criticized. This may all change…it may be quicker, it may be more detailed, it may have improved …but in 10 years it hasn’t changed! For those of you hoping for a marked pick up of jobs and pace, I hope to just warn you don’t hold your breath.