Silently Judging You

Advice please?

I need the advice of the Tumblr education braintrust. 

(I am posting this here in the secret identity account b/c I don’t want the general public to find this and know it’s me…)

This is the end of my third year teaching at a Catholic high school. My first year there was as a long-term sub. My department chair was one of my mentor teachers when I was a student teacher.

At the end of last year, the principal told me she was going to consider this year my tenure year (yes, this school has a union and tenure…not all Catholic schools do) and made it seem like it was doing me a favor to do so. Because my first year was as a long-term sub, it could have not counted. I was never given any indication that I was not on track to receive tenure. I was evaluated several times by my department chair, twice by the principal, and once by another administrator. All of my evaluations have been positive. (I mean, yes, I was given suggestions for things to work on/improve, but isn’t everyone?)

Okay. 

Earlier this school year, a MAJOR BUDGET CRISIS was discovered. I don’t totally understand the intricacies of what happened, and it’s not important. Someone got fired over it. Our librarian was let go before Christmas (she was staff, not faculty). It has been a miserable, miserable year.

Well…a little while ago, we were told that there were going to be cuts. I thought my department was safe. I was wrong. I thought that even if my department *wasn’t* safe, that I would be. I was wrong.

We have another teacher in the department who has been with us for two years. I learned that there is no such thing as seniority for non-tenured teachers. My department chair went to bat for me…being forced to choose between me and the other teacher, she would choose me. The principal felt differently.

There will be a part-time teacher in the department next year. It will not be me. I was not offered the option, and I wouldn’t have taken it if I had been. In a meeting with our union rep, the principal told him that if I resigned, the only official word from the school about my departure would be budgetary reasons. (A number of people told me, at first, not to resign, but it seems that unemployment is the primary concern. I don’t care.) Department chair thinks I should get that in writing, as she does not trust the principal. Department chair is miserable, and if she could afford to retire right now, she would.

There is no clearly laid out process for tenure according to our contract. You get observed. Principal decides if you get tenure. No portfolio, no anything. She does not need to give a reason for not giving someone tenure. Until now, I knew that I wasn’t one of her “favorites,” but I was unaware that we had a problem. As far as I know, there is nothing in my personnel file other than my performance evaluations. (According to the contract, anything in there has to be signed by me, and I’ve never signed anything other than the evaluations.) 

Sorry, that was really long…anyway, I would love some input about what I should do. Union guy told me that if unemployment wasn’t a concern, he would resign. He also doesn’t think having a meeting with the principal would be helpful or productive (someone else did, and it was not). I might, however, might ask him if I can (a) see what is in my file, and (b) check about getting something in writing from the principal. 

I am glad to be getting out of this place, but very, very concerned about what this will mean for my future job prospects. Thoughts?

Alternately, this

inothernews:

Romney flip-flops. Obama evolves.

AUGH

So, work today was incredibly annoying. (I mean, every day has been annoying since finding out I don’t have a job next year, but it was EXTRA annoying today…)

I posted this on my facebook wall:

I don’t know how to stop being angry.

I got a bunch of very helpful comments…some that had serious advice, and others that just made me laugh.

And then I got one from a very sweet (and I’m sure well-meaning) acquaintance that said she would pray for me and quoted some scripture about wrath.

Not. Helping.

I read Moviefone’s Girl’s Guide to ‘The Avengers’ So You Don’t Have To

lulabo:

Hey, did you know that girls are DUMB? Moviefone does! They wrote a really super specific GIRL’S GUIDE TO ‘THE AVENGERS.’ 

Girls, we know you’re just going to this movie because your boyfriend wants to see it. I mean, we drag them to romcoms and chick flicks all the time, it’s only fair we go see one of their BOY movies. Boys totally love different kinds of movies than girls do, ones where dudes run around and beat each other up and there’s explosions and blood and stuff. Moviefone has your back, though, if you need some deets. Never heard of superheroes? Of course not! You’re not culturally savvy! Girls don’t like that stuff, unless they do, but if they do, they probably don’t have boyfriends, so they don’t need a guide like this. Here’s what you need to know!

As your boyfriend probably told you, “The Avengers” is hitting theaters this Friday. And you, dutiful girlfriend, are attending. But you hate action movies and you’ve never even read a comic book. (Of course, that’s not a slight against the girls who actually do read comic books — i.e. real fans, actual people with varied interests — but for this, let’s just go with the stock view of ladies, ladies!)

Omigod, you totes hate action movies! The sight of sweat and blood is just so ick to your delicate, subtly shaded eyes! Because you are not a person with varied interests. Rest easy, ladies! Moviefone’s created something awesome for you so you don’t have to, you know, think:

we’ve created a streamlined girl’s guide to ward off any confusion or mid-movie what’s-going-on whisperings.

And, if you’re worried, this article will absolutely help you impress your boyfriend with some interesting factoids just like in that chick flick where Renee Zellweger plays the fat, sad British lady who can’t navigate social situations because she’s so dumb. Just like you!

Including cocktail introductions a la “Bridget Jones’s Diary” and boyfriend impressing tidbits, below is everything you need to know about “The Avengers.”

So, Captain America is HUNKY. The Hulk is the result of an OOPSIE. Thor has super blue eyes, and the Black Widow’s defining character traits are her tight outfits and her status as “friend” to Hawkeye. Moviefone put that in quotes for you, because they’re so sly and they want you to know about fucking. Also, even though she can hold her own with the guys, it’s important for you to know about her “sexy chair number.”

Now, in case you’re worried that there’s too much action, or whatever, Moviefone will tell you up front that these very manly superheroes are TOTES down to earth: “These heroes are so much more than strong! They’re sweet and sensitive!” Bruce Banner is just like your dad, and Captain America is super old fashioned. Thor, Hawkeye, and Iron Man? Their hearts have been captured by sweet ladies—who are probably just like you!

So, you may want to ask your BF—who of course knows like EVERYTHING there is to KNOW about STUFF—some questions that will occur to you throughout the movie. You should not ask these questions, because they’ll either make you sound dumb or pathetic, which you are because you had to read this article, but you don’t want your BF to know that about you because you want him to have sex with you.

What NOT to say:
“Do you think Scarlett Johansson is pretty?”
“Oh, so it’s like the ‘New Years Eve’ of superhero movies?”
“Who could concentrate on the story with all those biceps?”
“Boys are so weird.”

I mean, these things will naturally occur to you because you are a) insecure, b) not possessing discerning taste OR just totally into romcoms but not other kinds of things, c) superficial, or d) wicked dumb and confused about things that are MASCULINE. That’s okay, because you’re a girl. It’s totes expected.

The thing is, you do want to have some opinions so he knows you’ve been paying attention and like the same things he likes and think exactly the way he does, so Moviefone has given you some talking points that you probably won’t understand, but it’s okay, because really they’re just conversation starters so that your BF can tell you everything you need to know. Or they’ll flatter him, which is important so he keeps thinking how super sexy and awesome YOU are for having thoughts.

What to say:
“Thank GOD someone did the Hulk correctly.”
“I can’t wait for ‘Thor 2.’”
“Joss Whedon is the man.”
“Yeah, you’re definitely Iron Man. If he were buffer.”

So that’s it! Snuggle up at the theater with your BF confident in your knowledge of basic characters and ready to tell him how sexy he is when it’s over, when you will pander to him about his interests instead of having any of your own! 

This is so awful.

I reblogged from the original source because the reblog that came around to me was too long and weird 

Job searching

I’m filling out the most tedious online application I’ve ever seen.

So, what do you put in an essay that asks you to “include information that you believe will enhance your candidacy”?

I despise questions like this.