Will this get me fired?

[Skirita]

The real bitch is that this is a small private center and the woman in question is the owner. But I'm her favorite teacher (everyone knows this and I'd have numerous witnesses) so I think she'd have difficulty making up an excuse to fire me. Still don't want to risk it.

On the other hand, yes, I'd have a very strong civil case if I did lose my job. Though, of course, her husband is a lawyer...

I think Dim's "anonymously alert the media" idea might be best. I'll try that first. I already explained to my class that I thought her "announcement" was unethical, etc., so I've covered my ass. I'll follow up on it Thursday and see if any parents complain.

But if she pops in on another class, I'm going to have to say something.

[Texas Carnie Roadshow]

I had a Humanities teacher who decided to make it mandatory for our class to stop by at this anti-war thing going on at the college one day.
It had the whole she-bang with Vietnam Veteran's Agaist War and a couple other groups represented.
I was annoyed that this hippy teacher was making us waste our time doing something that had nothing to do with a Non-Western Humanities course.
I went in uniform.

[Toasty McGrath]

Personally, I think that letters make things seem more official. If you send a letter, it has the same feeling as if you made a petition. Maybe just talking to her in private might do the trick; discrete and casual.

[mach1]

Too lengthy.

Not trying to be a critic or find fault. I received the advice from a well traveled and sagacious individual when I once had a grievance of my own.

Avoid being verbose.

Dont stoop to make a point.

The less groveling you do the better your chances of avoiding being fired and a better chance at being re-instated and suing for wrongful dismissal if you are.

Should it ever come to that anyway.


Instead, send her something terse and to the point.

And if I were you Id have a heart to heart with my entire class five minutes before the bell.

After all I think you'd score more points with your class than you would with her.

If you think what she did was damaging, the ball is still in court for you
to asses the damage and assauge the problem.

--

[Prodigal Son]

Skiritai,

How about taking her aside privately and tell her your concerns. Being honest to her face-to-face (I respect your opinion, but talking to the class like that left me in a difficult position because....) will probably be better than an angry-sounding letter (think about how easy it is to sound pissed off or angry on a web forum) that could ruin your relationship with her. If you're her favorite teacher then that suggests she already values your opinion. Dropping it or face-to-face is probably best...angry letter (and it will sound angry to her) will both be perceived as cowardly and disrespectful.

[DawnC71]

I still say you are bound to have many outraged Bush supporting parents who are going to back you up on this one...just wait til they hear about it from their kids and they will be outraged...that is if the kids even bother to mention it to them or give them the literature at all..that literature she handed out probably went in the first trash can they saw on the way out the door.

[Land Rover]

don't get into a political debate with her and don't send a letter either. it's bound to do absolutely no good.

i would address the issue with my class. bring it up as a topic of discussion and see where it goes. you can only be the moderator, however, bring some thoughtful questions and analysis into the discussion.

then carefully and thoroughly read your guidebook/manual/whatever rules you were given upon employment. if there is any rule she has broken, go to your school board and follow whatever process they have outlined for airing grievances.

trust me, keep the letter to yourself as an operative venting session.

cheers.

[Qwazy Wabbit]

I agree with Land Rover. Turn this into a discussion with the kids about the need to respect other people's political views and the difference between political debate and propaganda. As 18-year-olds approaching their first opportunity to vote this would be an important lesson for them.

The kids will see your boss's interruption for the crude attempt at political influence that it was. They may mention it to their parents who will admire your neutrality and perhaps complain to your boss about her unacceptable behaviour. She'll have to take notice of them.

Take this approach and avoid direct criticism of your boss in the classroom discussion and I can see no point at which you would be risking you career, whilst enhancing your reputation for ethical teaching.

[RatherNotSay]

Wow. Good letter.

I'm with the other posters here suggesting a one-off conversation instead of putting it in writing though. I'm not in education, but have my share of experience with corporate politics... can't be that much different. My personal rule is to only put something in writing that will be to your positive advantage. By your own words, this letter may be distinctly to your disadvantage.

