Welp, today was no fun.
We had a staff meeting regarding the budget and master schedule for next school year. As you will be able to read if you choose to follow the following epic tragedy, the information presented in this meeting set my brain on an unstoppable spiral of modus tollens leading to the realization that life outside my lovely dwelling bears a startling resemblance to Dante's Inferno, which I happen to be reading at the moment (for fun!).
In order to simmer my rage down into legible form, I had to take a long break before writing this post. Even now, I'm upset... not least of all because I know that no matter how many constructive, articulate arguments are made against the current state of affairs, the only change we see will be for the worse. That's how it's been since I started working at a high school, so that's how it always must be, right?
No!
So I'm challenging my ability to write, and your patience, by putting this post into verse; first, because I need to restrain myself from ranting and digressing by keeping to a strict format. Second, because I'm studying Moliere/Voltaire/Zola/Hugo in my graduate class, and when something was shitty in 18th and 19th century France, the only way things got done was when someone wrote a clever poem about it.
Behold: Educational Rhapsody.
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Our staff meeting began with no other than
The news that security next year will be cut completely.
Considering the present (awful) state of affairs
That should round out our "hell index" neatly.
The verbatim quote, when the principal spoke
Of our dismal upcoming fate
Was "If you are thinking that this year was bad,
It's about to get worse, just you wait. "
Ah, that’s a nice start ! So now next on the list:
The rate of failing freshmen is thirty percent.
That's our (teachers') fault, so naturally
Padding grades is what "we recommend."
A naive educator might dare to inquire.
"It’s clearly too rigorous!" comes the reply.
Click here. Is that a graduate you'd hire ?
Before budget cuts, we’re already pushing
The limits of teacher self-preservation
Students who cheat, lie, cuss, spit and hit
Are par for the course in our schools and our nation
For instance today, I received an email
From a parent requesting a break for their child
Who set fire to another kid's body (not kidding)
And got kicked out for being too wild.
The parent literally said he was upset
That the school decided to suspend him
It was just a prank, and the rules are so rigid !
And just this once couldn’t we bend them ?
The number of times that I’ve personally been
Asked to "pass " a student failing miserably
Is indicative of the mentality here : effort’s
Optional, rules aren’t taken literally.
If an absentee student finally shows up
from wandering streets and smoking all day:
We're required to stay late, and bend over backwards
To get them to graduate without delay.
Students disobey and cuss out the adults
The witnesses silently pass by them.
Even the cops will beg "Please go to class!"
The inmates here run the asylum.
It’s provincial to think that the school where I work
Is the only one with these atrocities.
With no loving family, role models are few
And those present condone animosity.
Movies like The Hangover, singers like Ke$ha
Are showing kids how they should act
" It’s the parent’s job to teach kids right from wrong ! "
But they don’t. And that is a fact.
Adults at the moment just aren’t the smartest.
It should be no surprise that the kid,
When spoiled or ignored by enabling parents
Acts as poorly, or worse, as they did.
Dear gov'na, I give you a tip of the hat
Superintendent, you're awfully bold too.
But an ostrich in sand, with a hatchet in hand
Could probably replace both of you.
Love,
Miz
1 comments:
Your screed is indeed quite revealing.
It lays out the facts with much feeling.
Principals as dopes.
Parents as mopes.
It seems that with fools you are dealing.
Shuey
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