Admittedly, I have been remiss in recording the hell of the last year. This is in part due to the plethora of memes flooding social media, and many blogs that are much more thoughtful than mine, as well as journalists who are trained to tell stories. I felt like my voice was just adding to the shouting.
I did write a few pieces that I'm proud of, that I think gave a glimpse into how very difficult this has been for educators, without shouting at parents or administrators or politicians. If you'd like to read those instead, please do so. They are "That Time kryssi was Forced to Use Technology", "The Janus Masks Have Two Sides", and "Forward Is The Only Direction". Those are nice windows into the specific hell of remote teaching without any of the yelling or accusations that may happen here. You've been warned.
We do not live in a civil society any more. We seem to believe that shouting is the only way to be heard, but when everyone does it, the system overloads. Not everyone can talk at once on a Google or Zoom meet, it gets overwhelmed and nobody is heard. In theatre, you must mute your mike unless you are speaking or singing, because you interfere with the central message of the performance. It's not your turn to talk, so your mike is muted.
Nobody seems to know that these days. Nobody Cares. Just yell. It's fine.
Teachers were heroes for about ten minutes in May of 2020 when it became clear nobody was going back to their buildings. Parents understood they had to parent and teach, with the help of the remote teacher---let me repeat that: no parents were being asked to homeschool their kid with no outside help. We were there, with you in the kitchen, at the dining room table, in your makeshift classroom/ playroom. We were working. At that time, it seemed that was understood: teaching from home is still teaching, we're still working.
When August rolled around and districts began to struggle with how to safely open schools with no guidelines, parents began to grouse. "I have to go to work, so should you, you lazy ass teacher."
First, I am working. Thanks.
Second, I am sorry that you have to leave your house to go to work, that is not my fault. I did not make that decision for your company.
My "company" told me I have to stay home and teach from home. I did not make that choice.
So step off, please.
I have not worked so hard since my first year teaching, and I'm 18 years in. I had to reinvent everything I do on a dime for a content area that is strictly in person and relies on performances in person. I invite you to come spend a week doing what I do. I will happily switch jobs with you. I would love to leave the house and go to work and see other adult humans, that'd be great. Better, I'd like to see my students again in person.
"If grocery workers have to work, so should teachers." Again, I refer you to my introductory theme and remind you that we are working. I get that you're mad, but grocery workers are the ones who should be striking because they are not paid enough to risk their lives to do their job. If that's your theme, please join their union and put pressure on the corporations who are forcing them to work for under minimum wage in a pandemic.
I will not beleaguer my point with more examples, you get it. If you're mad because you have to work, then go on strike, work from home, quit your job--all suggestions that have been shouted at teachers via social media--- but stop suggesting that teachers are not working.
Speaking of striking, things really got ugly in Chicago, and here in Colorado, when it became clear that the districts were sending us back into our buildings with full classrooms before we were all vaccinated. Mathematically, the grocery worker comes in to contact with more people than teachers do daily, but they can control how close they get to them, and limit their time with each customer. Teachers are trapped in a sealed room with 30 kids for anywhere from an hour to three hours, depending on how jacked up their Covid schedule is. Regarding the number of people that you choose to come into contact with---please note, grocery store clerks have plastic shields between themselves and the patrons checking out--vs forced, long term exposure in a closed room. Both suck, but one sucks more. Guess which one?
Teachers have been abused for years. I knew that when I signed up. Yet,I wanted to teach kids. I wanted to teach kids in person and ignite a love of theatre. I did not sign up for this online BS.
I also did not start Covid -19. It's not my fault we're in a pandemic. Nor is it on me to fix the problems that ensued. I'm just trying to hold my classes and my department together long enough for everyone to get vaccinated.
I'm exhausted. Emotionally and physically.
Please do not yell at me, none of this is my fault.
Teachers did not start the pandemic. Why are we expected to fix the fallout?
But if you keep yelling at us, we're going to do as you suggest: "You don't want to go back to work, then quit."
Best Wishes, Warmest Regards to y'all when half of the teachers leave at the end of this year. You think you have it rough remote learning from home now?
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