If in the end you do decide to deliver the message in writing, I have two suggestions. First, I'd rework the parts using the strongest language. Words like "spew" and "diatribe", while very effective, may come across as too emotional in tone. Second, if you're going on record, do it where it can really make an impact. If your boss feels strongly enough to go door-to-door (so to speak) with her views, your letter will end up circular filed. If impact is what you're after, carbon copy your local newspaper instead. You still may get fired, but then, you may see real results too.

Good luck.

[RatherNotSay]

PS. The kids may already have passed judgement on this interruption among themselves as only kids can. By 18, I think many of them do have their own ideas forming... Not least of which would be ideas that make pointed, graphic fun of pompous administrators interrupting classrooms with political leaflets.

[seektravelinfo]

As you may know, I teach evening college prep and writing courses at a snooty private educational center.
[Skiritai]

The keyword is PRIVATE educational center. Gosh in my day we called them schools and teachers were called teachers, now they call themselves "educators", but I digress.
A parochial school is also a private school, uh, I mean, educational center.
As an example, a place like Our Lady of Holy Angels and Unabashed Saints will lecture children over and over on various topical issues, telling him how they should think and believe about abortion, birth control, stepping foot into Protestant churches ..... all being mortal sins.
Holy Roller Bible Thumper Jr. High will lecture students on who their parents should vote for ............
if this took place in a public school I think you'd have a point with your letter. Private schools don't have to follow the same rules.
Why not just approach the person face to face who so maliciously attempted to poison the minds of your young charges?
The horror. And don't undersell these kids. They are probably smarter than you are willing to give them credit for.

[Lochaber]

The kids will see your boss's interruption for the crude attempt at political influence that it was.

Yeah right. How long ago were you 18 - 1200 A.D.?

The kids will either -

1. Comprehend an opinion coming from an authority figure and follow it blindly, like the dumbasses in the Middle East, or
2. Be too bored to give a damn either way.

Either way, that boss needs a shakedown.

[doyle]

Don't send the letter, set up a meeting and hand her the letter. Let her read it with you present, and then discuss the contents. Something that may come off combative in writing is usually less so when explained and discussed afterwards.

Unfortunately, I am not shocked that this happened. This election is so full of hatred that neither side is doing anything to unite the citizens. If anything this election is only serving to drive wedges in between the two belief structures. Good letter, serve it in person!

[Buzzsaw]

Lots of advice from enthusiastic people, but most of it shitty.

Keep in mind, if this dingbat owns the school she can teach the kids whatever she damnwell pleases. That being said, the parents of the kids who are paying tuition can get up in arms if this is not the kind of "education" that they want for their kids. Other than that, it's out of your hands.

It's her sandbox. See what the reaction is from the few parents who actually even get her diatribe passed on to them.

One has to ask, however, ifher judgment is this poor, why does anyone trust her to educate their children?

[Skirita]

I appreciate all the comments, guys. Just to give you an idea of how some of these kids think, here's an actual unedited essay I graded last week:

Governments and their leaders should focus on problems in their own countries rather than on countries overseas. I agree with this statement.

It will be a big influence on the country if it goes to war. Rather than helping their own country, they attack another, which makes them lose more soldiers. Going to war to look for a weapon of mass destruction, will only lead to death. The countries will also be open to attack.

The economy in the countries will shorten because they have to send food and supplies to the soldiers that are overseas. It will take too long to get there, because many soldiers will die. Without food and supplies, the country will lose and have to give up. Giving food and supplies to the soldiers, will make the people of the country starve to death.

Unless they do not want to lose, they should suggest to surrender. Surrendering will help them to stay alive. When they surrender, they can go on to more matters. Like health, homes, food, and supplies. This is why they should focus on their own countries.


It's deplorable, in my opinion, to throw random, misleading facts at kids like this, regardless of whether or not they support my candidate of choice.

I'm going to wait 'til Thursday (it's a Tues/Thurs SAT class) and see if any parents complained. Will keep you all posted.